Softwr

Testing · head to head

GitHub Actions vs GNAT Pro

GitHub Actions logo

GitHub Actions

Testing

Automate your software workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GNAT Pro logo

GNAT Pro

Developer Tools

Software development environments and toolchains for Ada, C/C++ and Rust

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GitHub Actions has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GitHub Actions private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed; GNAT Pro no pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub Actions and GNAT Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub Actions and GNAT Pro differ
AttributeGitHub ActionsGNAT Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
CategoryTestingDeveloper Tools
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

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

GitHub Actions

  • Running CI builds and tests on pushes and pull requestsnot GNAT Pro
  • Automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repositorynot GNAT Pro
  • Scheduled maintenance jobs and repository automationnot GNAT Pro

GNAT Pro

  • Building certified avionics software meeting DO-178B/C standardsnot GitHub Actions
  • Developing automotive embedded systems with ISO-26262 compliancenot GitHub Actions
  • Integrating Ada, C/C++, and Rust components in single codebasenot GitHub Actions
  • Managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and SBOMsnot GitHub Actions
  • Supporting long-lived software systems spanning decadesnot GitHub Actions

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GitHub Actions

  • Private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed
  • Artifact storage is only 500 MB on GitHub Free and 2 GB on Team, and it is shared with GitHub Packages storage
  • Larger runners are always charged for, even on public repositories and even when plan quota remains
  • Windows runners cost $0.010 per minute against $0.006 for a 2-core Linux runner, so the same workflow costs more per platform
  • macOS runners are charged at a higher per-minute rate than Linux runners
  • Failed runs consume minutes, so a job that fails after 5 minutes and is re-run for 10 uses 15 minutes of quota
  • Storage is billed on hourly accrual in GB-Hours, so deleting artifacts stops future charges but does not remove charges already accrued in the cycle
  • Cache storage is a separate 10 GB per repository allowance and peak hourly usage above it is charged
  • Minutes are charged to the repository owner, not the person who triggered the run, and anyone with write access can trigger runs
  • Without a valid payment method on file, workflows are blocked as soon as the quota is exhausted

GNAT Pro

  • No pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Vendor indicates per-user, per-year subscription model but does not disclose specific costs

Pricing, plan by plan

GitHub Actions

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes per month
    • Free for public repositories
  • Team$4/month
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes per month
    • Free for public repositories
    • First 12 months at promotional rate
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes per month
    • Free for public repositories
    • First 12 months at promotional rate

GNAT Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GNAT Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GitHub Actions if

  • You want to start without paying.
GitHub Actions review

Choose GNAT Pro if

Nothing in the data separates GNAT Pro from GitHub Actions on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

GNAT Pro review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub Actions or GNAT Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub Actions starts at Free and GNAT Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub Actions or GNAT Pro?
GitHub Actions has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GitHub Actions and On request for GNAT Pro.
Does GitHub Actions or GNAT Pro run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use GitHub Actions for free?
Yes. GitHub Actions has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GNAT Pro starts at On request.
What is GitHub Actions best used for?
GitHub Actions is most often used for running ci builds and tests on pushes and pull requests, automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repository, scheduled maintenance jobs and repository automation. Of those, running ci builds and tests on pushes and pull requests and automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repository are not what GNAT Pro is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GitHub Actions: How much does GitHub Actions cost?

GitHub Actions is free for public repositories. For private repositories, the Team plan costs $4 per user per month (first 12 months) with 3,000 CI/CD minutes, and the Enterprise plan costs $21 per user per month (first 12 months) with 50,000 CI/CD minutes.

Source
GNAT Pro: How much does GNAT Pro cost?

GNAT Pro pricing is not published on the website. Customers must request a pricing quote by contacting AdaCore directly or speaking with a GNAT Pro expert.

Source
GitHub Actions: Is there a free version of GitHub Actions?

Yes, GitHub Actions is free for all public repositories. The Free plan for private repositories includes 2,000 CI/CD minutes per month. All tiers include free CI/CD minutes for public repository workflows.

Source
GNAT Pro: What is GNAT Pro licensing model?

GNAT Pro is sold on a per-user, per-year basis with no license locks. Customers can request pricing for their specific needs.

Source
GitHub Actions: What does the Team plan add to GitHub Actions?

The Team plan provides 3,000 CI/CD minutes per month compared to 2,000 on the Free plan. It costs $4 per user per month for the first 12 months. Minutes apply only to private repository workflows.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on GitHub Actions

More on GNAT Pro

Keep looking

Other head to heads