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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs StackBlitz

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StackBlitz logo

StackBlitz

Developer Tools

Browser-based IDE and AI app builder running full Node.js stacks via WebContainers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development; StackBlitz specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, StackBlitz covers WebContainers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and StackBlitz actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and StackBlitz differ
AttributeDepotStackBlitz
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsCloud, GitHub, CLIweb
Founded2022Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Only in StackBlitz

  • WebContainers
  • Bolt.new AI app builder
  • Instant boot times
  • GitHub project import
  • Team collaboration
  • Offline functionality

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

StackBlitz

  • Editing a GitHub repository instantly in the browser without cloning itnot Depot
  • Generating a working web app from a text prompt with Bolt.newnot Depot
  • Sharing private projects across a team without individual GitHub seats for viewersnot Depot
  • Running lightweight Node.js projects with no local setupnot 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

StackBlitz

  • Specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • Browser-based execution via WebContainers has limits on which native/binary dependencies can run compared to a real server-backed environment.
  • Heavy or resource-intensive workloads may be constrained by the end user's own browser and machine resources.

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

StackBlitz

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Unlimited public projects, collections, and GitHub repositories
    • View and edit without a GitHub account
  • Teams$undefined/mo
    • Private collections and repositories for paid members
    • Free and paid member roles
    • Automatic permission mirroring for org-owned repositories

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 StackBlitz if

  • You need webcontainers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want bolt.new ai app builder.
StackBlitz review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or StackBlitz better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or StackBlitz?
Depot starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free.
Does Depot or StackBlitz run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. StackBlitz 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 StackBlitz is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that StackBlitz cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. StackBlitz covers WebContainers, Bolt.new AI app builder, Instant boot times, GitHub project import.

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
StackBlitz: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free Personal plan includes unlimited public StackBlitz projects, collections, and GitHub repositories, and lets anyone view and edit projects without needing a GitHub account.

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
StackBlitz: What does the Teams plan add?

Teams lets GitHub organizations add free or paid members; paid members get access to private collections and repositories, with permissions mirrored from GitHub-owned repos.

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
StackBlitz: Is there an Enterprise option?

Yes, custom Enterprise plans are available and require contacting StackBlitz directly.

Source
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