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Developer Tools · head to head

Namespace vs Depot

Namespace logo

Namespace

Developer Tools

The dev platform for the next 100 billion commits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Namespace developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear; Depot developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • They diverge on capability: Namespace covers Devboxes, Depot covers Depot CI.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Namespace and Depot actually diverge.

Attributes where Namespace and Depot differ
AttributeNamespaceDepot
PlatformsCloud, Mac, Windows, LinuxCloud, GitHub, CLI
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Namespace

  • Devboxes
  • Docker builds
  • Cross-invocation caching
  • NVMe storage
  • High-speed networking
  • Multiple OS support
  • Bazel and Turborepo support

Only in Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

Both cover

  • GitHub Actions runners

What people use each for

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

Namespace

  • Providing AI coding agents with cloud-based development environmentsnot Depot
  • Accelerating CI builds with faster GitHub Actions runnersnot Depot
  • Distributing builds across teams with managed infrastructurenot Depot
  • Scaling development velocity for monorepo organizationsnot Depot

Depot

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

Where each one falls short

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

Namespace

  • Developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
  • Team plan $100/mo is competitive but usage limits may be tight
  • Devbox pricing separate at $0.004/minute could add up quickly
  • Enterprise plan requires custom sales conversation

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Namespace

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • Pay-as-you-go
    • On-demand compute
    • Docker builds
  • Team$100/month
    • 100,000 unit minutes
    • 1,000 Docker builds
    • Everything in Developer
  • Business$250/month
    • 250,000 unit minutes
    • 2,500 Docker builds
    • Everything in Team
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom compute/Docker build limits
    • Audit log export
    • Enterprise SSO

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Namespace if

  • You need devboxes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Mac, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want docker builds.
Namespace review

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

Questions people ask

Is Namespace or Depot better?
Neither clearly leads. Namespace starts at Free and Depot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Namespace or Depot?
Namespace starts at Free and Depot at Free.
Does Namespace or Depot run on more platforms?
Namespace runs on Cloud, Mac, Windows, Linux. Depot runs on Cloud, GitHub, CLI.
Can I use Namespace for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Namespace best used for?
Namespace is most often used for providing ai coding agents with cloud-based development environments, accelerating ci builds with faster github actions runners, distributing builds across teams with managed infrastructure, scaling development velocity for monorepo organizations. Of those, providing ai coding agents with cloud-based development environments and accelerating ci builds with faster github actions runners are not what Depot is typically brought in for.
What can Namespace do that Depot cannot?
Namespace covers Devboxes, Docker builds, Cross-invocation caching, NVMe storage. Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, Distributed caching, Build API. Both handle GitHub Actions runners.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namespace: How is compute usage metered on the Developer plan?

Developer plan uses pay-as-you-go billing. Devboxes bill at $0.004 per minute. Storage and caching services have separate usage-based fees. A 30-day free trial is available to test usage patterns.

Source
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
Namespace: What is the difference between Team and Business plans?

Team ($100/mo) includes 100,000 unit minutes and 1,000 Docker builds with email support. Business ($250/mo) includes 250,000 unit minutes, 2,500 Docker builds, and high concurrency with a dedicated Slack channel.

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
Namespace: Can Namespace support AI coding agents?

Yes, Namespace Devboxes are specifically designed as feature-rich development environments for AI coding agents, with full tooling and performance optimization.

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
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