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Find your best CI/CD tool

Today, the businesses need to quickly adapt to the current market conditions. As a result, IT departments had to adapt to these requirements, which meant that previous practices are no longer accepted. Even 10 years ago, updating a system or application once a year or quarter was standard practice. Today, updates must take place every few weeks, days or even hours.

As a result, new software development practices have emerged related to automated application building and testing (CI – continuous integration) and automated release of new versions (CD – continuous delivery or continuous deployment). Along with them, tools supporting these practices appeared – CI/CD tools.

Currently, there are several dozen CI/CD tools on the market. Choosing the best tool is very difficult. This is because there are many factors to consider when choosing. For some the price will be the most important. For others, whether the solution can be installed on your own server or in the cloud.

To help you with this choice, I have prepared a report listing the 24 most popular CI/CD tools. It will allow you to quickly find the right tool to meet your requirements.

Additionally, the report is available as a pdf file, which contains all the most important information in the form of a clear infographic.

Best CI/CD tool - report
Best CI/CD tool – report

In addition, the report can also be viewed as a Google Sheets document. In this document I included information in the form of an easy to read table that allows you to filter the selected features of the ideal tool. Link to document : Best CI/CD Tool

Legend for the report:

Tool typeDoes the tool support the CI and CD process?
Free versionIs there a free version for the tool?
PricingPrice for using the tool
Operating systemThe operating system on which the tool can be installed.
Open sourceIs the tool open source ?
DifficultyDegree of difficulty in using the tool.
PluginsCan the functions of the tool be extended by plugins ?
IntegrationCan tool’s features be extended by integrations ?
PlatformCan the tool be run on the cloud or on-premise?
Kubernetes supportCan the tool be installed on Kubernetes or can you run agents in on that platform?
External DB NeededDo you need an external database to run the tool?
Built-in Git repositoryDoes the tool include a built-in Git repository?
Version control integrationSupported version control systems.
Plugin sourceSource from which pluigny is taken
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationDoes the tool support Github/Azure AD authentication?
iOS/macOS supportDoes the tool support iOS/macOS ?
Pipeline as a codeCan a tool define a pipeline as a code?
Container supportDoes the tool support docker containers?
Best forFor which teams is a particular tool best?

1. Jenkins

Jenkins
Jenkins

Jenkins is the most popular CI/CD tool you can find in the market right now. It offers the largest number of plugins and various integrations that allow you to perform all the required operations during each pipeline step. Jenkins is also one of the oldest tools which makes it stand out from other, more modern tools.

Best for teams that want to use the most widely used solution that provides the largest number of plugins and integrations.

You can find a guide on how to get started with Jenkins here: How to install Jenkins using Docker Compose?

LinkJenkins
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins5/5
Integration5/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, Mercurial, TFS, SVN, Bazaar, CVS
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

2. GitLab

GitLab
GitLab

Gitlab is one of the most widely used GIT servers. It offers not only tools for managing GIT repositories, but also many additional modules such as code overview, bug management or internal documentation. The module for CI/CD is also a very big plus. Users also praise it for having a free version that you can install on your own servers.

Best for teams that want a comprehensive solution that includes a version control system and CI/CD workflow.

You can find a guide on how to get started with GitLab here: How to install GitLab using Docker Compose?

LinkGitLab
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-99$ per user/month
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration4/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

3. CircleCI

CircleCI
CircleCI

CircleCI is a CI/CD platform that aims to deliver speed and reliability – both in the cloud or in private infrastructure. It is praised for its simple configuration, fast application builds, and convenient user interface.

Best for teams that want a very fast build system with good GitHub integration.

You can find a guide on how to get started with CircleCI here: How to prepare your first CI/CD project in CircleCI?

LinkCircleCI
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-2000$ per month
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration5/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store/GitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

4. AWS CodePipeline

AWS CodePipeline
AWS CodePipeline

AWS CodePipeline is a fully managed CI/CD service that helps automate release processes to update applications and infrastructure quickly and reliably. It is a service, that takes advantage of Amazon AWS cloud benefits such as integration with other internal services or the ability to pay for the service only as long as you need it.

Best for teams that are already using the AWS Cloud.

You can find a guide on how to get started with AWS CodeBuild which is a component of CodePipeline here: How to prepare the first CI project in AWS CodeBuild?

LinkAWS CodePipeline
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionNO
PricingPay as you go
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration3/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

5. Azure Pipelines

Azure Pipelines
Azure Pipelines

Azure Pipelines is a CI/CD service managed within the Microsoft Azure cloud. It enables the creation of CI processes in the cloud for Linux, macOS and Windows. In addition, it supports the development of web, desktop as well as mobile applications.

Best for teams that are already using the Azure Cloud.

