The best Cirrus CI alternatives, compared honestly
Cirrus CI has shut down. The Cirrus Labs team joined OpenAI, and the service stopped running jobs on June 1, 2026 — so this isn't a "should I switch?" question, it's "where do I move my pipelines?" Here's an honest map of where .cirrus.yml users are landing, including the Apple Silicon macOS and FreeBSD builds Cirrus was uniquely good at.
Cirrus CI stopped running jobs on Monday, June 1, 2026. Announced April 7, 2026, when Cirrus Labs joined OpenAI's Agent Infrastructure team. .cirrus.yml workflows no longer run. Cirrus Runners stopped accepting new customers; Tart, Vetu and Orchard were relicensed permissively and are still community-usable. If you're still on Cirrus, migration is now urgent. Source: Cirrus Labs announcement.
The best Cirrus CI replacement depends on what you're moving:
- Fully managed CI/CD, no credit math → Buddy — visual CI/CD that builds and deploys anywhere, flat per-seat pricing.
- Code already on GitHub → GitHub Actions — the most common landing spot, huge marketplace.
- Closest config migration → CircleCI — its YAML model maps most directly to
.cirrus.yml. - Apple Silicon macOS / FreeBSD builds → GitHub Actions + self-hosted Tart runners, CircleCI or Bitrise — the honest fit for Cirrus's specialty.
Why you're migrating
What's happening to Cirrus CI
This isn't about Cirrus's shortcomings — it was a genuinely good CI. These are the concrete facts of the shutdown that force the move.
Jobs stopped June 1, 2026
Cirrus CI stopped executing jobs on Monday, June 1, 2026. Any repository still pointing at Cirrus gets no CI runs — builds, tests and checks simply don't fire anymore.
The team joined OpenAI
On April 7, 2026 Cirrus Labs announced it was joining OpenAI's Agent Infrastructure group — the sandboxing tech behind Cirrus now serves running AI-generated code, not your CI.
.cirrus.yml needs rewriting
Unlike shutdowns that only swap a runner label, there's no drop-in successor. Migrating means re-authoring your pipeline for another platform's job model — not just repointing a tag.
Cirrus Runners winding down
The managed macOS/Linux runners for GitHub Actions stopped taking new customers; existing contracts are honored to term. The cheap Apple Silicon macOS option needs a new home.
Tart is now open
Tart, Vetu and Orchard were relicensed under a permissive license with fees dropped, and Tart moved to the openai/tart org — so you can still self-host macOS VMs on Apple Silicon.
OSS projects already scrambling
Major open-source repos — fish-shell, SciPy, Electrum, sosreport — opened migration issues within weeks. If your project depended on Cirrus's free OSS tier, you're on the same clock.
The shortlist
7 Cirrus CI alternatives worth migrating to
Ranked for teams moving off Cirrus CI — each pick lists a genuine strength and an honest weakness, and we call out which handle the macOS/FreeBSD workloads Cirrus was known for.
Fully managed CI/CD with a visual pipeline editor and 150+ prebuilt actions. Builds your app and deploys it to any host — AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, your servers or Buddy's own — with no runners to maintain and no compute-credit math. The cleanest landing spot for a standard Linux/Docker build-and-deploy pipeline.
The most common landing spot for Cirrus refugees on GitHub: 20,000+ marketplace actions, free minutes on public repos, and hosted Linux/Windows/macOS runners. Weakness: shared runners queue, private-repo minutes add up, and it's YAML-only.
Its YAML config maps most directly to .cirrus.yml, with per-second billing and Docker/Linux/Arm/macOS/GPU resource classes — and it's actively courting Cirrus users. Weakness: credit-based pricing still needs forecasting.
SCM, CI/CD and a container registry in one platform — good if you want everything under one roof. Weakness: only 400 free compute minutes a month, and it shines mainly inside the GitLab ecosystem.
A managed cloud CI/CD known for fast machines and straightforward, predictable pricing across any Git host. Weakness: a smaller integrations catalog and less multi-OS breadth than Cirrus offered.
Mobile-first CI/CD with strong iOS/Android tooling; its Build Hub is pitched directly at Cirrus macOS refugees. Weakness: heavier and pricier than you need if you're not shipping mobile apps.
