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CircleCI vs Swagger/OpenAPI

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Software

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Swagger/OpenAPI

Software

API specification and documentation framework using OpenAPI standard

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; Swagger/OpenAPI the OpenAPI Specification itself is licensed under Apache License 2.0 and free to use; SwaggerHub is a separate paid tool built on top of it

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and Swagger/OpenAPI actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and Swagger/OpenAPI differ
AttributeCircleCISwagger/OpenAPI
PlatformsWebWeb, CLI, Desktop
Founded20112001

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 Swagger/OpenAPI does not also cover.

Only in Swagger/OpenAPI

  • OpenAPI Specification
  • Interactive Documentation
  • Code Generation
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Jenkins
  • IDE plugins
  • 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 Swagger/OpenAPI
  • Parallel test execution across containersnot Swagger/OpenAPI
  • Docker-based builds with layer cachingnot Swagger/OpenAPI
  • Deployment pipelines with approval gatesnot Swagger/OpenAPI
  • Self-hosted runners for private infrastructurenot Swagger/OpenAPI

Swagger/OpenAPI

  • API Developmentnot CircleCI
  • API Gatewaynot CircleCI
  • API Testingnot CircleCI
  • API Documentationnot CircleCI
  • Microservicesnot 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

Swagger/OpenAPI

  • The OpenAPI Specification itself is licensed under Apache License 2.0 and free to use; SwaggerHub is a separate paid tool built on top of it

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

Swagger/OpenAPI

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • OpenAPI specification
    • Community tools
  • SwaggerHub FreeFree
    • Cloud editor
    • API mocking
    • API testing
  • SwaggerHub Pro$75/monthly
    • Team collaboration
    • Advanced mocking
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose Swagger/OpenAPI if

  • You need openapi specification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI, Desktop.
  • You also want interactive documentation.
Swagger/OpenAPI review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or Swagger/OpenAPI better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and Swagger/OpenAPI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or Swagger/OpenAPI?
CircleCI starts at Free and Swagger/OpenAPI at Free.
Does CircleCI or Swagger/OpenAPI run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. Swagger/OpenAPI runs on Web, CLI, Desktop.
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 Swagger/OpenAPI is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that Swagger/OpenAPI cannot?
Swagger/OpenAPI covers OpenAPI Specification, Interactive Documentation, Code Generation, GitHub.
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