Celesto vs Boat CI
Choose Celesto for low-cost Linux CI without a monthly runner subscription. Boat has lower raw compute rates, snapshot-based jobs, and nested virtualization; its minimum plan and burst-start pricing can change the total bill.
Install Celesto CIChecked November 1, 2026. Sources and assumptions
Celesto skips Boat’s monthly CI plan and extra-start tariff
Boat Small is 2 vCPU / 4 GB at $0.018/hour, below Celesto Standard’s $0.03/hour ($0.0005/min). Boat CI requires a paid plan of at least $20/month; the plan price returns as VM-time credit, so do not add that minimum on top of included compute. Starts beyond plan allowances can add $0.03–$0.07 each. Its $20 plan includes 12 starts/minute, 60/hour and 200/day. Celesto has no monthly runner plan or separate published start tariff; runtime, including preparation and cleanup, consumes workspace credit and remains subject to capacity and workspace limits.
Boat CI requires a paid plan from $20/month; plan value becomes VM-time credit. Extra starts above included allowances cost more. CPU count and memory alone do not establish equal hardware performance, network speed, or completed-job cost.
Keep the Linux CI bill tied to runtime, without a monthly runner plan.
| Feature | Celesto | Boat CI |
|---|---|---|
| Total bill | ||
| Monthly runner commitment | No monthly runner subscription(Celesto has the edge) | Paid plan from $20/month; value credited as VM time |
| 2 vCPU · 4 GB compute | $0.03/hour | $0.018/hour(Boat CI has the edge) |
| Extra-start tariff | No separate published start fee; runtime billed(Celesto has the edge) | $0.03–$0.07 above plan start allowances |
| CI trial | $5 one-time Micro credit with 30-day expiry(Celesto has the edge) | CI requires a paid plan; sandbox trial does not enable runners |
| Workload fit | ||
| GitHub Actions | GitHub App, funded workspace, runs-on label | Boat CI GitHub App, paid plan, runs-on label |
| Docker | Builds, Compose and service containers verified; validate job containers and Docker actions | Documents Docker builds, Compose, services and whole-job containers(Boat CI has the edge) |
| Reusable job images | Standard CI image; dependency caches or registry caches | from= snapshot option for installed tools and dependencies(Boat CI has the edge) |
| Debugging and nested VMs | Inspect GitHub job results and logs | Retain failed sandbox for 30 minutes with debug; /dev/kvm available(Boat CI has the edge) |
| Maximum job runtime | Two-hour computer safety limit; leave time for preparation and cleanup | Documents up to six-hour GitHub job limit(Boat CI has the edge) |
Total bill
- Monthly runner commitment
- CelestoNo monthly runner subscription Has the edge
- Boat CIPaid plan from $20/month; value credited as VM time
- 2 vCPU · 4 GB compute
- Celesto$0.03/hour
- Boat CI$0.018/hour Has the edge
- Extra-start tariff
- CelestoNo separate published start fee; runtime billed Has the edge
- Boat CI$0.03–$0.07 above plan start allowances
- CI trial
- Celesto$5 one-time Micro credit with 30-day expiry Has the edge
- Boat CICI requires a paid plan; sandbox trial does not enable runners
Workload fit
- GitHub Actions
- CelestoGitHub App, funded workspace, runs-on label
- Boat CIBoat CI GitHub App, paid plan, runs-on label
- Docker
- CelestoBuilds, Compose and service containers verified; validate job containers and Docker actions
- Boat CIDocuments Docker builds, Compose, services and whole-job containers Has the edge
- Reusable job images
- CelestoStandard CI image; dependency caches or registry caches
- Boat CIfrom= snapshot option for installed tools and dependencies Has the edge
- Debugging and nested VMs
- CelestoInspect GitHub job results and logs
- Boat CIRetain failed sandbox for 30 minutes with debug; /dev/kvm available Has the edge
- Maximum job runtime
- CelestoTwo-hour computer safety limit; leave time for preparation and cleanup
- Boat CIDocuments up to six-hour GitHub job limit Has the edge
Choose Celesto when
- You want paid Linux CI without a $20 monthly runner commitment
- Many short jobs make per-start charges material
- Your jobs fit Linux x64, current size limits and the two-hour safety limit
Choose Boat CI when
- Low raw VM-time pricing matters most and you use the monthly credit
- You need /dev/kvm, snapshot-based jobs, debug retention or longer jobs
- Your start volume fits the plan allowances or you have modeled extra-start costs
Keep GitHub Actions. Move compatible Linux jobs.
