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Testing · head to head

CircleCI vs Keil MDK

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Testing

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Keil MDK logo

Keil MDK

Developer Tools

Microcontroller Development Kit for Arm-based devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month; Keil MDK pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and Keil MDK actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and Keil MDK differ
AttributeCircleCIKeil MDK
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
CategoryTestingDeveloper Tools
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CircleCI

  • Continuous integration pipelines for application codenot Keil MDK
  • Parallel test execution across containersnot Keil MDK
  • Docker-based builds with layer cachingnot Keil MDK
  • Deployment pipelines with approval gatesnot Keil MDK
  • Self-hosted runners for private infrastructurenot Keil MDK

Keil MDK

  • Embedded software developmentnot CircleCI
  • ARM microcontroller programmingnot CircleCI
  • Professional development environmentsnot CircleCI

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CircleCI

  • The free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month
  • Active users are billed at $15 each beyond the included five, and an active user is anyone who commits to a project
  • Everything runs on credits, so compute, Docker layer caching at 200 credits a job and IP ranges at 450 credits per GB all draw from the same pool
  • Network and storage overage costs 420 credits per GB
  • Free credits expire monthly with no rollover, and paid credits expire after a year
  • Scale is annual billing only

Keil MDK

  • Pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site
  • Customers must contact Arm Developer Tools store for subscription rates

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 6,000 build minutes (small Docker resource class)
    • Up to 5 active users per month
    • 30,000 free credits per month
  • Performance$15/month
    • 30,000 credits included monthly
    • 5 active users included (additional users $15/month each)
    • 80x concurrency
  • Scale$null/year
    • Custom number of credits
    • Customizable user limits
    • Unlimited concurrency

Keil MDK

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Keil MDK review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose Keil MDK if

  • You want to start without paying.
Keil MDK review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or Keil MDK better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and Keil MDK at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or Keil MDK?
CircleCI starts at Free and Keil MDK at Free.
Does CircleCI or Keil MDK run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CircleCI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CircleCI best used for?
CircleCI is most often used for continuous integration pipelines for application code, parallel test execution across containers, docker-based builds with layer caching, deployment pipelines with approval gates. Of those, continuous integration pipelines for application code and parallel test execution across containers are not what Keil MDK is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CircleCI: How much does CircleCI Performance plan cost?

CircleCI Performance plan costs $15 USD per month and includes 30,000 credits, 5 active users, 80x concurrency, 5 GB network, and 2 GB storage. Additional users beyond 5 cost $15 each per month.

Source
Keil MDK: Does Keil MDK have a free version?

Yes, Keil MDK Community Edition is free for non-commercial projects. Essential and Professional editions are available as monthly or annual subscriptions.

Source
CircleCI: Can I purchase additional credits on CircleCI Performance plan?

Yes, additional credits are available at $15 for every 25,000 credits purchased. Paid credits roll over month to month and expire after one year; free plan credits expire monthly without rollover.

Source
Keil MDK: How much do Keil MDK paid editions cost?

Specific pricing for Essential and Professional editions is not published on the main site. Rates are available from the Arm Developer Tools store or by contacting Arm sales.

Source
CircleCI: What is included in the CircleCI free plan?

The free plan includes up to 6,000 build minutes per month (small Docker resource class), 5 active users, 30,000 free credits monthly, 30x concurrency, 1 GB network, 2 GB storage, and community support. No credit card required.

Source
CircleCI: What are the Scale plan limits and pricing?

CircleCI Scale plan offers custom pricing billed annually with unlimited concurrency, 50 GB network, 200 GB storage, customizable credits and users, enterprise controls, and GPU environment access. Requires contacting sales for a quote.

Source
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