GitHub Actions vs Travis CI: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for GitHub Actions and Travis CI side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
GitHub Actions
Automate CI/CD, testing, and deployment directly from your repository
Best for you if:
- • You want native GitHub integration
Travis CI
CI/CD platform for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and GPU
Best for you if:
- • You want simple to configure
| At a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $78/mo Unlimited plan |
Category | DevOps Testing & QA | DevOps Testing & QA |
Rating | n/a | 4.3/5 Capterra 4.1 · G2 4.5 221 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | macOS runner minutes cost 10x more than Linux ($0.062/min vs $0.006/min). | Overage fees for build credits on Usage Based |
Choose GitHub Actions or Travis CI?
Choose GitHub Actions if
- You want native GitHub integration
- You want free for public repos
Choose Travis CI if
- You want simple to configure
- You want good open source history
In-Depth Analysis
GitHub Actions
Automate CI/CD, testing, and deployment directly from your repository
GitHub Actions is free for public repositories and includes 2,000 minutes/month on the free plan, enough for most individual developers and small open-source projects.
Watch out
macOS runner minutes cost 10x more than Linux ($0.062/min vs $0.006/min).
Strengths
- Pro: Native GitHub integration
- Pro: Free for public repos
- Pro: Huge marketplace
Weaknesses
- Con: GitHub lock-in
- Con: Complex debugging
Key features
Travis CI
CI/CD platform for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and GPU
Travis CI's pricing for open-source projects is fair, especially with the "Usage Based" tier at $15/month offering 35,000 Linux build credits, which is generous for many projects.
Watch out
Overage fees for build credits on Usage Based
Strengths
- Pro: Simple to configure
- Pro: Good open source history
- Pro: Matrix builds
- Pro: Many language support
- Pro: Documentation good
Weaknesses
- Con: Company had financial issues
- Con: Free for open source limited now
- Con: Slower than competitors
- Con: UI dated
- Con: Less active development
Key features
Plans and prices: GitHub Actions vs Travis CI
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Actions |
| github.com/features/actions read Oct 2, 2026 |
| Travis CI |
| travis-ci.com/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on GitHub Actions pricing and Travis CI pricing.
Key Takeaways
GitHub Actions
- Choose if you want automate CI/CD, testing, and deployment directly from your repository
Travis CI
- Choose if you want CI/CD platform for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and GPU
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Travis CI has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 221 reviews); GitHub Actions has none we can show.
- Travis CI starts at $78/mo; GitHub Actions has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do GitHub Actions and Travis CI compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Travis CI has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 221 reviews); GitHub Actions has none we can show. Travis CI starts at $78/mo; GitHub Actions has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are GitHub Actions and Travis CI used for?
GitHub Actions: Automate CI/CD, testing, and deployment directly from your repository. Travis CI: CI/CD platform for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and GPU.
What does GitHub Actions cost vs Travis CI?
GitHub Actions has no public paid-plan price on file. Travis CI's cheapest paid plan is Unlimited at $78/mo; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between GitHub Actions and Travis CI?
GitHub Actions's main strength: native GitHub integration. Travis CI's main strength: simple to configure.