Install Celesto’s GitHub App, link a workspace, and fund a paid runner size. This example selects Standard, 2 vCPU and 4 GB, at $0.0005/minute. Port provider-specific caches, custom images, or pipeline syntax before migrating. The Micro-only trial starts with $5 shared credit, expires after 30 days, and allows one retained sandbox at a time.
1jobs:
2 test:
3 runs-on: [self-hosted, celesto-standard]
4 steps:
5 - uses: actions/checkout@v4
6 - run: npm ci && npm testCelesto bills computer runtime including preparation and cleanup. Linux x64 only; a two-hour safety limit applies. Concurrency depends on workspace limits, credit, and capacity.
Questions before you switch
Is Boat’s compute more expensive than Celesto?
No. Boat’s 2-vCPU/4-GB Small VM lists $0.018/hour, below Celesto Standard’s $0.03/hour. Boat CI also has a paid monthly minimum and extra-start tariffs, so total CI cost depends on usage and bursts. Celesto’s advantage is no monthly runner plan, not a lower universal compute rate.
Do I add Boat’s $20 plan on top of all compute?
No. Boat says the plan price returns as VM-time credit. A team pays the higher of its plan minimum and VM time, plus applicable extra starts. On the $20 plan, included start limits are 12 per minute, 60 per hour and 200 per day; exceeding these can change queueing and cost.
Can Boat’s free sandbox trial run GitHub Actions?
Boat’s CI guide says runners require the $20/month plan or higher; its free sandbox trial does not enable CI. Celesto’s $5 one-time trial can run Micro jobs, subject to its eligibility, credit and retained-sandbox limits.
Is Celesto faster than Boat?
We have not published a matched CPU, network or completed-build benchmark against Boat. Boat documents lower raw compute prices and features Celesto does not currently verify. Compare the same workload and total bill before making a performance claim.
Can network and package mirrors affect Boat CI time?
Yes. Boat’s CI guide recommends the French Ubuntu mirror and reports about 95 MB/s there, versus 3–87 MB/s from azure.archive.ubuntu.com in its sandbox tests. These are Boat’s destination-specific observations, not a guaranteed network rate or a matched Celesto comparison. Include dependency downloads, cache transfers and your actual registry locations when timing a complete job.
How does CI dependency caching work?
Linux x64 jobs include actions/cache and setup-node/setup-python caching without changes to compatible cache steps. Cache storage has no separate charge. Default per-repository limits are 5 GiB on trial and promotional credit and 25 GiB on paid credit; caches expire after 7 idle days. CI runtime consumes workspace credit.
Which Docker workflows are supported?
Docker Engine, Buildx, and Compose are preinstalled. Docker builds, Compose workflows, and GitHub service containers are verified. Validate Docker actions and whole-job containers before migrating. Docker’s explicit --cpus flag failed the documented preflight.
Do Docker layers persist between CI jobs?
No. Each job starts fresh. Use registry caches or portable archives through actions/cache to reuse layers. Direct BuildKit type=gha,version=2 cache export failed the documented preflight.
Sources and assumptions
Pricing and capabilities checked November 1, 2026. No matched performance or network benchmark is claimed here. Boat CI is a trademark of its owner; Celesto is not affiliated with it.