Buildkite vs Semaphore: CI / CD Comparison (2026)

Both Buildkite and Semaphore offer a free tier. Buildkite's pricing begins at $30USD per active user/month, while Semaphore's pricing starts at $0.0025 per minute.

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
Buildkite
0 / 1 probes
0%
Invisible
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Perplexity
Buildkite
0 / 1 probes
0%
Invisible
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Gemini
Buildkite
0 / 1 probes
0%
Invisible
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Claude
Buildkite
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Copilot
Buildkite
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Semaphore
Tracking…
No data yet
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

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

Pricing

Buildkite
Starting price
$30USD, per active user/mo
Free tier
Yes
buildkite.com ↗
Semaphore
Starting price
$0.0025/min
Free tier
Yes
semaphoreci.com ↗

Key Features

Buildkite
  • ✓3 concurrent jobs for Personal
  • ✓Unlimited users in Pro
  • ✓90-day build retention
  • ✓Priority email support for Pro
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 Buildkite

Buildkite is suitable for users who require unlimited users in the Pro plan, 90-day build retention, and priority email support. It is also a fit for those who value easy onboarding with DSE and unlimited self-hosted agents.

When to choose Semaphore

Semaphore is suitable for users who prefer a pay-as-you-go model and require a default of 20 concurrent jobs, $15 free credits per month, 20 GB/month egress/storage, and 9.6 GB cache storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key differences in pricing models?
Buildkite's pricing is per active user/month, starting at $30USD. Semaphore's pricing is per minute, starting at $0.0025/min.
Do both platforms offer a free tier?
Yes, both Buildkite and Semaphore offer a free tier.
What are the differences in concurrent jobs?
Buildkite offers 3 concurrent jobs for its Personal plan. Semaphore offers 20 concurrent jobs by default.
What are the differences in build retention and storage?
Buildkite offers 90-day build retention. Semaphore offers 20 GB/month egress/storage and 9.6 GB cache storage.
What are the support differences?
Buildkite offers priority email support for Pro plans, but limited support for Personal plans. The provided information for Semaphore does not specify support tiers.

AI visibility profiles

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Buildkite

buildkite.com

Semaphore

semaphoreci.com

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