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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Hex

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DepotFull review
Hex logo

Hex

Business Intelligence

AI-powered analytics platform unifying notebooks, dashboards, and business intelligence

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit HexFull review

The short version

  • Depot is a cloud-based CI/CD platform.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $20/mo and $36/mo.
  • Only Depot lists Depot CI; only Hex lists agentic notebooks.
  • Where Depot falls short: developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development.
  • Where Hex falls short: pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Hex actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Hex differ
AttributeDepotHex
PlatformsWeb, GitHub, APIWeb, Slack
CategoryDeveloper ToolsBusiness Intelligence
Founded20222019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Depot.

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 Hex

  • Agentic notebooks
  • Conversational analytics
  • Data apps
  • Context Studio
  • Data warehouse integration
  • dbt integration
  • Version history
  • Scheduled automation

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

Hex

  • Deep exploratory analysis by data teams on organizational datasetsnot Depot
  • Self-serve analytics for business users without SQL knowledgenot Depot
  • Executive dashboarding and reporting with real-time datanot Depot
  • Cross-functional data collaboration and insight sharingnot Depot
  • AI-assisted analysis reducing manual exploration timenot 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

Hex

  • Pricing based per-seat ($36-$75/editor/month) becomes expensive for large teams
  • Free Community tier limited to small compute and trial AI features
  • Advanced compute adds per-hour fees ($0.32-$4.06/hour), requiring cost monitoring
  • Learning curve for users unfamiliar with SQL or Python notebooks
  • Enterprise features requiring custom quotes lack transparent pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Depot

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

Hex

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Hex agent trial
    • Data source connections
    • All cell types
  • Professional$36/mo
    • Everything in Community
    • Full Hex agent access
    • Standard credits
  • Team$75/mo
    • Everything in Professional
    • Extended credits
    • Unlimited published apps
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Everything in Team
    • Explorer seat add-ons
    • Audit logs

Which should you pick?

Choose Depot if

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

Choose Hex if

  • You need agentic notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Slack.
  • You also want conversational analytics.
Hex review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Hex better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Hex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Hex?
Depot starts at Free and Hex at Free.
Does Depot or Hex run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Web, GitHub, API. Hex runs on Web, Slack.
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 Hex is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Hex cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. Hex covers Agentic notebooks, Conversational analytics, Data apps, Context Studio.

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
Hex: What is included in the free Community plan?

The Community plan ($0) includes Hex agent trial, data source connections, all cell types, and small compute sizing. It's suitable for prototyping and hobbyist projects.

Source
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
Hex: How much do advanced compute resources cost?

Advanced compute is billed per minute and ranges from $0.32 to $4.06 per hour depending on resource tier. Monthly credit grants are included in paid plans.

Source
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
Hex: Can I share analytics with non-Hex users?

Yes. Published apps can be shared publicly. Embedded analytics are available on Enterprise plans for integrating Hex into other applications.

Source
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