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Software · head to head

CircleCI vs Stoplight

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Software

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stoplight logo

Stoplight

Software

API design, documentation, and governance platform

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; Stoplight the free plan allows one project and one user

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and Stoplight actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and Stoplight differ
AttributeCircleCIStoplight
PlatformsWebWeb, Cloud
Founded20112014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Stoplight does not also cover.

Only in Stoplight

  • API Design
  • API Documentation
  • Governance
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Jenkins
  • Azure DevOps
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

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

Stoplight

  • Designing and documenting OpenAPI specifications visuallynot CircleCI
  • Serving interactive API docs and instant mock servers from a specnot 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

Stoplight

  • The free plan allows one project and one user
  • Private projects, multi branch support and custom domains start at the Startup plan, $113 a month billed annually
  • SSO and shared style guides are Pro Team only, at $362 a month billed annually
  • Seats beyond each plan's allowance are $11 to $27 each per month depending on tier and billing period

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

Stoplight

Free
  • FreeFree
    • API design
    • Documentation
    • Community support
  • Pro$75/monthly
    • Governance
    • Advanced testing
    • Team collaboration
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • SLA
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose Stoplight if

  • You need api design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want api documentation.
Stoplight review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or Stoplight better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and Stoplight at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or Stoplight?
CircleCI starts at Free and Stoplight at Free.
Does CircleCI or Stoplight run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. Stoplight runs on Web, Cloud.
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 Stoplight is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that Stoplight cannot?
Stoplight covers API Design, API Documentation, Governance, GitHub.
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Related pages

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