LinkAzure Pipelines
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingPay as you go
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration4/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationAzure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

6. GCP Cloud Build

GCP Cloud Build
GCP Cloud Build

GCP Cloud Build is a CI/CD service managed within the Google Cloud Platform cloud. It enables rapid software development in all programming languages including Java, Go, Node.js and others. Additionally, it allows for deployment to multiple environments such as virtual machines, Kubernetes or Firebase.

Best for teams that are already using the Google Cloud.

LinkGCP Cloud Build
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionNO
PricingPay as you go
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration3/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportNO
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

7. TeamCity

TeamCity
TeamCity

TeamCity is a CI/CD server developed by JetBrains. It integrates with build and test tools and visualizes CI/CD processes in detail. Users praise the tool for being easy to configure and use.

Best for teams that want an easy-to-use solution that provides useful wizards to speed up configuration.

LinkTeamCity
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-1500 euro per month
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration4/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, Mercurial, Perforce, Subversion, Azure DevOps Server
Plugin sourceInternal store/GitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

8. Bamboo

Bamboo
Bamboo

Bamboo is a CI server that aims to offer resilience, reliability and scalability for teams of any size created by Atlassian. Users value it for its integration with other Atlassian tools such as Jira, Confluence and Bitbucket.

Best for teams that want a on-premise solution that is fully integrated with another Atlassian tools (Jira and Bitbucket).

LinkBamboo
Tool typeCI
Free versionYES (free trial)
Pricing1200-187380$
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceNO
DifficultyHard
Plugins4/5
Integration5/5
PlatformOn-premise
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, Mercurial, Perforce, Subversion, CVS
Plugin sourceInternal store/GitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

9. Bitbucket Pipelines

Bitbucket Pipelines
Bitbucket Pipelines

Bitbucket Pipelines is the second tool offered by Atlassian to support CI /CD automation. This time it is built into the Bitbucket version control server. It allows you to easily create processes using pre-made templates for various programming languages.

Best for teams that want a cloud solution that is fully integrated with another Atlassian tools (Jira and Bitbucket).

LinkBitbucket Pipelines
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-6$ per user/month
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration3/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT, Subversion
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportNO
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

10. Buddy

Buddy
Buddy

Buddy (also known as Buddy.Works) is an easy to configure and use CI/CD solution. The system allows you to quickly build, test and deploy applications with just a few minutes of setup.

Best for teams that want a very fast build system with easy setup.

LinkBuddy
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-35$ per user/month
Operating systemLinux, macOS
Open sourceNO
DifficultyEasy
Plugins1/5
Integration3/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, AWS CodeCommit
Plugin sourcen/a
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

11. Travis CI

Travis CI
Travis CI

Travis CI is a CI/CD platform that allows developers to quickly and easily build, test, and deploy code. It provides multiple runtime environments (such as Node.js or PHP versions) as well as simple tutorials for them. Users praise the platform for its ease of getting started and its pleasant interface.

Best for teams that want a cloud system with good GitHub integration and nice interface.

LinkTravis CI
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES (free trial)
Pricing30-3300$ monthly
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins1/5
Integration2/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourcen/a
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

12. Codeship

Codeship
Codeship

Codeship is a (SaaS) solution that enables engineering teams to deploy and optimize CI/CD in the cloud. The solution is provided by CloudBees. It is valued for its easy configuration and simple user interface.

Best for teams that want a solution that provides a set of tools for quickly creating and building our deployment artifacts and push them to the designated servers.

LinkCodeship
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-23980$ per month
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration2/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportNO
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

13. GoCD

GoCD
GoCD

GoCD is a CI/CD solution that aims to show the entire path to production in a single view. This tool allows you to easily navigate through tasks, detect inefficiencies and optimize processes. It is also a very flexible solution praised for its structure and dependencies in tasks.

Best for teams that want a free and open source solution with parallel execution.

LinkGoCD
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins2/5
Integration2/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, H2, PostgreSQL
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGit, Mercurial, SVN, TFS, Perforce
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

14. Semaphore

Semaphore
Semaphore

Semaphore is the only CI/CD solution that provides efficient support for monorepo projects (code for multiple projects is stored in the same repository). The tool also provides a Visual Pipeline Builder that makes it easy to work with complex processes.

Best for teams that want a very fast solution with simple configuration with Visual Pipeline Builder.

LinkSemaphore
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingPay as you go
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins2/5
Integration2/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

15. Codemagic

Codemagic
Codemagic

Codemagic is a CI/CD solution dedicated to mobile applications.

Best for mobile development teams that want a building server for Flutter, React Native, Ionic and Cordova, as well as Native Android and Native iOS

LinkCodemagic
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingPay as you go/ $299 per month
Operating systemn/a
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration4/5
PlatformCloud
Kubernetes supportNO
External DB Neededn/a
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

16. Buildbot

Buildbot
Buildbot

Buildbot is a CI/CD solution that enables distributed, parallel execution across multiple platforms, flexible integration with version control systems, powerful status reporting, and more.

