When is CircleCI the better choice?

You want a general CI/CD platform for builds, tests, and deploys across GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. You need no credit card to start experimenting with a real free tier. Your pipeline needs multiple execution environments like Docker, Linux VM, Arm VM, Windows VM, or limited macOS. You want broader free-tier concurrency and access to Docker layer caching, private orbs, and deploys. You are evaluating a team workflow and care about active-user limits more than per-job compute metering.

When is Run My Job the better choice?

You specifically want a hosted runner layer for GitHub Actions or GitLab CI. You care about isolated microVM execution and ephemeral filesystem storage. Your jobs are compute-heavy and you want pricing that tracks CPU and memory load instead of idle runner time. You only need one integration at first and can live with GitHub organization-account-only support on the free tier. You are expecting to move to a flat €50/month plan with unlimited concurrent jobs and more generous per-job resource caps.

CircleCI vs Run My Job: Free Tier Comparison

Q: How much does CircleCI cost after the free tier?

Performance - Starting at $15 / month. CircleCI’s first paid step is Performance at $15/month, but it uses usage-based pricing, so the real bill can rise as credits, resources, or support needs grow. Run My Job’s first paid step is Business at €50/month, a flat plan with much higher concurrency and larger per-job limits. For small-team usage, CircleCI is cheaper to enter, while Run My Job is simpler to budget once you need more integrations or less constrained compute. CircleCI’s larger plans go to contact sales, and Run My Job’s Enterprise tier also requires sales.

Q: How much does Run My Job cost after the free tier?

Business - €50/m. CircleCI’s first paid step is Performance at $15/month, but it uses usage-based pricing, so the real bill can rise as credits, resources, or support needs grow. Run My Job’s first paid step is Business at €50/month, a flat plan with much higher concurrency and larger per-job limits. For small-team usage, CircleCI is cheaper to enter, while Run My Job is simpler to budget once you need more integrations or less constrained compute. CircleCI’s larger plans go to contact sales, and Run My Job’s Enterprise tier also requires sales.

Quick answer

CircleCI - CircleCI wins for most builders because its free tier is easier to start on with no credit card required and broader CI/CD coverage, while Run My Job is the better pick only if your workflow is specifically GitHub Actions or GitLab CI runner replacement with usage-based compute control.

How the free tiers compare

These free tiers solve different problems. CircleCI is the broader CI/CD platform: it supports multiple source control systems, many execution environments, and a free plan that already includes 30,000 credits, 5 active users, and broad concurrency across Docker, Linux, Arm, Windows, and limited macOS. That makes it easier to adopt for teams that want a general pipeline system with fewer setup constraints. Run My Job is narrower but more specialized: it is built as a cloud runner for GitHub Actions and GitLab CI, with microVM isolation and pricing tied to CPU and memory consumption rather than idle runner time. Its free tier gives a surprisingly large job envelope, but only one integration and GitHub organization-account limitations. In short, CircleCI is the safer default, while Run My Job is more compelling when runner economics and isolation matter more than platform breadth.

CircleCI vs Run My Job free tier, side by side

	CircleCIFTV 62	Run My JobFTV 60
Free monthly allowanceDifferent quota units, so they are not directly comparable.	30,000 credits/month	400 vCPU-minutes and 800 GB-minutes/month
Active/integration limitCircleCI limits users; Run My Job limits connected org integrations.	Up to 5 active users	1 integration per GitLab or GitHub organization
Concurrent jobsCircleCI’s concurrency is environment-specific on the free tier.	Up to 30 concurrent job runs for Docker, Linux VM, Arm VM, and Windows VM; 1 concurrent macOS job run	10 concurrent jobs
Per-job resourcesRun My Job gives explicit per-job compute caps; CircleCI lists execution environments instead.	Access to Docker, Linux VM, Arm VM, Windows VM, and macOS VM	12 vCPU and 32 GB memory per job
Support on free tierRun My Job free-tier support details were not provided.	Community support included	Not specified
Credit card required?Based on ftv_no_cc_required.	No	Yes

After you outgrow the free tier

CircleCI’s first paid step is Performance at $15/month, but it uses usage-based pricing, so the real bill can rise as credits, resources, or support needs grow. Run My Job’s first paid step is Business at €50/month, a flat plan with much higher concurrency and larger per-job limits. For small-team usage, CircleCI is cheaper to enter, while Run My Job is simpler to budget once you need more integrations or less constrained compute. CircleCI’s larger plans go to contact sales, and Run My Job’s Enterprise tier also requires sales.

CircleCI next stepPerformance - Starting at $15 / monthUsage-based

Run My Job next stepBusiness - €50/mFlat monthly

Cost at real usage

Usage	CircleCI	Run My Job
light team, within free tier limitsEach product stays free if you do not exceed its own caps.	Free (within tier)	Free (within tier)
small team that outgrows the free tierCircleCI’s entry paid tier is much cheaper up front, but it is usage-based.	$15/mo starting point	€50/mo
higher-concurrency CI needsRun My Job’s Business tier includes unlimited concurrent jobs, while CircleCI’s pricing can increase with usage.	$15/mo starting point, then varies by usage	€50/mo

Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.

When to pick each one

Pick CircleCI when…

You want a general CI/CD platform for builds, tests, and deploys across GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
You need no credit card to start experimenting with a real free tier.
Your pipeline needs multiple execution environments like Docker, Linux VM, Arm VM, Windows VM, or limited macOS.
You want broader free-tier concurrency and access to Docker layer caching, private orbs, and deploys.
You are evaluating a team workflow and care about active-user limits more than per-job compute metering.

Pick Run My Job when…

You specifically want a hosted runner layer for GitHub Actions or GitLab CI.
You care about isolated microVM execution and ephemeral filesystem storage.
Your jobs are compute-heavy and you want pricing that tracks CPU and memory load instead of idle runner time.
You only need one integration at first and can live with GitHub organization-account-only support on the free tier.
You are expecting to move to a flat €50/month plan with unlimited concurrent jobs and more generous per-job resource caps.

Bottom line

For the most common builder choice, CircleCI wins because it is the broader, easier free tier to adopt and it does not require a credit card. It gives you enough concurrency, user allowance, and environment coverage to run real CI/CD without locking you into one runner model. Run My Job makes more sense if your work is already centered on GitHub Actions or GitLab CI and you want compute-based runner economics. For everyone else, CircleCI is the safer default.

Read the full listings: CircleCI and Run My Job. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.