# Dagger vs GitHub Actions

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** GitHub Actions

| Attribute | Dagger | GitHub Actions |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 53.8 (67% (medium)) | 70 (71% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | - |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 17 | - |
| adoption.github_stars | 16,339 | - |
| adoption.stackoverflow_questions | - | 42,000 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A platform that replaces shell scripts and YAML configurations with code-based pipelines. Runs identically on local machines and in CI/cloud environments, with built-in observability through OpenTelemetry traces and automatic content-addressed caching. It is indexed under CI/CD Tools.","source":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","question":"What is Dagger?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Dagger is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the Apache-2.0 licence. A commercial or hosted edition starts at $50 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","question":"Is Dagger free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Dagger supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","question":"What platforms does Dagger support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Dagger can be deployed cloud / SaaS, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","question":"Can Dagger be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 9 integrations for Dagger, including Docker, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub, Kubernetes, Terragrunt, Istio, Jaeger and Honeycomb, plus 1 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","question":"What does Dagger integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2 and GDPR for Dagger. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Dagger not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://trust.dagger.io","question":"What security certifications does Dagger have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Yes. Dagger is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger","question":"Is Dagger open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"Built-in automation tooling that enables developers to create reusable workflow steps for continuous integration and deployment, supporting multiple runner environments and languages. It is indexed under CI/CD Tools.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"What is GitHub Actions?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"GitHub Actions offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans are also available: Free, Pro and GitHub Enterprise Cloud. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"Is GitHub Actions free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"GitHub Actions supports the web, iOS, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"What platforms does GitHub Actions support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. GitHub Actions can be deployed cloud / SaaS, hybrid, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"Can GitHub Actions be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 29 integrations for GitHub Actions, including Jira, npm, Docker, GitHub Packages, GitHub Pages, CodeQL, Slack and AWS, plus 21 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"What does GitHub Actions integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR for GitHub Actions. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as GitHub Actions not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://github.com/security","question":"What security certifications does GitHub Actions have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"GitHub Actions is available in the United States, the EU and Australia.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"Where is GitHub Actions available?","confidence":0.75}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"hybrid":true,"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A platform for automating software delivery that enables teams to define build, test, and deployment workflows as code in multiple programming languages. Pipelines execute consistently across local machines, CI systems, and cloud infrastructure with built-in caching, tracing, and container orchestration. | Built-in automation tooling that enables developers to create reusable workflow steps for continuous integration and deployment, supporting multiple runner environments and languages. |
| features.capabilities | `{"caching":true,"hosting":"both","marketplace":true,"yaml_pipelines":false,"container_native":true,"secrets_management":true,"deploy_environments":true,"self_hosted_runners":true}` | `{"caching":true,"hosting":"both","marketplace":true,"matrix_builds":true,"yaml_pipelines":true,"container_native":true,"secrets_management":true,"deploy_environments":true,"self_hosted_runners":true}` |
| hosting.model | - | cloud |
| integrations.count | 6 | 23 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Docker"},{"name":"GitLab CI/CD"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Terragrunt"},{"name":"Istio"},{"name":"Jaeger"},{"name":"Honeycomb"},{"name":"OpenTelemetry"},{"name":"GitLab","native":false,"category":"ci","direction":"bidirectional"}]` | `[{"name":"Jira"},{"name":"npm"},{"name":"Docker"},{"name":"GitHub Packages"},{"name":"GitHub Pages"},{"name":"CodeQL"},{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Azure"},{"name":"Google Cloud"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"TruffleHog"},{"name":"Prowler"},{"name":"Gosec"},{"name":"Super-Linter"},{"name":"Claude"},{"name":"OpenCommit"},{"name":"Render","native":true,"category":"ci_cd"},{"name":"Linear","native":true,"category":"project_management"},{"name":"CodeRabbit","native":true,"category":"code_review"},{"name":"Codemagic CI/CD","native":true,"category":"ci_cd"},{"name":"Codecov","native":true,"category":"code_quality"},{"name":"Azure Pipelines","native":true,"category":"ci_cd"},{"name":"Zenhub","native":true,"category":"project_management"},{"name":"Codacy","native":true,"category":"code_quality"},{"name":"CircleCI","native":true,"category":"ci_cd"},{"name":"Mergify","native":true,"category":"workflow_automation"},{"name":"GuardRails","native":true,"category":"security"},{"name":"PullApprove","native":true,"category":"code_review"},{"name":"DeepSource","native":true,"category":"code_review"},{"name":"Azure Boards","native":true,"category":"project_management"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | - |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | - |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"regional","availableCountries":["US","EU","AU"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Individual","summary":"Free","features":["Pipeline visualization","Local and cloud execution"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Free pipeline visualization and execution for personal projects and hobbyists","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Team","summary":"$50/month for up to 10 users, 2-week free trial","features":["Centralized control plane","Pipeline telemetry and visualization","Distributed cache orchestration"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":50,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Centralized control plane for team collaboration with pipeline telemetry and cache orchestration","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"users":"up to 10"}}],"summary":"Free for individuals. $50/month for teams (up to 10 users, 2-week free trial).","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://dagger.io/blog/new-dagger-cloud-pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-09-14T13:19:19.689Z","freeTrialDays":14,"startingPrice":{"amount":50,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"ci_cd_minutes_per_month":"2000"}},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"ci_cd_minutes_per_month":"3000"}},{"free":false,"name":"GitHub Enterprise Cloud","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"ci_cd_minutes_per_month":"50000"}}],"summary":"Free tier available. Paid plans from Pro tier upward.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://github.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-09-04T13:21:19.498Z","freeTrialDays":30,"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | mid | low |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":50,"currency":"USD"}` | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:26:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/typescript/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:27:35Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/typescript/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/rust/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:29:07Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/rust/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/python/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:28:17Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/python/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/php/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:27:52Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/php/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/go/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:27:53Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/go/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/elixir/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:29:03Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/elixir/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/helm/chart/v0.21.10","date":"2026-09-30T16:27:35Z","type":"stable","version":"helm/chart/v0.21.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:45:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/typescript/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:46:59Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/typescript/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/rust/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:48:10Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/rust/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/python/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:47:30Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/python/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/php/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:47:11Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/php/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/go/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:47:12Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/go/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/elixir/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:48:05Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/elixir/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/helm/chart/v0.21.9","date":"2026-08-26T13:46:56Z","type":"stable","version":"helm/chart/v0.21.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/v0.21.8","date":"2026-07-29T17:07:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.21.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/typescript/v0.21.8","date":"2026-07-29T17:08:26Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/typescript/v0.21.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/rust/v0.21.8","date":"2026-07-29T17:09:29Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/rust/v0.21.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/dagger/dagger/releases/tag/sdk/python/v0.21.8","date":"2026-07-29T17:08:52Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/python/v0.21.8"}]` | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.certifications | - | `[{"name":"SOC 2 Type II","level":"Type II","status":"active"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.iso27001 | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5.1 | - |
| security.soc2 | yes | yes |
| security.trust_center | - | https://github.com/security |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdagger%2Fdagger&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | - |

## Capabilities (CI/CD Tools)

| Capability | Dagger | GitHub Actions |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Cloud + self-hosted | Cloud + self-hosted |
| Self-hosted runners | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Core** |  |  |
| Config-as-code pipelines | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matrix / parallel builds | - | ✓ |
| **Build** |  |  |
| Container-native builds | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Build caching | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Secrets management | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Deployment environments & approvals | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Reusable actions / marketplace | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T18:30:45.907Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*