{"question": "best ci cd platforms for agencies", "category": "ci-cd-platforms", "category_name": "ci cd platforms", "audience": "agencies", "audience_name": "agencies", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-09-06T22:50:29Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/ci-cd-platforms-agencies-2026-09-06", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/ci-cd-platforms/agencies", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "GitHub", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "GitHub Actions", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "Linux", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "GitLab", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "Buddy", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "AWS", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Azure", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Netlify", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Vercel", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "DeployHQ", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "CircleCI", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "Azure DevOps", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 13, "brand": "Microsoft", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 14, "brand": "Jenkins", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://cicdcalculator.com/github-actions", "domain": "cicdcalculator.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://theplatformengineering.substack.com/p/github-actions-2026-pricing-changes", "domain": "theplatformengineering.substack.com", "source_type": "community"}, {"url": "https://cicdcalculator.com/gitlab-ci", "domain": "cicdcalculator.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://vendorbenchmark.com/blog/ci-cd-platform-pricing-benchmark-comparison", "domain": "vendorbenchmark.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.deployhq.com/blog/deployhq-vs-buddy-which-deployment-tool-is-right-for-you", "domain": "deployhq.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://www.saashub.com/compare-buddy-vs-deployhq", "domain": "saashub.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.deployhq.com/blog/best-ci-cd-software-top-10-tools-to-know-in-2025", "domain": "deployhq.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://blog.jetbrains.com/teamcity/2026/03/best-ci-tools/", "domain": "blog.jetbrains.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://clientpress.io/business-tips/how-agencies-can-stop-letting-per-seat-pricing-eat-into-project-margins/", "domain": "clientpress.io", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "## What I'd actually recommend, in order\n\n**1. GitHub Actions** - the default for most agencies. Your clients' repos are probably already on GitHub, the pipeline config lives *in the repo*, so when you hand a project off at end of engagement the CI goes with it - no \"we need to migrate your builds off our vendor account\" conversation. Free plan gives 2,000 Linux min/month on private repos, unlimited on public; overage is $0.006/min Linux. Self-hosted runners stayed free (the $0.002/min platform fee floated for March 2026 was pulled after backlash). ([cicdcalculator.com](https://cicdcalculator.com/github-actions), [theplatformengineering.substack.com](https://theplatformengineering.substack.com/p/github-actions-2026-pricing-changes))\n\n**2. GitLab CI/CD** - pick this when clients need repos + issues + CI + registry in one contract, or when self-managed/EU-residency is a requirement. Minutes are pooled per namespace (10,000/group on Premium, flat regardless of headcount), which is friendlier than per-seat for agencies, and unlimited self-hosted runners on any tier including Free. Downside: Premium is $29/user/month, and \"users\" in an agency creeps to include client stakeholders and su", "answer_truncated": true, "measurement": "One answer from one engine on one date. Not a ranking and not a claim about the world; brands the engine did not name are not recorded.", "limitation": "Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.", "alerts": {"name": "Answer Watch Pro", "price_usd": 79, "period": "month", "gets": "daily change alerts for up to 5 brands in what one AI answer engine says, history, CSV export. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included", "url": "https://bikoosh.com/answers"}}