What is the top free pick among CI/CD tools?

n8n leads the Stack Gems list for CI/CD tools. Verdict: The workflow engine with a catch in the LICENSE.md. SUL, not OSI.

How many CI/CD tools does Stack Gems review?

9: 8 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.

Which CI/CD tools can I self-host for free?

n8n, Dagger, Woodpecker CI, git-cliff, act, Changesets, preloop and OneDev.

Which CI/CD tools have the most GitHub stars?

n8n (208k), act (72.4k), Dagger (16.4k), per GitHub on 2026-10-19. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.

What is the catch with n8n?

Sustainable Use License is not OSI.

Best of · AI Agents / DevOps

Best CI/CD tools (2026)

Stack Gems reviews 9 CI/CD tools: 8 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. These are the top 9, each with its verdict and the Catch we would want to know before installing it.

Order: free and open source first, then hosted products with a real free tier, then paid-led; catalog order inside each group, with quiet or archived repos last. Not a score, and no tool pays for its place.

9 reviewed · 9 shown in full

1.n8nFair-code workflow automation you can self-host
Free / OSS · Open-Core · 208k GitHub stars
VerdictThe workflow engine with a catch in the LICENSE.md. SUL, not OSI.
CatchSustainable Use License is not OSI. Use and modification: internal / non-commercial / personal. Distribution only free of charge for non-commercial purposes. Files with .ee. in the name need a separate Enterprise License. It is not open source.
2.DaggerApache-2.0 CI as containers, programmable in your language
Free / OSS · Apache-2.0 · 16.4k GitHub stars
VerdictApache-2.0 portable CI. The pipeline is code; Cloud is optional; its pricing is not confirmed here.
CatchYou need Docker or a compatible engine. Rewriting mature CI YAML is a project, not an afternoon. Dagger Cloud is a separate product with its own pricing.
3.Woodpecker CIApache-2.0 container-native CI; self-host forever, no paid tier
Free / OSS · Apache-2.0 · 8k GitHub stars
VerdictApache-2.0 container CI. Self-host free forever; no SaaS tier.
CatchSelf-host only — not GitHub Actions managed UX. Smaller plugin ecosystem than Actions/Drone-era commercial. You own runners, secrets, and forge OAuth. Distinct from GitHub Actions and Buildkite hosted.
4.git-cliffApache-2.0 changelog generator from Conventional Commits
Free / OSS · Apache-2.0 · 12.3k GitHub stars
VerdictApache-2.0 changelog CLI. Free forever; turn conventional history into release notes.
CatchVs changesets / release-please (monorepo version+PR bots) and hand-edited CHANGELOG.md: git-cliff is a *generator from history*, not a publish orchestrator. Garbage commits in, garbage sections out — you still need commit discipline and a template you trust.
5.actMIT run GitHub Actions locally in Docker
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 72.4k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT local Actions runner. Free forever; debug the workflow before you burn a push.
CatchVs hosted GitHub Actions and Woodpecker (self-host container CI): act is a *local emulator*, not a forge runner fleet and not a replacement for GitHub-hosted minutes. Event payload fidelity is incomplete; secrets, service containers, and some actions still surprise. Needs a Docker engine.
6.ChangesetsMIT versioning + changelog PRs for JS monorepos
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 12.5k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT monorepo versioning. Free forever; write the change, let the bot bump the graph.
CatchVs git-cliff (changelog *from commit history*) and release-please: Changesets is *intent-first* (you write the change note), not history-parser-first. Empty or late changesets mean silent version drift. It versions packages — it does not replace your publish secrets or npm 2FA.
7.preloopMIT self-hosted GitHub Actions with microVM-isolated jobs
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 222 GitHub stars
VerdictSelf-hosted GitHub Actions with real VM isolation — promising, but young; try it beside your existing CI first.
CatchYou run a server, not a one-shot CLI — expose it on a tailnet, tunnel or your own domain and keep it patched. It is a small, young project (first commit mid-2026), so expect rough edges and pin versions. Vs act (runs workflows locally in Docker containers with one command): preloop is the heavier choice when you want real isolation and a standing CI service you own.
8.OneDevMIT self-hosted Git server with CI/CD, kanban and code search
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 15.3k GitHub stars
VerdictAn underrated all-in-one GitLab alternative — strong if you want CI and code intelligence in one box.
CatchIt is one big Java application, heavier than Gitea or Gogs. Starting with 16.9.0, Intel Macs and FreeBSD are no longer supported. Issues and PRs live on the project's own instance (code.onedev.io), not GitHub, so the GitHub repo is a mirror. Fewer third-party integrations than GitLab.
9.GitHub ActionsCI/CD that lives where your code does
Free tier · Freemium
VerdictThe default CI/CD for GitHub repositories.
CatchYAML syntax has a learning curve. Debugging failed workflows is frustrating. Costs scale with build minutes. Complex workflows become hard to maintain.

FAQ

What is the top free pick among CI/CD tools?: n8n leads the Stack Gems list for CI/CD tools. Verdict: The workflow engine with a catch in the LICENSE.md. SUL, not OSI.
How many CI/CD tools does Stack Gems review?: 9: 8 free or open source, 1 hosted with a real free tier. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.
Which CI/CD tools can I self-host for free?: n8n, Dagger, Woodpecker CI, git-cliff, act, Changesets, preloop and OneDev.
Which CI/CD tools have the most GitHub stars?: n8n (208k), act (72.4k), Dagger (16.4k), per GitHub on 2026-10-19. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.
What is the catch with n8n?: Sustainable Use License is not OSI.

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