For Cirrus's specialty: run ephemeral macOS VMs with Tart (now open and free) on your own Macs behind GitHub Actions, or use a managed Mac host. The honest path when you need cheap Apple Silicon or FreeBSD builds. Weakness: you own the infrastructure and its upkeep.
Side by side
Cirrus CI alternatives compared
The dimensions that actually drive a Cirrus migration — hosting model, free tier, config effort to move, which OSes/architectures are covered, and the editor experience. Buddy is highlighted; Cirrus CI is shown for reference.
| Platform | Hosting model | Free tier | macOS / FreeBSD | Visual editor | Pricing model | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buddy | Fully managed (cloud) | 1 seat, 300 GB-min/mo | macOS VM action / no FreeBSD | ✓ | Per seat, from €29/mo | Managed CI/CD + deploy anywhere |
| Cirrus CI (shut down) | Managed (GCP + community) | 50 credits/mo (OSS) | Both (Tart) | ✗ (YAML) | Compute credits ($1 each) | — discontinued June 2026 |
| GitHub Actions | Managed + optional self-hosted | Unlimited public / 2,000 min private | macOS hosted; FreeBSD self-host | ✗ (YAML) | $0.006/min over free | Repos already on GitHub |
| CircleCI | Managed cloud (+ runners) | ~30,000 credits/mo | macOS resource class | ✗ (YAML) | Credit-based, from $15/mo | Closest .cirrus.yml migration |
| GitLab CI/CD | Managed + self-hosted runners | 400 min/mo | macOS (SaaS) / self-host | Partial | $29/user/mo (Premium) | All-in-one DevOps platform |
| Semaphore | Managed cloud | Free starter tier | macOS supported | ✗ (YAML) | Usage-based, predictable | Fast, simple managed CI |
| Bitrise | Managed cloud (+ Build Hub) | Free tier (limited) | macOS (Apple Silicon) | ✓ (workflow editor) | Per credit / concurrency | Mobile & macOS builds |
Pricing models and free tiers change often — check each vendor for current terms. Compiled July 2026 from each vendor's official pricing pages and the Cirrus Labs shutdown announcement.
Official pages: Cirrus Labs announcement · Buddy · GitHub Actions · CircleCI · GitLab · Semaphore · Bitrise · Tart
What it costs to land
Price per developer, per month
Cirrus billed pure usage — every CPU-minute converted to a compute credit. Its replacements split into two camps: a flat subscription that bundles compute (Buddy) versus a seat fee plus metered build compute on top (GitHub Actions, CircleCI, GitLab). Bars show the effective subscription cost per developer on each vendor's entry paid plan; the tag under each name says whether build compute is included or billed separately.
Effective subscription cost per developer for a 5-developer team on each vendor's entry paid plan, in USD (€ converted at ≈1.08). Two honest caveats: (1) GitHub, CircleCI and GitLab bill build compute (minutes/credits) on top of these figures, while Buddy's plan bundles build minutes — so a cheaper bar isn't the all-in cost; (2) CircleCI and Buddy include seats in their base, so the marginal cost of the next developer is higher than the average shown ($15 and $9 respectively). Free tiers exist on every platform. Vendor pricing, verified 2026-07-01 — check each vendor for current terms.
Why we rank it first
Why Buddy is the strongest all-round landing spot
Cirrus CI was a CI/CD service, so Buddy competes head-on — on a specific promise: fully managed builds with a visual editor and the fastest path to a green pipeline, with deployment built in rather than bolted on. If a standard Linux/Docker build-and-deploy is what you're migrating, that's the trade Buddy makes for you. (If you're moving Apple Silicon macOS or FreeBSD builds, see the honest take below.)
No runners, no credits
Buddy operates the build infrastructure and prices per seat — there's no fleet to provision and no compute-credit ledger to forecast, which is exactly the accounting Cirrus users are leaving behind.
Visual pipeline editor
Compose pipelines from 150+ prebuilt actions in a drag-and-drop editor, or commit YAML if you prefer. Either way you rebuild your pipeline faster than hand-porting .cirrus.yml line by line.
Fast to first green
Preconfigured environments, change detection, parallel actions and built-in caching put your first successful build minutes away — a quick win when you're on a shutdown deadline.
Own the build, choose the host
Build on Buddy, then deploy to AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, your own servers — or Buddy's own hosting. The pipeline isn't locked to one destination.
Predictable pricing
A flat per-seat plan with a free tier to start on — no per-CPU-minute credits to convert and no surprise overage math when a build gets heavier.
