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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Knack

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DepotFull review
Knack logo

Knack

Databases

Hosted no-code database and web app builder priced by stored records and storage, with unlimited user accounts on every plan.

From
$59/month
Free plan
No
Visit KnackFull review

The short version

  • Depot is a cloud-based CI/CD platform.
  • Depot has a free plan, then $20/mo; Knack starts at $59/mo.
  • Only Depot lists Depot CI; only Knack lists visual database builder.
  • Where Depot falls short: developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Knack actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Knack differ
AttributeDepotKnack
Starting priceFree$59/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, GitHub, APIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDatabases

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Depot, founded for Knack.

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 Knack

  • Visual database builder
  • User logins and roles
  • Page builder
  • Unlimited users
  • E-commerce
  • Automation flows
  • Scheduled tasks
  • REST API and webhooks

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

Knack

  • A member or client portal where thousands of external people need their own login and see only their own recordsnot Depot
  • Replacing a shared spreadsheet used by a team that has outgrown it but cannot justify a developer to build a bespoke internal toolnot Depot
  • Inventory, asset or case tracking for a small operations team that needs roles, forms and a record of who changed whatnot Depot
  • A registration or booking application for an association, school or non-profit where the user count is large and the record count stays modestnot 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

Knack

  • Plans are capped by stored records, so an application that logs events or keeps history rather than current state climbs tiers on data volume alone, and archiving old records becomes a permanent maintenance chore rather than a one-off
  • API access is capped per day, at 1,000 calls on the entry plan and 10,000 at the Corporate tier, so a scheduled sync or a busy automation can exhaust the day's quota before the working day ends and integrations then fail silently
  • The application itself cannot be exported or self-hosted; records can be downloaded but the pages, roles, flows and business logic exist only inside Knack, so outgrowing the platform means rebuilding the app rather than moving it
  • Customisation beyond the builder is limited to injected CSS and JavaScript that Knack's support does not cover, so any non-standard interface behaviour becomes yours to maintain against a DOM the vendor can change without warning
  • Compliance capabilities that regulated buyers assume are baseline, HIPAA and GovCloud options, advanced SSO, IP restrictions and private environments, are gated to the Corporate and Enterprise tiers, so a small regulated pilot cannot legitimately start on an entry plan

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

Knack

$59/month
  • Starter$59/mo
    • 20,000 database records
    • Unlimited users, tables, fields
    • 25 AI credits
  • Pro$130/mo
    • 50,000 database records
    • Remove Knack branding
    • E-commerce payments
  • Corporate$300/mo
    • 125,000-2.5M database records
    • App restore functionality
    • Advanced SSO
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Dedicated account manager
    • HIPAA/GovCloud-based options
    • Custom pricing

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 Knack if

  • You need visual database builder.
  • You also want user logins and roles.
Knack review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Knack better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Knack at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Knack?
Depot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Depot and $59/month for Knack.
Does Depot or Knack run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Web, GitHub, API. Knack runs on Web.
Can I use Depot for free?
Yes. Depot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Knack starts at $59/month.
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 Knack is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Knack cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. Knack covers Visual database builder, User logins and roles, Page builder, Unlimited users.

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
Knack: Is Knack charged per user?

No. User accounts are unlimited on all plans. Plans are bounded by stored record count, file storage, API calls per day and automation transactions.

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
Knack: What happens when I exceed the record limit?

You move to a higher tier or reduce stored records. Because the limit is on data rather than people, apps that accumulate history hit it while apps that track a fixed set of entities generally do not.

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
Knack: Can I export my application or self-host it?

You can export record data. The application itself, its pages, roles, permissions and flows, is not exportable and cannot be self-hosted, so leaving means rebuilding elsewhere.

Knack: Is it suitable for public-facing portals?

That is its strongest case, because logins are unlimited and role-based permissions are built in. The constraint is record volume and API throughput, not audience size.

Knack: Can I use it for regulated data?

HIPAA-aligned and government cloud options exist but only on the Enterprise tier, along with private server environments. Lower tiers should not be used for regulated workloads.

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