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Swagger UI vs Blacksmith

Swagger UI logo

Swagger UI

Developer Tools

Interactive API documentation generated from OpenAPI specs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Swagger UI only as good as the specification: a thin OpenAPI file produces thin documentation; Blacksmith per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs
  • They diverge on capability: Swagger UI covers OpenAPI rendering, Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Swagger UI and Blacksmith actually diverge.

Attributes where Swagger UI and Blacksmith differ
AttributeSwagger UIBlacksmith
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, DockerGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Swagger UI

  • OpenAPI rendering
  • Try it out
  • Schema display
  • Self-hostable

Only in Blacksmith

  • Bare metal runners
  • Multiple OS support
  • ARM support
  • Docker layer caching
  • Sticky disks
  • GitHub Actions observability
  • Free tier
  • Static IPs

What people use each for

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

Swagger UI

  • Publishing API documentation that stays in step with the specificationnot Blacksmith
  • Letting developers try endpoints before writing any client codenot Blacksmith
  • Internal API discovery across teamsnot Blacksmith

Blacksmith

  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructurenot Swagger UI
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Swagger UI
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Swagger UI
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Swagger UI

Where each one falls short

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

Swagger UI

  • Only as good as the specification: a thin OpenAPI file produces thin documentation
  • Default presentation is dated compared with modern documentation tools
  • Large specifications render slowly and become hard to navigate
  • Try it out against production needs care with authentication and CORS, and is often disabled as a result

Blacksmith

  • Per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs
  • macOS M4 pricing ($0.08/min) is significantly higher than GitHub Actions
  • Docker layer caching and sticky disks are paid add-ons at $0.50/GB/mo
  • Static IP add-on costs $100/IP/mo

Pricing, plan by plan

Swagger UI

Free
  • Swagger UIFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Blacksmith

Free
  • Ubuntu x64$0.004/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Ubuntu ARM$0.0025/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Windows x64$0.008/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • macOS M4$0.08/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads

Which should you pick?

Choose Swagger UI if

  • You need openapi rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want try it out.
Swagger UI review

Choose Blacksmith if

  • You need bare metal runners.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want multiple os support.
Blacksmith review

Questions people ask

Is Swagger UI or Blacksmith better?
Neither clearly leads. Swagger UI starts at Free and Blacksmith at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Swagger UI or Blacksmith?
Swagger UI starts at Free and Blacksmith at Free.
Does Swagger UI or Blacksmith run on more platforms?
Swagger UI runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker. Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Swagger UI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Swagger UI best used for?
Swagger UI is most often used for publishing api documentation that stays in step with the specification, letting developers try endpoints before writing any client code, internal api discovery across teams. Of those, publishing api documentation that stays in step with the specification and letting developers try endpoints before writing any client code are not what Blacksmith is typically brought in for.
What can Swagger UI do that Blacksmith cannot?
Swagger UI covers OpenAPI rendering, Try it out, Schema display, Self-hostable. Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Swagger UI: Is Swagger UI free?

Yes, open source under the Apache 2.0 licence. SmartBear sells commercial SwaggerHub separately.

Blacksmith: How much do Blacksmith runners cost compared to GitHub Actions?

Blacksmith offers 60-75% cost savings depending on OS. Ubuntu x64 costs $0.004/min vs GitHub at $0.012/min. All plans include 3,000 free minutes monthly.

Source
Swagger UI: What is the difference between Swagger and OpenAPI?

OpenAPI is the specification format; Swagger is the toolset around it, including Swagger UI. The specification was renamed from Swagger to OpenAPI in 2016.

Blacksmith: Can I use Docker layer caching with Blacksmith?

Yes, Docker layer caching is available as an add-on at $0.50/GB/mo. Managed Docker layer persistence is included with the base service.

Source
Swagger UI: Can Swagger UI make real API calls?

Yes, through its try-it-out control, though authentication and CORS configuration often mean it is disabled for production APIs.

Blacksmith: What is the SLA for Enterprise plans?

Enterprise Blacksmith plans include a 99.9% SLA guarantee along with 24/7 priority support, dedicated Slack channels, white-glove onboarding, and CI optimization support.

Source
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