Drone CI vs CircleCI
Self-host swap-in for CircleCI. · Self-host CircleCI · Drone CI on os-alt
Drone CI is one of the open-source self-host replacements for CircleCI — license Apache-2.0, 20min docker-compose (Drone server + at least one runner) to stand up, and $10-20/mo vps for the server; runners are separate (one $5 vps per concurrent build). Compare against CircleCI's Free 6000 build-minutes/mo; Performance from $15/user/mo + per-minute usage; Scale tier custom below.
| Drone CIopen-source | CircleCIpaid SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hosted CI/CD | Hosted CI/CD |
| License / pricing | Apache-2.0 | Free 6000 build-minutes/mo; Performance from $15/user/mo + per-minute usage; Scale tier custom |
| Starting price | $0 self-host | $15/user/mo |
| GitHub | harness/drone | closed source |
| Setup time | 20min docker-compose (Drone server + at least one runner) | SaaS — sign up + bill |
| Monthly cost | $10-20/mo VPS for the server; runners are separate (one $5 VPS per concurrent build). | from $15/user/mo (Free 6000 build-minutes/mo; Performance from $15/user/mo + per-minute usage; Scale tier custom) |
Switching from CircleCI to Drone CI
Pull `drone/drone:2` and `drone/drone-runner-docker:1` via the official compose at docs.drone.io. Configure with your git provider OAuth (GitHub / GitLab / Gitea / Bitbucket). Pipeline conversion: CircleCI's `jobs/steps/workflows` map cleanly to Drone's `pipeline/steps/depends_on`; rewrite `.circleci/config.yml` as `.drone.yml`. Most CircleCI orbs have direct Drone plugin equivalents (S3, Slack, Docker).
- Good fit for
- Container-native pipelines where every step is a Docker image — Drone is the most natural fit for that mental model.
- Weak at
- macOS / iOS builds need self-hosted runners with manual setup; GPU builds similarly bring-your-own.
- License note
- Acquired by Harness; OSS edition remains Apache-2.0; Enterprise adds RBAC and secrets manager.
Other open-source self-host alternatives to CircleCI
In a terminal? npx os-alt circleci prints CircleCI's self-host options —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Is Drone CI a free alternative to CircleCI?
Yes — Drone CI is open source under Apache-2.0. Self-host cost: $10-20/mo VPS for the server; runners are separate (one $5 VPS per concurrent build).. CircleCI starts at $15/user/mo (Free 6000 build-minutes/mo; Performance from $15/user/mo + per-minute usage; Scale tier custom).
How long does Drone CI take to set up vs CircleCI?
Self-hosting Drone CI: 20min docker-compose (Drone server + at least one runner). CircleCI is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.
What is Drone CI good at, and what is it weak at?
Good fit for: Container-native pipelines where every step is a Docker image — Drone is the most natural fit for that mental model.. Weak at: macOS / iOS builds need self-hosted runners with manual setup; GPU builds similarly bring-your-own..