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Dagger vs GitHub Actions

Reviewed byRoman K
Tagline
Dagger: Programmable CI/CD engine
GitHub Actions: CI/CD built into GitHub
Pricing Model
Dagger: open-source
GitHub Actions: freemium
Starting Price
Dagger: $0/mo
GitHub Actions: $0/mo
Free Plan
Dagger: Yes
GitHub Actions: Yes
GitHub Stars
Dagger: 16.0k
GitHub Actions:
npm Downloads/wk
Dagger: 38.1k
GitHub Actions:
GitHub Forks
Dagger: 894
GitHub Actions:
Open Issues
Dagger: 130
GitHub Actions:
Tags
Dagger: pipelines, code-first, portable, open-source
GitHub Actions: ci, cd, github, workflows

Dagger vs GitHub Actions: which to choose

Dagger has the larger community with 16.0k GitHub stars against — for GitHub Actions, which usually means more integrations, examples and third-party help when you get stuck.

Choose Dagger if you lean toward pipelines and code-first; choose GitHub Actions if ci and cd matters more for your stack. All figures above are pulled from live GitHub and pricing data, not vendor marketing.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dagger or GitHub Actions better?

It depends on your priorities. Dagger has 16.0k GitHub stars and uses a open-source pricing model, while GitHub Actions has — stars and uses a freemium model. Both offer a free plan so you can try each before committing.

Is Dagger cheaper than GitHub Actions?

Dagger starts at $0/mo while GitHub Actions starts at $0/mo. Dagger has a free plan. GitHub Actions has a free plan.

What are the main differences between Dagger and GitHub Actions?

Dagger is tagged as pipelines, code-first, portable while GitHub Actions is tagged as ci, cd, github. Dagger uses a open-source pricing model and has a community of 16.0k GitHub stars. GitHub Actions uses a freemium model.

Does Dagger or GitHub Actions have a free plan?

Yes, both Dagger and GitHub Actions offer a free plan.

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