Semaphore review
Flexible CI/CD for teams balancing hosted runners with self-managed build infrastructure.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Semaphore is a continuous integration and delivery platform for software teams that need to build, test, release, and deploy code from connected repositories. It supports visual workflow design with YAML configuration generation, hosted runners, and self-hosted agents across Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its feature set suits teams managing pull-request checks, monorepos, build artifacts, dependency caching, and parallel jobs while retaining control over selected infrastructure.
Pricing is usage-based rather than seat-based. The Free usage credits plan provides monthly free usage credits. Self-Hosted costs $0.0025 per machine minute and can run on any machine. Hosted options include Ubuntu ARM 2vCPU at $0.003 per minute, Ubuntu ARM 4vCPU at $0.006, Ubuntu ARM 8vCPU at $0.012, Ubuntu x64 2vCPU at $0.0075, Ubuntu x64 4vCPU at $0.015, and macOS 4vCPU at $0.09 per minute. This structure gives teams a direct way to compare managed runner costs with customer-managed infrastructure, while the listed rates make macOS usage notably more expensive than the Linux options.
Semaphore connects with GitHub, Bitbucket, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, and Okta, giving it a practical fit for repositories and infrastructure spread across common development environments. Pipelines can use hosted build infrastructure or self-hosted agents, with caching and artifact transfer between jobs helping support repeatable workflows. Role-based access control, secrets, and SSO address team administration needs. Choose Semaphore if runner flexibility and self-hosted cost control matter; consider an alternative if you prefer a simpler fixed-price model or do not need multiple runner types and workflow controls.
Semaphore pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Self-hosted pricing starts at $0.0025 per machine minute
- Hosted ARM, x64, and macOS runners support varied build environments
- Caching, artifacts, pull-request workflows, RBAC, and SSO are included
- Where it doesn't
- Usage-based pricing can require ongoing cost monitoring
- macOS hosted runners cost more than the listed Linux options
- Advanced workflows may require YAML configuration knowledge
Semaphore fact sheet, pricing and score →
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