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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs NestJS

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
NestJS logo

NestJS

Web Development

A progressive Node.js framework for efficient, reliable and scalable server-side apps

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; NestJS licensed under the MIT License per nestjs.com; the core framework has no paid tier, but the Enterprise support offering (architectural reviews, LTS, upgrade assistance) is sold by direct contact with no published rate
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and NestJS actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and NestJS differ
AttributeDepotNestJS
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development
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 NestJS

Nothing recorded that Depot does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

NestJS

  • Building scalable Node.js applicationsnot Depot
  • Microservices developmentnot Depot
  • Backend API developmentnot 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

NestJS

  • Licensed under the MIT License per nestjs.com; the core framework has no paid tier, but the Enterprise support offering (architectural reviews, LTS, upgrade assistance) is sold by direct contact with no published rate
  • Built specifically on TypeScript and Node.js, per nestjs.com's own description, so it requires that runtime and cannot be adopted independently of the Node.js ecosystem

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

NestJS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the NestJS review.

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.

Choose NestJS if

  • You want to start without paying.

Questions people ask

Is Depot or NestJS better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and NestJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or NestJS?
Depot starts at Free and NestJS at Free.
Does Depot or NestJS run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. NestJS runs on Web.
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 NestJS is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that NestJS cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching.

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
NestJS: How much does NestJS cost?

NestJS is free and open-source software released under the MIT License. The core framework, documentation, and GitHub repository require no payment. Enterprise support, courses, and commercial tools pricing are not disclosed on the public website.

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
NestJS: What paid services does NestJS offer?

NestJS offers enterprise support (contact [email protected] for pricing), online courses through courses.nestjs.com (pricing not disclosed on main site), and commercial tools including Observe, Devtools, and Deploy/Mau (specific costs not published). Sponsorship opportunities at various tiers (Principal, Gold, Silver, Backer) are available but contribution amounts are not specified.

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
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