Mobile Development · head to head
Codemagic vs Fastlane

Fastlane
Mobile Development
Open-source automation for building, testing, and releasing iOS and Android apps.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Codemagic minute-based pricing opacity: exact costs for concurrent builds become difficult to predict at scale without calculator; Fastlane requires command-line and Ruby familiarity to configure and maintain Fastfiles.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Codemagic and Fastlane actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mobile Development).
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 Codemagic
Nothing recorded that Fastlane does not also cover.
Only in Fastlane
- Screenshot automation
- Beta distribution
- App store publishing
- Code signing management
- CI/CD integration
- Plugin ecosystem
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Codemagic
- Mobile CI/CD pipelines for iOS and Androidnot Fastlane
- React Native CodePush over-the-air update distributionnot Fastlane
- Enterprise multi-team CI/CD at scalenot Fastlane
Fastlane
- Automating iOS and Android release pipelinesnot Codemagic
- Generating localized app store screenshotsnot Codemagic
- Distributing beta builds to testersnot Codemagic
- Managing code signing across a teamnot Codemagic
- Integrating mobile releases into CI/CDnot Codemagic
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Codemagic
- Minute-based pricing opacity: exact costs for concurrent builds become difficult to predict at scale without calculator
- Free tier severely limited to 500 minutes/month with single parallel build vs. competitors offering more generous free allocations
- M1/M2/M4 pricing variance creates complexity; customers must right-size machine type upfront without clear performance guidance
- Additional concurrency is expensive at $49/month per concurrent build, potentially costing $588/year per extra slot
Fastlane
- Requires command-line and Ruby familiarity to configure and maintain Fastfiles.
- No hosted UI or dashboard; it is a local/CI toolkit rather than a managed service.
- Community-maintained plugins vary in quality and maintenance status.
- No built-in analytics or crash reporting; it must be paired with other tools for those needs.
Pricing, plan by plan
Codemagic
Free- Pay as You Go$undefined/mo
- M2 Fixed Plan$3990/year
- M4 Fixed Plan$5400/year
- M4 Max Fixed Plan$9000/year
Fastlane
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Fastlane review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Fastlane if
- You need screenshot automation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on ios, android.
- You also want beta distribution.
Questions people ask
- Is Codemagic or Fastlane better?
- Neither clearly leads. Codemagic starts at Free and Fastlane at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Codemagic or Fastlane?
- Codemagic starts at Free and Fastlane at Free.
- Does Codemagic or Fastlane run on more platforms?
- Codemagic runs on Web. Fastlane runs on ios, android.
- Can I use Codemagic for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Codemagic best used for?
- Codemagic is most often used for mobile ci/cd pipelines for ios and android, react native codepush over-the-air update distribution, enterprise multi-team ci/cd at scale. Of those, mobile ci/cd pipelines for ios and android and react native codepush over-the-air update distribution are not what Fastlane is typically brought in for.
- What can Codemagic do that Fastlane cannot?
- Fastlane covers Screenshot automation, Beta distribution, App store publishing, Code signing management.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Codemagic: How much does it cost to add more parallel builds?
Each additional concurrent build costs $49/month ($588/year). Fixed-plan customers can purchase additional concurrency at $1,500–$3,000/year depending on tier.
SourceFastlane: Is fastlane a free tool, and what is the licensing model?
Fastlane is open source and free to use. It is an open source platform aimed at simplifying Android and iOS deployment with contributions from over 700 community members.
SourceCodemagic: Does Codemagic offer a free tier?
Yes. The free tier includes 500 free M2 build minutes monthly with 1 parallel build maximum, then paid usage kicks in.
SourceFastlane: Does fastlane charge for support or commercial use?
The fastlane website does not mention pricing for support, training, or commercial services. Users are directed to documentation for getting started rather than a purchasing process.
SourceCodemagic: What is the difference between monthly billing and annual fixed plans?
Pay-as-you-go charges per minute of build time. Fixed annual plans provide unlimited minutes on a specific machine type (M2, M4, or M4 Max) for one upfront yearly payment plus the option to purchase additional concurrency.
SourceFastlane: Can fastlane be used in commercial projects?
Yes, fastlane is an open source project. Commercial use is not addressed as a limitation on the website.
SourceCodemagic: Is there a limit to monthly users on React Native CodePush?
Yes. On the fixed-price CodePush plan, users are billed per 100,000 Monthly Active Users (MAU). Overage pricing is $1 per 2,500 installs on pay-as-you-go or a higher per-instance fee on fixed plans.
SourceRelated pages
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