GitHub Actions vs GoCD comparison

GitHub and Thoughtworks are both solutions in the Build Automation category. GitHub is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5, while Thoughtworks is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.3. GitHub holds a 11.5% mindshare in BA, compared to Thoughtworks’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of GitHub users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Thoughtworks users who would recommend it.

GitHub Actions

Read 21 GitHub Actions reviews

2,693 Views
2,078 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

GoCD

Read 7 GoCD reviews

625 Views
264 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

GitHub Actions

GoCD

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

GoCD and GitHub Actions compete in the continuous integration and delivery category. GitHub Actions holds the advantage due to its seamless integration within the GitHub ecosystem and its feature-rich platform.

Features: GoCD is recognized for its advanced pipeline modeling, value stream visualization, and scalability that cater to complex projects. It offers pipeline groups, which allow for role differentiation and clear tracking of pipeline status. GitHub Actions offers deep integration with GitHub repositories, extensive support for event-driven workflows, and community-contributed actions. Its ability to automate tasks and integration with popular third-party services enhances its utility.

Room for Improvement: GoCD could benefit from a broader range of plugins to increase its extensibility, and simplifying its initial setup could attract more users. Enhanced community support might also enrich the user experience. For GitHub Actions, improving support for proprietary software and offering more tools for complex custom workflows could improve its flexibility. Simplifying pipeline visibility and management of secrets could further streamline user operations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: GoCD requires manual setup and configuration due to its self-hosted nature, often resulting in a steeper learning curve. Its deployment can be time-consuming but allows greater control over the environment. GitHub Actions, being cloud-based, offers a simpler deployment process with integrated support channels, making it user-friendly for those familiar with the GitHub ecosystem.

Pricing and ROI: GoCD is open source, with minimal initial costs but potential infrastructure expenses could affect ROI. Its self-hosted nature requires resource investment in managing infrastructure. GitHub Actions adopts a pay-as-you-go model, and it provides free usage for small-scale operations. The integration within GitHub accounts leads to efficient scalability and reduced costs, offering a more predictable pricing structure that can positively impact ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed GitHub Actions vs. GoCD Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

GitHub Actions vs. GoCD

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GitHub Actions

Ranking in Build Automation

4th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

GoCD

Ranking in Build Automation

16th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites (14th), Release Automation (10th)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Build Automation category, the mindshare of GitHub Actions is 11.5%, up from 6.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of GoCD is 1.5%, down from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Build Automation

Featured Reviews

MohamedMostafa1

Chief Software Engineer at Valeo

Handles scalability well, automatically managing execution infrastructure without requiring additional configurationsThe automation feature of GitHub Actions is

I find the automation feature of GitHub Actions most valuable for our building processes. It integrates seamlessly with GitHub, so there's no extra configuration needed, making the building process easy and efficient. GitHub Actions handles scalability well, automatically managing execution infrastructure without requiring additional configurations. We haven't yet explored GitHub Actions' support for AI projects, as we haven't used its AI capabilities.

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Nishant Narayan Singh

DevOps Architect at Cognizant

Simplifies the pipeline process, but the access control system needs enhancement

One area of product improvement is the access control system. It is difficult to assign different access levels because it relies on separate keys for developer and admin access, which could be simplified. The folder structure is another aspect that could be enhanced, as all jobs are displayed on a single page without the clear organization seen in Jenkins. Implementing a more structured approach to organizing jobs would improve user experience. AI could simplify job creation. For example, instead of manually editing pipelines as code, an AI tool could allow users to input variables and automatically generate the required jobs. It would help reduce human errors, such as issues that arise from incorrect edits in large code files.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable features of GitHub Actions include its seamless integration within GitHub, which simplifies the CI/CD pipeline setup. The scalability of using different types of runners—both public and private runners—enhances deployment flexibility."

"The solution has saved us approximately 20% in terms of efficiency and productivity."

"It is user-friendly, with clear and organized processes, making it easy to navigate and work with."

"The most valuable feature of GitHub Actions is the ability to automate various tasks, such as backups and deployments, to ease the development workflow."

"The level of automation achievable is really good. So, the custom workflow creation and Marketplace Actions improved our project's efficiency."

"GitHub Actions can be easily configured, especially for environment variables and secrets. The UI is understandable and user-friendly for setting up CI/CD pipelines. I prefer tools like GitLab, where the pipeline starts quickly and is accessible near the commits for easy access. However, many CI/CD tools are interchangeable due to similar features of GitHub Actions and other similar tools."

"GitHub Actions helps automate the deployment process, eliminating manual copying and testing, which saves time and minimizes errors."

"I have optimized job execution time by running test scripts in parallel and creating multiple pipelines; we've significantly reduced execution times. What could take 50 minutes can be cut down to just 8 to 10 minutes through these optimizations."

More GitHub Actions pros

"The most notable aspect is its user interface, which we find to be user-friendly and straightforward for deploying and comprehending pipelines. We have the ability to create multiple pipelines, and in addition to that, the resource consumption is impressive."

"The UI is colorful."

"Permission separations mean that we can grant limited permissions for each team or team member."

