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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Namespace

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Namespace logo

Namespace

Developer Tools

The dev platform for the next 100 billion commits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Namespace developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, Namespace covers Devboxes.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Namespace actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Namespace differ
AttributeDepotNamespace
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLICloud, Mac, Windows, Linux
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

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
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in Namespace

  • Devboxes
  • Docker builds
  • Cross-invocation caching
  • NVMe storage
  • High-speed networking
  • Multiple OS support
  • Bazel and Turborepo support

Both cover

  • GitHub Actions runners

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

Namespace

  • Providing AI coding agents with cloud-based development environmentsnot Depot
  • Accelerating CI builds with faster GitHub Actions runnersnot Depot
  • Distributing builds across teams with managed infrastructurenot Depot
  • Scaling development velocity for monorepo organizationsnot 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

Namespace

  • Developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
  • Team plan $100/mo is competitive but usage limits may be tight
  • Devbox pricing separate at $0.004/minute could add up quickly
  • Enterprise plan requires custom sales conversation

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

Namespace

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • On-demand compute
    • Docker builds
  • Team$100/month
    • 100,000 unit minutes
    • 1,000 Docker builds
    • Everything in Developer
  • Business$250/month
    • 250,000 unit minutes
    • 2,500 Docker builds
    • Everything in Team
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom compute/Docker build limits
    • Audit log export
    • Enterprise SSO

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 Namespace if

  • You need devboxes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Mac, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want docker builds.
Namespace review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Namespace better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Namespace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Namespace?
Depot starts at Free and Namespace at Free.
Does Depot or Namespace run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. Namespace runs on Cloud, Mac, Windows, 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 Namespace is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Namespace cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, Distributed caching, Build API. Namespace covers Devboxes, Docker builds, Cross-invocation caching, NVMe storage. Both handle GitHub Actions runners.

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
Namespace: How is compute usage metered on the Developer plan?

Developer plan uses pay-as-you-go billing. Devboxes bill at $0.004 per minute. Storage and caching services have separate usage-based fees. A 30-day free trial is available to test usage patterns.

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
Namespace: What is the difference between Team and Business plans?

Team ($100/mo) includes 100,000 unit minutes and 1,000 Docker builds with email support. Business ($250/mo) includes 250,000 unit minutes, 2,500 Docker builds, and high concurrency with a dedicated Slack channel.

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
Namespace: Can Namespace support AI coding agents?

Yes, Namespace Devboxes are specifically designed as feature-rich development environments for AI coding agents, with full tooling and performance optimization.

Source
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