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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Flux

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flux logo

Flux

Cloud

GitOps continuous delivery for Kubernetes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Flux no user interface of its own: observing what Flux is doing means CLI or a third-party dashboard
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, Flux covers Git as source of truth.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Flux actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Flux differ
AttributeDepotFlux
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIKubernetes, Linux
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCloud
Founded2022Unknown

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

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 Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in Flux

  • Git as source of truth
  • Pull-based delivery
  • Helm and Kustomize support
  • Automated image updates

What people use each for

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

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot Flux
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot Flux
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot Flux
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot Flux

Flux

  • Removing cluster credentials from CI systemsnot Depot
  • Keeping many clusters consistent with a single declared statenot Depot
  • Automatically correcting configuration drift rather than discovering it laternot Depot

Where each one falls short

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

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

Flux

  • No user interface of its own: observing what Flux is doing means CLI or a third-party dashboard
  • Debugging a stuck reconciliation is harder than reading a pipeline log, because failure is asynchronous
  • Everything must be in Git, which is awkward for secrets and needs a sealed-secrets or external-secrets approach
  • GitOps is a workflow change, not just a tool, and teams used to imperative deploys find the adjustment real

Pricing, plan by plan

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/month
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Business$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

Flux

Free
  • FluxFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Choose Flux if

  • You need git as source of truth.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux.
  • You also want pull-based delivery.
Flux review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Flux better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Flux at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Flux?
Depot starts at Free and Flux at Free.
Does Depot or Flux run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. Flux runs on Kubernetes, Linux.
Can I use Depot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Depot best used for?
Depot is most often used for accelerating docker builds for container-based development, replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure, distributing cache across monorepo builds, debugging failed ci builds interactively with ssh. Of those, accelerating docker builds for container-based development and replacing github actions runners with faster infrastructure are not what Flux is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Flux cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. Flux covers Git as source of truth, Pull-based delivery, Helm and Kustomize support, Automated image updates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
Flux: Is Flux free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-graduated.

Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
Flux: Flux or Argo CD?

Both implement GitOps. Argo CD ships a strong web UI and is often preferred for visibility; Flux is more modular and composes as controllers, which suits platform teams.

Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
Flux: Why is pull-based safer?

Because the cluster reaches out to Git rather than CI reaching into the cluster. No external system needs write credentials to production.

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