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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Packer

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Packer logo

Packer

Cloud

Build automated machine images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Packer packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, Packer covers Image building.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Packer actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Packer differ
AttributeDepotPacker
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLILinux, Windows, Mac
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCloud
Founded20222013

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 Packer

  • Image building
  • Multi-platform support
  • Provisioners
  • Builders
  • Post-processors
  • Variables
  • Data sources
  • Validation

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

Packer

  • Building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one templatenot Depot
  • Baking golden AMIs and VM images into a CI pipelinenot Depot
  • Creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by Terraformnot 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

Packer

  • Packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Packer to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Packer
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published, and the Change Date is set separately per version
  • Alternative licensing for uses outside the grant must be arranged with the licensor rather than taken under the public licence

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

Packer

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Multi-platform image building
    • Template-driven
    • Provisioner support

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 Packer if

  • You need image building.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want multi-platform support.
Packer review

Questions people ask

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

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
Packer: How much does HashiCorp Packer cost?

Packer does not publish specific pricing on its website. The open-source Packer tool is free, while HCP Packer (HashiCorp's cloud-hosted version) offers a free trial, but detailed pricing requires contacting HashiCorp.

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
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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