CI and CD in one
Test, build and ship in a single pipeline with environments, approvals and rollbacks built in, instead of wiring deployment onto a CI-only service afterward.
A fair call
Where Buddy fits — and where it doesn't
Cirrus CI was uniquely strong at cheap Apple Silicon macOS and FreeBSD builds. Being honest about that is the whole point of this page.
Buddy is the right move if…
- You're migrating a standard Linux/Docker build-and-deploy pipeline and want it fully managed.
- You're done converting CPU-minutes into compute credits and want flat, per-seat pricing.
- You want a visual pipeline editor and a first green build measured in minutes, not a hand-port of every task.
- You want CI and deployment — to any cloud, server, or Buddy's own hosting — in one place.
Choose a different path if…
- You need cheap Apple Silicon macOS at scale — pair GitHub Actions (or Bitrise/CircleCI) with self-hosted Tart runners.
- You build on FreeBSD — Buddy doesn't cover it; self-hosted runners on GitHub Actions or GitLab CI are the realistic option.
- Your code lives on GitHub and you just want zero-setup CI in the repo — GitHub Actions is the path of least resistance.
- You want the closest concept-for-concept config port from
.cirrus.yml— CircleCI advertises exactly that.
Common questions
Cirrus CI alternatives — common questions
Is Cirrus CI shutting down?
Yes. On April 7, 2026 Cirrus Labs announced its team is joining OpenAI's Agent Infrastructure group, and Cirrus CI stopped running jobs on Monday, June 1, 2026. After that date .cirrus.yml workflows no longer run, so every Cirrus CI user needs to migrate to another CI/CD platform.
What is the best Cirrus CI alternative in 2026?
It depends on what you need. For fully managed CI/CD with no compute-credit math and deploy-anywhere built in, Buddy is the strongest all-round pick. If your code lives on GitHub, GitHub Actions is the most common landing spot. If you want the closest config migration, CircleCI's YAML model maps most directly to .cirrus.yml. For the Apple Silicon macOS or FreeBSD builds Cirrus was uniquely good at, pair GitHub Actions with self-hosted Tart runners or a managed Mac provider.
What happens to my .cirrus.yml configuration?
It stops working after June 1, 2026. Unlike CI shutdowns that only required swapping a runner label, moving off Cirrus CI means rewriting your pipeline config for the new platform's job model. Your underlying build logic — scripts, Docker and test commands — is largely portable; the work is remapping tasks, dependencies and caches, and re-pointing secrets and triggers.
What replaces Cirrus Runners and Apple Silicon macOS builds?
Cirrus Runners stopped taking new customers. For macOS on Apple Silicon, the direct path is GitHub Actions (or CircleCI/Bitrise) using hosted macOS runners, or self-hosting ephemeral macOS VMs with Tart — Cirrus Labs' virtualization tool, now relicensed permissively and free — on your own Macs or a managed Mac host. Buddy is a great general CI/CD replacement but is Linux/Docker-first and not an Apple-Silicon-macOS-fleet product, so for that niche the macOS-focused paths above are the honest answer.
Is Tart still available after the shutdown?
Yes. Cirrus Labs relicensed Tart, Vetu and Orchard under a more permissive license and stopped charging licensing fees, so the community can keep building on them. Tart now lives under the openai/tart GitHub organization and remains usable for running ephemeral macOS and Linux VMs on Apple Silicon in your own CI.
How hard is it to migrate off Cirrus CI?
Plan for small-to-moderate effort. Build logic is portable, but the pipeline definition is not: you rewrite .cirrus.yml for the target platform, remap task dependencies and caching, and move secrets and triggers. CircleCI advertises the closest concept-for-concept mapping. If you also want to shed infrastructure entirely, a fully managed platform like Buddy removes runner setup and lets you compose the pipeline visually.
Can Buddy replace Cirrus CI?
For most teams migrating a standard Linux/Docker build-and-deploy pipeline, yes — Buddy gives you fully managed CI/CD with a visual editor, 150+ prebuilt actions, flat per-seat pricing and deploy-to-anywhere, with no compute credits to forecast. The honest exception is Cirrus's specialty of cheap Apple Silicon macOS fleets and FreeBSD builds: Buddy is Linux/Docker-first and cloud-only, so for those specific workloads a macOS-focused platform plus Tart is the better fit.