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Testing · head to head

CircleCI vs mabl

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Testing

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
mabl logo

mabl

Testing

Low-code browser and API test automation with hosted runners and self-healing selectors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CircleCI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month; mabl tests are stored in a proprietary format and cannot be exported as runnable code, so migrating to Playwright or Cypress later means re authoring every test by hand.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and mabl actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and mabl differ
AttributeCircleCImabl
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
Founded2011Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Testing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CircleCI

Nothing recorded that mabl does not also cover.

Only in mabl

  • Trainer recorder
  • Auto healing selectors
  • API testing
  • Accessibility checks
  • Cross browser cloud runs
  • CI and issue tracker hooks

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

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

mabl

  • A QA team of two or three people responsible for regression coverage across a web application released weeklynot CircleCI
  • An organisation that abandoned a Selenium suite because maintenance consumed more time than manual testing didnot CircleCI
  • Teams that need accessibility scanning and functional regression reported in the same runnot CircleCI
  • Product companies where non engineers, such as support or business analysts, are expected to author testsnot 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

mabl

  • Tests are stored in a proprietary format and cannot be exported as runnable code, so migrating to Playwright or Cypress later means re authoring every test by hand.
  • Auto healing can mask a genuine defect: if an element is removed and a similar one takes its place, the test adapts and passes when a user facing regression has actually shipped.
  • Pricing is not published and is driven by concurrent run capacity, so the cost of shortening a two hour suite to twenty minutes is a renegotiation rather than a configuration change.
  • Debugging a failure happens inside a hosted runner you do not control, which makes flakiness caused by test data or environment timing harder to reproduce locally than with a suite you run yourself.
  • Native mobile application coverage is thin compared with the browser product, so teams with an iOS or Android app still need a second tool such as Appium or Maestro.

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

mabl

On request
  • mabl$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription quoted per organisation, with the number of concurrent cloud runs as the main cost driver
    • Trial available without a sales call, full pricing is not published

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose mabl if

  • You need trainer recorder.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want auto healing selectors.
mabl review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or mabl better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and mabl at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or mabl?
CircleCI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CircleCI and On request for mabl.
Does CircleCI or mabl run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. mabl runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use CircleCI for free?
Yes. CircleCI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. mabl starts at On request.
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 mabl is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that mabl cannot?
mabl covers Trainer recorder, Auto healing selectors, API testing, Accessibility checks.

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
mabl: Can I export mabl tests to Playwright if we leave?

No. You can export documentation of the steps, but not runnable code. Budget for re authoring the suite.

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
mabl: Does auto healing actually work?

It works often enough to be the reason people buy it, but it cannot be verified from a demo. Trial it against your own application through at least two real releases.

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
mabl: Is mabl a replacement for unit tests?

No. It covers end to end journeys through a running application. Unit and integration coverage still belongs in your repository.

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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