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Head-to-head · Continuous Integration Software

Jenkins vs Semaphore

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Jenkins #6 in Continuous Integration Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Jenkins
Semaphore #8 in Continuous Integration Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Semaphore

Jenkins leads on 0 checks, Semaphore on 1, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreJenkins · 8.8/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresSemaphore · 4 of 4

Jenkins scores higher on our rubric for continuous integration software: 8.8 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #8.

Semaphore offers hosted option; Jenkins doesn't.

Jenkins is the better fit for customizable self-hosted CI. Semaphore is the better fit for teams wanting visual workflows and self-hosting.

  • Jenkins fits best

    Customizable self-hosted CI

  • Semaphore fits best

    Teams wanting visual workflows and self-hosting

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Jenkins 8.8/10 Visit ↗ Semaphore 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.8 8.6
Ranking #6 in Continuous Integration Software #8 in Continuous Integration Software
Best for Customizable self-hosted CI Teams wanting visual workflows and self-hosting
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan $0.0025/unit usage-based
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Email, Community, Docs · 24/7
Integrations 7 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Jenkins 3/4 · Semaphore 4/4
Hosted option — ✓ (best)
Self-hosted runners ✓ ✓
Pull request checks ✓ ✓
Artifact or dependency cache ✓ ✓
Specs
Parallel jobs Not checked yet 20 jobs
Included build minutes Not checked yet Not checked yet
Pipeline configuration Not checked yet Both
Our review
Pros
  • Distributed builds across controllers and agents
  • Jenkinsfiles support pipeline-as-code workflows
  • Plugin model connects development and delivery tools
  • YAML and visual workflow configuration support both code-first and visual setup
  • Parallel jobs, caching, artifacts, and test reporting support faster feedback
  • Self-hosted agents and Community Edition support customer-managed infrastructure
Cons
  • No hosted CI execution option
  • Plugin configuration can add operational complexity
  • Pull-request workflows depend on supported plugins
  • Usage-based compute pricing makes monthly costs dependent on consumption
  • The managed plan has 20 concurrent jobs by default
  • Advanced workflows may require managing YAML, visual configuration, or self-hosted agents
Our verdict

Jenkins is an open-source automation server for building, testing, delivering, and deploying software. It suits development and operations teams that want to install and operate their own continuous integration and continuous delivery…

Read the review →

Semaphore is a continuous integration and delivery platform for software development teams. It connects GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repositories to workflows that build, test, release, and deploy applications. Teams can define pipelines…

Read the review →
  1. JenkinsContinuous Integration Software 8.8Free plan
  2. SemaphoreContinuous Integration Software 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Jenkins — where it wins

    • Distributed builds across controllers and agents
    • Jenkinsfiles support pipeline-as-code workflows
    • Plugin model connects development and delivery tools

    Where it doesn't

    • No hosted CI execution option
    • Plugin configuration can add operational complexity
    • Pull-request workflows depend on supported plugins

  • Semaphore — where it wins

    • YAML and visual workflow configuration support both code-first and visual setup
    • Parallel jobs, caching, artifacts, and test reporting support faster feedback
    • Self-hosted agents and Community Edition support customer-managed infrastructure

    Where it doesn't

    • Usage-based compute pricing makes monthly costs dependent on consumption
    • The managed plan has 20 concurrent jobs by default
    • Advanced workflows may require managing YAML, visual configuration, or self-hosted agents

More comparisons

All continuous integration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update