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Developer Tools · head to head

Depot vs TanStack Start

Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
TanStack Start logo

TanStack Start

Web Development

Full-stack React framework with type-safe server functions and TanStack Router

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; TanStack Start still in Release Candidate status, not yet production stable
  • They diverge on capability: Depot covers Depot CI, TanStack Start covers Full-document SSR with streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depot and TanStack Start actually diverge.

Attributes where Depot and TanStack Start differ
AttributeDepotTanStack Start
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 TanStack Start

  • Full-document SSR with streaming
  • Type-safe server functions
  • TanStack Router integration
  • Middleware system
  • Server routes and API endpoints
  • Experimental RSC support
  • Vite and Rsbuild support

What people use each for

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

Depot

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

TanStack Start

  • Building type-safe full-stack React applicationsnot Depot
  • Projects requiring type safety across client and server boundariesnot Depot
  • Applications leveraging advanced routing patterns and nested layoutsnot Depot
  • Deployments across multiple platforms with consistent codebasenot 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

TanStack Start

  • Still in Release Candidate status, not yet production stable
  • Smaller community compared to Next.js with less third-party support
  • Documentation not as comprehensive as more established frameworks
  • Less mature ecosystem for edge deployment compared to specialized frameworks

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

TanStack Start

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TanStack Start 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 TanStack Start if

  • You need full-document ssr with streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want type-safe server functions.
TanStack Start review

Questions people ask

Is Depot or TanStack Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Depot starts at Free and TanStack Start at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depot or TanStack Start?
Depot starts at Free and TanStack Start at Free.
Does Depot or TanStack Start run on more platforms?
Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI. TanStack Start 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 TanStack Start is typically brought in for.
What can Depot do that TanStack Start cannot?
Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching. TanStack Start covers Full-document SSR with streaming, Type-safe server functions, TanStack Router integration, Middleware system.

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
TanStack Start: Is TanStack Start production-ready?

TanStack Start is currently in Release Candidate status. While functional and used in production by some teams, it has not yet reached stable v1.

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
TanStack Start: How do type-safe server functions work in TanStack Start?

Server functions are automatically typed on the client side, enabling IDE autocomplete and type checking when calling server functions from client code.

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
TanStack Start: What deployment platforms are supported by TanStack Start?

TanStack Start supports Cloudflare Workers, Node.js, Netlify, Railway, and other platforms through custom adapter configuration.

Source
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