Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Motorola Vigilant

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Motorola Vigilant logo

Motorola Vigilant

Cybersecurity

Fixed and mobile licence plate recognition with a shared law enforcement plate database

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Depot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Motorola Vigilant state law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Motorola Vigilant actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Motorola Vigilant differ
AttributeDepotMotorola Vigilant
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIWeb, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Motorola Vigilant

  • Fixed LPR cameras
  • Mobile LPR
  • LEARN database
  • VehicleManager analytics
  • Hotlist alerting
  • Published API
  • Audit logging

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

Motorola Vigilant

  • A police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdictionnot Depot
  • An investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictionsnot Depot
  • A toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle listnot Depot
  • A sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active AMBER or missing person alertnot 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

Motorola Vigilant

  • State law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • Local surveillance technology ordinances increasingly require a published usage policy, retention limits and a public council hearing before purchase, which can add many months or block the procurement entirely.
  • Motorola has faced litigation over its dual role as ALPR operator and end user, so the legal exposure of the data-sharing model is unresolved and sits partly with the purchasing agency.
  • The value comes from the shared LEARN database, which means the capability an agency actually buys depends on what other agencies contribute, and that can shrink if peers withdraw for legal or political reasons.
  • Nothing is published on price, and camera hardware, database subscription and analytics are separate line items, so the multi-year total is far higher than the initial camera quote suggests.

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

Motorola Vigilant

On request
  • Vigilant LPR$undefined/year
    • Fixed and mobile camera hardware quoted per unit
    • LEARN database access subscribed per agency
    • Analytics software licensed separately

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 Motorola Vigilant if

  • You need fixed lpr cameras.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile lpr.
Motorola Vigilant review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Motorola Vigilant better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Motorola Vigilant at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Motorola Vigilant?
Depot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Depot and On request for Motorola Vigilant.
Does Depot or Motorola Vigilant run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. Motorola Vigilant runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Depot for free?
Yes. Depot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Motorola Vigilant starts at On request.
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 Motorola Vigilant is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Motorola Vigilant cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, Mobile LPR, LEARN database, VehicleManager analytics.

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
Motorola Vigilant: What is LEARN?

The Law Enforcement Archival Reporting Network, the shared database where plate reads from subscribing agencies are stored and queried. It is the core of the product.

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
Motorola Vigilant: Can any agency buy it?

No. Several states restrict ALPR use and data sharing, and many municipalities require a published usage policy and a public hearing first. Check statute and local ordinance before budgeting.

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
Motorola Vigilant: Does California allow sharing with federal agencies?

SB 34 restricts sharing ALPR information with out-of-state and federal agencies, and California agencies have been audited on precisely that point.

Motorola Vigilant: Is it only for police?

No. Toll and parking authorities, and some commercial repossession and insurance operations, also use LPR, though the LEARN law enforcement network is agency restricted.

Share

Related pages

More on Depot

More on Motorola Vigilant

Keep looking

Other head to heads