Best for teams working in python (system and configuration is based on this language).

LinkBuildbot
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyHard
Plugins1/5
Integration1/5
PlatformOn-premise
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, PostgreSQL
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, Mercurial, SVN, CVS, Baazar, Darcs
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

17. GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions is a CI/CD system running within the GitHub platform. It allows you to build, test and deploy your code directly from GitHub.

Best for teams that are already using the GitHub solution.

LinkGitHub Actions
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-210$ per user/month
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceNO
DifficultyMedium
Plugins5/5
Integration5/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryYES
Version control integrationGIT, SVN
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

18. Concourse

Concourse
Concourse

Concourse is an automation system written in the Go language. It is most commonly used for CI/CD automation, and its design allows it to scale to any type of automation process, from simple to complex.

Best for teams that want a quick tool where everything can be defined in code: tasks, server configuration, worker. This makes it easy to update or move the solution.

LinkConcourse
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemLinux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins3/5
Integration3/5
PlatformOn-premise
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededPostgreSQL
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, SVN, Mercurial
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

19. Tekton

Tekton
Tekton

Tekton is a CI/CD tool available in the cloud. It consists of the Tekton Pipelines system, which provides the building blocks and supporting components such as the Tekton CLI and Tekton Catalog, which make Tekton a complete ecosystem.

Best for teams that want a cloud-native solution for building CI/CD pipelines. Tekton installs and runs as an extension on a Kubernetes cluster and comprises a set of Kubernetes Custom Resources that define the building blocks you can create and reuse for your pipelines.

LinkTekton
Tool typeCI/CD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration2/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

20. Drone

Drone
Drone

Drone is a CD tool that enables teams o automate build, test, and release processes using a powerful native pipeline engine in the cloud. The tool is part of the Harness platform.

Best for teams that want to run their tasks in containers in a local environment.

A tutorial on how to get started with the Drone can be found here: How to run a Drone server for GitHub using Docker Compose?

LinkDrone
Tool typeCI
Free versionYES
Pricing0 – $299 per month
Operating systemLinux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration4/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES (beta)
External DB NeededRecomended: MySQL, PostgreSQL
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGit, Mercurial, Bazaar, SVN
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

21. Harness

Harness
Harness

Harness CD is an application deployment automation tool. It is valued for its automated Canary and Blue-Green deployments and automated verification and rollback of deployments based on machine learning. The tool is part of the Harness platform.

Best for teams that want to use a simple CD tool that gives interesting features such as: feature flags, infrastructure-as-code, cloud costs, change tracking.

LinkHarness
Tool typeCD
Free versionYES
Pricing0-100$ per service/month
Operating systemLinux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins4/5
Integration4/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededMongoDB
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, CodeCommit, Azure DevOps
Plugin sourceInternal store
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

22. Argo CD

Argo CD
Argo CD

Argo CD is a declarative GitOps tool for continuous delivery based on Kubernetes. Argo CD follows the GitOps pattern, using Git repositories as the source of truth to define the desired state of an application.

Best for teams that want a cloud-native continuous deployment (CD) processes. AgroCD use Git as the source of truth and is Enterprise-friendly.

LinkArgo CD
Tool typeCD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins2/5
Integration2/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

23. Flux

Flux
Flux

Flux is a set of continuous delivery solutions for Kubernetes that are open and extensible. This tool allows you to deploy applications using canary release techniques, feature flags or A/B rollouts. Flux can also manage any Kubernetes resources.

Best for teams that want a solution that deploy apps with canaries, feature flags, and A/B rollouts. Flux can also manage any Kubernetes resource. Infrastructure and workload dependency management is built in.

LinkFlux
Tool typeCD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemWindows, Linux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins2/5
Integration3/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT, AWS CodeCommit, Azure DevOps
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationNO
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

24. Spinnaker

Spinnaker
Spinnaker

Spinnaker is an open-source platform for continuous multi-cloud delivery that combines flexible pipeline management with integrations with major cloud providers. The platform was created by Netflix.

Best for teams that want a delivery server for releasing software changes at a very high speed.

LinkSpinnaker
Tool typeCD
Free versionYES
PricingFREE
Operating systemLinux, macOS
Open sourceYES
DifficultyMedium
Plugins2/5
Integration2/5
PlatformOn-premise & cloud
Kubernetes supportYES
External DB NeededNO
Built-in Git repositoryNO
Version control integrationGIT
Plugin sourceGitHub
GitHub/Azure AD AuthenticationGitHub/Azure AD
iOS/macOS supportYES
Pipeline as a codeYES
Container supportYES

 

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