Buddy vs Semaphore: CI / CD Comparison (2026)

Buddy offers seat-based pricing across different tiers, including a free tier, with features like advanced permissions and custom domains. Semaphore uses a pay-per-use model, charging per minute, and provides concurrent jobs and monthly credits. Both platforms offer a free tier.

AI Citation Scorecard

How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask ci / cd questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

Too early to call — probes still building data.
ChatGPT
Buddy
Tracking…
No data yet
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Perplexity
Buddy
Tracking…
No data yet
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Gemini
Buddy
Tracking…
No data yet
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Claude
Buddy
Tracking…
No data yet
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Copilot
Buddy
Tracking…
No data yet
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.

Pricing

Buddy
Starting price
$29/month
Free tier
Yes
buddy.works ↗
Semaphore
Starting price
$0.0025/min
Free tier
Yes
semaphoreci.com ↗

Key Features

Buddy
  • ✓1 seat for free
  • ✓2 seats in Pro
  • ✓5 seats in Hyper
  • ✓300 pipeline GB-minutes
  • ✓Advanced permissions in Hyper
  • ✓Custom domains for sandboxes
  • ✓Single Sign-On support
  • ✓14-day free trial with features
Semaphore
  • ✓Pay only for what you use
  • ✓20 concurrent jobs by default
  • ✓$15 free credits/month
  • ✓20 GB/month egress/storage
  • ✓9.6 GB cache storage

When to choose Buddy

Buddy is suitable for users who prefer a seat-based pricing model with tiered features, including advanced permissions and custom domains. It offers a free tier with 1 seat and scales up with different numbers of seats and pipeline GB-minutes across its Pro and Hyper plans.

When to choose Semaphore

Semaphore is suitable for users who prefer a pay-per-use model, with charges per minute of usage. It offers 20 concurrent jobs by default and includes monthly free credits, egress/storage, and cache storage. Its pricing scales with usage rather than fixed seats.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the pricing models for Buddy and Semaphore?
Buddy uses a seat-based pricing model, offering different tiers like Free (1 seat), Pro (2 seats), and Hyper (5 seats), with varying pipeline GB-minutes. Semaphore uses a pay-per-use model, charging $0.0025 per minute.
Do Buddy and Semaphore offer free tiers?
Both Buddy and Semaphore offer free tiers. Buddy's free tier includes 1 seat and 300 pipeline GB-minutes. Semaphore's free tier includes $15 in free credits per month, 20 concurrent jobs by default, 20 GB/month egress/storage, and 9.6 GB cache storage.
What are some key features of Buddy?
Buddy's key features include 1 seat for free, 2 seats in Pro, 5 seats in Hyper, 300 pipeline GB-minutes, advanced permissions in Hyper, custom domains for sandboxes, Single Sign-On support, and a 14-day free trial with features.
What are some key features of Semaphore?
Semaphore's key features include paying only for what you use, 20 concurrent jobs by default, $15 free credits/month, 20 GB/month egress/storage, and 9.6 GB cache storage.
What are the advantages of Buddy?
Buddy offers a free tier, flexible seat pricing, comprehensive features, and a strong focus on CI/CD.

AI visibility profiles

Is one of these your brand?

Get the full report by email: every ci / cd buyer question we ask, which engines name you, and who gets named instead.

Buddy

buddy.works

Semaphore

semaphoreci.com

Free check

Check any brand's AI visibility — free

We ask the buyer questions in this market across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot, and show you who gets named.

More CI / CD Comparisons