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Testing · head to head

GitHub Actions vs Percy

GitHub Actions logo

GitHub Actions

Testing

Automate your software workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Percy logo

Percy

Testing

Visual regression testing owned by BrowserStack, with a permanent free tier for low screenshot volume

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Percy pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub Actions and Percy actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub Actions and Percy differ
AttributeGitHub ActionsPercy
Pricing modelsubscriptionFreemium, paid tiers by screenshot volume
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Testing).

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 GitHub Actions

Nothing recorded that Percy does not also cover.

Only in Percy

  • Screenshot diffing
  • Framework integrations
  • Responsive and cross-browser snapshots
  • Review workflow
  • Build history
  • BrowserStack platform integration

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 Percy
  • Automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repositorynot Percy
  • Scheduled maintenance jobs and repository automationnot Percy

Percy

  • A team already on BrowserStack for device testing that wants to add visual regression without a separate vendor relationshipnot GitHub Actions
  • A low-traffic project that can run indefinitely on the 5,000-screenshot free tier without paying anythingnot GitHub Actions
  • A team wanting a lower cost per screenshot than Applitools and willing to tolerate more manual false-positive triagenot GitHub Actions
  • A Cypress or Playwright test suite adding visual checks without changing its existing test runnernot 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

Percy

  • Pixel-based diffing generates more false positives from font rendering and anti-aliasing noise than Applitools' AI-based comparison, which trains some teams to start ignoring diff alerts over time.
  • It is billed separately from core BrowserStack device testing, and stacking Percy with other BrowserStack modules such as Accessibility Testing materially increases total contract value beyond the headline device testing price.
  • Paid tier pricing above the free tier is not transparently published as a fixed number, requiring a quote to know actual cost at scale.
  • The free tier's 5,000-screenshot cap is easy to exceed for any team running visual tests across multiple browsers and viewports on every commit, pushing many active projects into a paid tier faster than the free number suggests.
  • As part of a larger acquired portfolio, Percy's roadmap priority within BrowserStack's broader product strategy is less certain than it would be as a standalone company's sole focus.

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

Percy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5,000 screenshots a month
    • Unlimited users and projects
    • 30-day build history
  • Percy$undefined/month
    • Priced by screenshot volume above the free tier
    • Sold separately from core BrowserStack device testing plans
    • Get a current quote before assuming bundled pricing with other BrowserStack products

Which should you pick?

Choose GitHub Actions if

  • You want to start without paying.
GitHub Actions review

Choose Percy if

  • You need screenshot diffing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want framework integrations.
Percy review

Questions people ask

Is GitHub Actions or Percy better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub Actions starts at Free and Percy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GitHub Actions or Percy?
GitHub Actions starts at Free and Percy at Free.
Does GitHub Actions or Percy 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?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Percy is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub Actions do that Percy cannot?
Percy covers Screenshot diffing, Framework integrations, Responsive and cross-browser snapshots, Review workflow.

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
Percy: Is Percy free?

Yes for up to 5,000 screenshots a month with unlimited users and projects; beyond that it is a paid, quote-priced module.

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
Percy: Is Percy included if I already pay for BrowserStack device testing?

No, it is billed separately by screenshot volume, not bundled into core device testing plans.

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
Percy: How does it compare to Applitools?

Percy uses pixel-based diffing, which is generally cheaper per screenshot but produces more false positives than Applitools' AI-based perceptual comparison.

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