Semaphore provides fast CI/CD for developers. Build and test quickly-continuous integration optimized for speed. The speed is the focus. The configuration is YAML. The caching helps. Teams wanting fast CI use Semaphore for optimized build performance.

Available on: Web, Linux

Louis Corneloup Updated May 26, 2026 · how we evaluate Source semaphoreci.com ↗

Ratings Across the Web

4.7 (198 reviews)

Semaphore holds an aggregate rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 198 reviews across G2, last checked September 17, 2026.

G2 198 reviews

4.7/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

CI/CD
Fast
Parallelism
Docker native
Monorepo
Developer friendly

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Pricing checked Oct 11, 2026

Semaphore plans and prices, checked October 2026
Plan	Price	Details
Community	$0	Self-hosted YAML pipelines Unlimited users Unlimited concurrency +1 more Show less Community support
Cloud	$0	Pay-as-you-go $0.0075/min Fully managed Unlimited concurrency +1 more Show less REST API & CLI
Hybrid	$9/per user/month	Self-hosted runners Cloud UI Own compute Unlimited runners +1 more Show less Cloud bursting
Enterprise	Custom	Large orgs Advanced RBAC Audit logs Premium support +1 more Show less 1TB artifacts

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Is Semaphore worth the price?

Good value

Semaphore's pricing is quite generous, especially with its free Community tier for self-hosted users and the Cloud tier's pay-as-you-go model starting at $0.0075/min.

This makes it very accessible for small teams and startups to get started without upfront costs. The Hybrid tier at $9 per user/month for self-hosted runners offers good value for growing teams needing more control.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Potential for increased infrastructure costs with self-hosting.

Full Semaphore pricing: every plan, hidden costs and alternatives

How Semaphore's pricing compares

At $9/user/mo, Semaphore is the most affordable of its 3 comparable direct competitors.

Semaphore

CircleCI

$15

Buddy

$75

Travis CI

$78

Entry paid plan, monthly, per user. Pricing checked Oct 11, 2026.

Reviews

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4.7/5

Across 198 verified user reviews on G2

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Best Semaphore Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Jenkins Free

Automate builds, deployments, and software projects

4.5

CircleCI Freemium

Continuous integration and delivery

4.5

Buddy Freemium

CI/CD for web developers with visual pipelines

4.8

Travis CI Freemium

CI/CD platform for Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and GPU

4.3

GitHub Actions Freemium

Automate CI/CD, testing, and deployment directly from your repository

See all CI/CD tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

Semaphore vs Jenkins Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Semaphore vs CircleCI Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Semaphore vs Buddy Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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Semaphore FAQ

How does Semaphore optimize continuous integration for speed?

Semaphore focuses on providing fast CI/CD for developers, with continuous integration optimized specifically for speed. This is achieved through features like YAML configuration and caching, which help accelerate build and test processes.

Which teams benefit most from using Semaphore?

Teams that prioritize fast continuous integration and optimized build performance are the best fit for Semaphore. It is designed for developers who need quick build and test cycles in their CI/CD workflows.

How does Semaphore compare to GitHub Actions regarding popularity?

Semaphore is a good CI/CD platform known for its fast builds, but it is less popular than GitHub Actions. Both offer CI/CD capabilities, but GitHub Actions generally has a larger user base.

What kind of trade-offs should users consider when adopting Semaphore?

Users should be aware that Semaphore has a learning curve and may present some feature gaps compared to other platforms. Additionally, its support can vary, and it uses a per-minute pricing model.

Does Semaphore include a free tier?

Yes, Semaphore is available on a free tier, allowing users to get started without immediate cost. Paid plans are offered for those who require more usage and additional features.

Can Semaphore help with hosting and deployment tasks?

Semaphore is categorized under Hosting & Deployment, indicating its utility beyond just continuous integration. It provides CI/CD capabilities that can support the deployment aspects of a development workflow.

Source: semaphoreci.com

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