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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs Spring Boot

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Spring Boot logo

Spring Boot

Web Development

Stand-alone, production-grade Spring based applications that you can just run

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; Spring Boot requires Java 17 as the minimum version for Spring Boot 4.1.0, per docs.spring.io/spring-boot/system-requirements.html (Aug 2026); older Java runtimes are not supported
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and Spring Boot actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and Spring Boot differ
AttributeDepotSpring Boot
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 Spring Boot

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 Spring Boot
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot Spring Boot
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot Spring Boot
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot Spring Boot

Spring Boot

  • Building microservices and standalone Java applicationsnot Depot
  • Rapid application development with embedded servers and production-ready configurationsnot 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

Spring Boot

  • Requires Java 17 as the minimum version for Spring Boot 4.1.0, per docs.spring.io/spring-boot/system-requirements.html (Aug 2026); older Java runtimes are not supported
  • Requires Spring Framework 7.0.8 or above and Gradle 8.14+ or Maven 3.6.3+, per Spring's own system requirements page, so older toolchains must be upgraded first

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

Spring Boot

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Spring Boot 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.
Depot review

Choose Spring Boot if

  • You want to start without paying.
Spring Boot review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or Spring Boot better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and Spring Boot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or Spring Boot?
Depot starts at Free and Spring Boot at Free.
Does Depot or Spring Boot run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. Spring Boot 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 Spring Boot is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that Spring Boot 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
Spring Boot: Is Spring Boot free?

Yes, Spring Boot is free and open-source software. The core framework is available without cost, and users can download and use it immediately.

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
Spring Boot: What commercial support is available for Spring Boot?

While Spring Boot itself is free, VMware offers optional commercial support, training, and certification through Spring Academy. Tanzu Spring provides support and binaries for OpenJDK, Spring, and Apache Tomcat through a subscription model for enterprises requiring guaranteed 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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