# Tenki vs BuildJet (https://tenki.cloud/docs/runners/comparisons/tenki-vs-buildjet)

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tenki.cloud/llms.txt)

How Tenki and BuildJet compare on price, performance, free tier, hardware, and migration.



Tenki vs BuildJet: at a glance [#tenki-vs-buildjet-at-a-glance]

Tenki and BuildJet are both third-party GitHub Actions runner providers that market themselves as faster and cheaper than GitHub-hosted runners. Tenki operates its own bare-metal x64 and Apple Silicon M4 Pro compute pool, runs every job inside an ephemeral microVM, and bundles an AI code reviewer product. BuildJet runs on Hetzner/OVH hardware and focuses exclusively on Linux GitHub Actions runners with a simple, low-cost pricing model.

How we compared [#how-we-compared]

* **Sources**: Tenki numbers come from this site's product, pricing, and docs pages. BuildJet numbers come from [buildjet.com/for-github-actions](https://buildjet.com/for-github-actions) and BuildJet's public documentation, captured on the "Last updated" date shown above the table of contents.
* **Pricing**: Tenki's $0.004/min standard rate (a 2 vCPU runner at $0.002 per core/minute) comes from this site's pricing and docs pages. Where BuildJet's pricing depends on profile or plan tier, we link to BuildJet's pricing page rather than restating numbers that may differ.
* **Hardware**: BuildJet is documented as Linux-only on Hetzner/OVH infrastructure. The macOS entry in the table reflects that explicit documentation (not an inferred gap).
* **Performance**: this page does not run head-to-head perf benchmarks. Tenki's runner numbers are documented separately in [the runner benchmarks](/docs/runners/benchmarks) with full methodology (hardware, baseline, cache state, sample size). BuildJet's performance claims are restated from BuildJet's marketing copy where cited.
* **Updates**: re-verified each quarter and on every update to this page. Changes are visible via the `dateModified` shown above and in this repository's git history.

Quick comparison [#quick-comparison]

| Dimension             | Tenki                                            | BuildJet                                                                       |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Core product          | Runners + AI code reviewer                       | GitHub Actions runners                                                         |
| Hardware              | Bare-metal x64 and Apple Silicon M4 Pro          | Hetzner / OVH bare-metal (primarily Linux)                                     |
| Standard runner price | $0.004/min (2 vCPU / 4 GB Linux)                 | See [buildjet.com/for-github-actions](https://buildjet.com/for-github-actions) |
| Free tier             | $10 in free credit per month, renewed monthly    | See BuildJet's current free-tier terms                                         |
| macOS runners         | Apple M4 Pro bare-metal                          | Linux-only                                                                     |
| Isolation             | Ephemeral microVM per job                        | VM-level isolation                                                             |
| AI code review        | Included (Tenki Code Reviewer, $1.00 per review) | Not offered                                                                    |
| Migration effort      | One-line `runs-on` change                        | One-line `runs-on` change                                                      |

When to choose Tenki [#when-to-choose-tenki]

* You need a full drop-in replacement for GitHub-hosted runners across Linux and macOS.
* Apple M4 Pro macOS runners matter for your iOS or cross-platform CI.
* You want microVM-level isolation between jobs for supply-chain safety.
* You want AI pull-request review from the same vendor.
* You value $10 in free credit every month for evaluation.

When to choose BuildJet [#when-to-choose-buildjet]

* Your CI is Linux-only and extreme price sensitivity matters more than hardware variety.
* You prefer Hetzner/OVH infrastructure for geographic or regulatory reasons.
* You don't need macOS or ancillary products.

Migration [#migration]

Migrating from BuildJet to Tenki is a single-line change:

```yaml
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: tenki-standard-medium-4c-8g # was: buildjet-2vcpu-ubuntu-2204
```

See the [Runners Quickstart](/docs/runners/quick-start-runners) for full setup including the two-click Migration Wizard.

FAQ [#faq]

Is Tenki or BuildJet cheaper? [#is-tenki-or-buildjet-cheaper]

At the 2 vCPU / 4 GB Linux profile, Tenki is $0.004 per minute. BuildJet publishes competitive per-minute rates on its site, compare the specific profile you run. Differences at other profiles vary by vendor.

Does Tenki support macOS runners? [#does-tenki-support-macos-runners]

Yes. Tenki operates Apple M4 Pro macOS bare-metal runners in addition to Linux. BuildJet is primarily Linux-focused.

How does job isolation differ? [#how-does-job-isolation-differ]

Tenki runs each job in an ephemeral microVM that is destroyed after completion, strong isolation, no persistent state, no noisy-neighbor interference. BuildJet uses VM-level isolation.

Does Tenki offer cached builds? [#does-tenki-offer-cached-builds]

Yes, Tenki operates a Tenki Cache service for GitHub Actions cache acceleration.