Is GitHub Actions better than Azure Pipelines?

GitHub Actions ranks higher in our list of CI/CD platforms (#1 against #5, score 92.0 against 85.0). Azure Pipelines is best for: teams on Azure and Microsoft tooling. GitHub Actions is best for: projects already on GitHub.

Which is cheaper, Azure Pipelines or GitHub Actions?

Azure Pipelines: One free parallel job with 1,800 build minutes a month per organization. GitHub Actions: Free for public repositories; included minutes on other plans.

Do Azure Pipelines and GitHub Actions run on the same platforms?

Azure Pipelines supports Web. GitHub Actions supports Web.

Azure Pipelines vs GitHub Actions: Which Is Better? (2026)

85.0
Editorial score
92.0
1
Platforms
1
Yes
Free to use
Yes
No
Open source
No

Which should you choose?

Choose Azure Pipelines if you want

Teams on Azure and Microsoft tooling.

Microsoft's CI/CD service inside Azure DevOps, with one free parallel job of 1,800 build minutes per organization each month. It fits teams on Azure or Microsoft tooling, and extra parallel jobs and users add cost.

Choose GitHub Actions if you want

Projects already on GitHub.

The default CI for GitHub repositories, free for public repositories and with included minutes by plan. Its workflows depend on GitHub, so it does not help teams that host code elsewhere.

Side by side

	Azure Pipelines	GitHub Actions
Score	85.0	92.0
Rank in list	#5 of 10	#1 of 10
Price	Free plan, paid upgradesOne free parallel job with 1,800 build minutes a month per organization	Free plan, paid upgradesFree for public repositories; included minutes on other plans
Free to use	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	No
Platforms	WebWeb	WebWeb
Made by	Microsoft	GitHub
Hosting	Microsoft-hosted agents	GitHub-hosted or self-hosted runners
Best for	Teams on Azure and Microsoft tooling	Projects already on GitHub
Strengths	One free parallel job with 1,800 minutes a month Deploys to any cloud or on-premises setup Fits teams already using Azure DevOps	Free for public repositories Self-hosted runners for your own machines
Limits	Extra parallel jobs and users add cost Best fit is teams already in Microsoft tooling	Workflows depend on GitHub Private repository minutes vary by plan
Links	Visit site	Visit site

Questions about Azure Pipelines vs GitHub Actions

Is GitHub Actions better than Azure Pipelines?: GitHub Actions ranks higher in our list of CI/CD platforms (#1 against #5, score 92.0 against 85.0). Azure Pipelines is best for: teams on Azure and Microsoft tooling. GitHub Actions is best for: projects already on GitHub.
Which is cheaper, Azure Pipelines or GitHub Actions?: Azure Pipelines: One free parallel job with 1,800 build minutes a month per organization. GitHub Actions: Free for public repositories; included minutes on other plans.
Do Azure Pipelines and GitHub Actions run on the same platforms?: Azure Pipelines supports Web. GitHub Actions supports Web.