{"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": "2026-10-24T22:12:51Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/ci-cd-platforms-agencies-2026-10-24", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/ci-cd-platforms/agencies", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Earthly", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "GitHub", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "GitHub Actions", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "DeployHQ", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "WordPress", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "Vercel", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Vercel / Netlify", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Netlify", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Next.js", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "Buildkite", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "CircleCI", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "Jenkins", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://earthly.dev/faq", "domain": "earthly.dev", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://github.blog/changelog/2025-12-16-coming-soon-simpler-pricing-and-a-better-experience-for-github-actions/", "domain": "github.blog", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://deployhq.com/for-agencies", "domain": "deployhq.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/182089", "domain": "github.com", "source_type": "community"}, {"url": "https://deployhq.com/blog/deployhq-vs-buddy-which-deployment-tool-is-right-for-you", "domain": "deployhq.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://dupple.com/learn/best-ci-cd-tools", "domain": "dupple.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://semaphore.io/blog/best-circleci-alternatives-in-2026", "domain": "semaphore.io", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "## First, a warning about the search results\n\nA lot of the \"best CI/CD for agencies 2026\" listicles are AI-generated SEO content, and several of them top their list with **Earthly** - which [ended commercial support and shut down its cloud services in 2025](https://earthly.dev/faq). Don't pick from those lists. Also, the widely-repeated claim that GitHub now charges $0.002/min for self-hosted runners is wrong: GitHub [announced it, then postponed it within 48 hours](https://github.blog/changelog/2025-12-16-coming-soon-simpler-pricing-and-a-better-experience-for-github-actions/) after backlash, and self-hosted runner usage is still free as of this month.\n\n## What I'd actually recommend\n\n**1. GitHub Actions** - the default, and for most agencies the right answer. Your clients' code is already on GitHub, the marketplace covers every deploy target you'll hit, and reusable workflows let you write a pipeline once and call it from 30 client repos. Cheapest per build of the major options (~$0.06/run vs $0.08-0.11 for rivals), hosted runner prices [dropped up to 39% in January 2026](https://github.blog/changelog/2025-12-16-coming-soon-simpler-pricing-and-a-better-experience-for-github-actio", "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"}}