"GoCD's open-source nature is valuable."

Cons

"The UI could be better."

"Sometimes incremental steps should be taken during deployment instead of trying to execute all tasks simultaneously, particularly when dealing with AWS EKS clusters and Helm charts."

"In our company, procedures or rules need to be completed, which is not a problem with GitHub Actions but with our process."

"Sometimes it is quite complex to commit code from our local system to the GitHub repository; creating a folder in GitHub can be tedious."

"We can leverage this database tool to manage everything within our environment and data burners, allowing for customization and execution. An additional advantage is the capability to modify aspects like file size, making processes more efficient and faster across the pipelines. Regarding improvements or implementations, I believe there should be enhancements made to the deployment tool. It should be integrated as part of the solution. Infrastructure-wise, we already have tools like GitHub and RobSpot, and data enables us to automate various processes, which is quite beneficial. As for further enhancements, I'm uncertain. I've shared everything I know. However, if there's something specific you'd like to see in future releases, a feature that may not exist yet but would be desirable, I can't provide any input on that matter."

"The only issue I have faced is with authorization, particularly when configuring the GitHub token correctly."

"The main challenge I've experienced is with integration, particularly uploading to OneDrive, which was more complex compared to Google Drive or AWS S3 bucket."

"Switching between hosted and self-hosted agents can be a bit complex, as self-hosted agents need to be provisioned in platforms like Azure or AWS."

More GitHub Actions cons

"It is difficult to assign different access levels because it relies on separate keys for developer and admin access, which could be simplified."

"The tool must be more user-friendly."

"The aspect that requires attention is the user management component. When integrating with BitLabs and authenticating through GitLab, there are specific features we desire. One important feature is the ability to import users directly from GitLab, along with their respective designations, and assign appropriate privileges based on that information. Allocating different privileges to users is a time-consuming process for us."

"The documentation really should be improved by including real examples and more setup cases."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For our basic usage, we didn't have to pay."

"The tool's price is okay and reasonable."

"It is free and open platform, so I would rate it 1 out of 10."

"It's low-priced. Not high, but definitely low."

"The product is slightly more expensive than some alternatives."

"Price-wise, GitHub Actions is okay. If I want to use the product's advanced features, then I need to pay the licensing charges for the solution."

"Regarding cost, as an enterprise, we negotiate our license and expenses, so I can't provide a specific rating for that."

"The cost for GitHub Actions may be around $45 dollars per user."

"It's an open-source and free tool."

"This is an open-source solution and it is inexpensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

19%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Retailer

11%

Real Estate/Law Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitHub Actions?

I have optimized job execution time by running test scripts in parallel and creating multiple pipelines; we've significantly reduced execution times. What could take 50 minutes can be cut down to j...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitHub Actions?

I would rate pricing a seven, which leans toward the expensive side. However, there is still value for money, and that's why we continue using it.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GitHub Actions?

I would need to check with my team about specific shortcomings. We still use Jenkins ( /products/jenkins-reviews ) for some tasks, which suggests there may be areas for improvement in GitHub Actions.

See all answers

What do you like most about GoCD?

The UI is colorful.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GoCD?

The product is free of cost.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GoCD?

See all answers

Comparisons

Tekton vs GitHub Actions

Compared 34% of the time

Harness vs GitHub Actions

Compared 15% of the time

Bamboo vs GitHub Actions

Compared 14% of the time

TeamCity vs GitHub Actions

Compared 9% of the time

SemaphoreCI vs GitHub Actions

Compared 2% of the time

More GitHub Actions Competitors

GitLab vs GoCD

Compared 32% of the time

Jenkins vs GoCD

Compared 30% of the time

Microsoft Azure DevOps vs GoCD

Compared 11% of the time

Tekton vs GoCD

Compared 10% of the time

More GoCD Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GitHub Actions

June 2025

Download GitHub Actions product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Suites

May 2025

Download GoCD product report

Also Known As

No data available

Adaptive ALM, Thoughtworks Go

Overview

GitHub Actions streamlines CI/CD processes with an intuitive YAML workflow and robust automation, enhancing efficiency and integration with third-party tools and cloud providers.

GitHub Actions automates development pipelines, supports scalable public and private runners, and manages secure secrets. This tool integrates seamlessly with platforms like AWS, Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Databricks. It enhances DevOps workflows with reliable task automation. Users note areas for UI and deployment tool improvements, artifact management simplification, and additional programming language support. Debugging complexity and hosting agent transitions pose challenges, along with integration enhancements for tools like OneDrive.

What are GitHub Actions' key features?

YAML Workflow Creation: Simplifies configuration with intuitive YAML.
CI/CD Integration: Provides seamless integration within DevOps pipelines.
Automation Capabilities: Automates tasks with minimal manual intervention.
Third-Party Tool Compatibility: Works well with diverse tools and platforms.
Secure Secrets Management: Protects sensitive information effectively.

What benefits do users find in GitHub Actions?

Enhanced Performance: Boosts task execution speed and reliability.
Scalability: Supports growth with flexible runner options.
Improved Release Cycles: Ensures consistent updates and deployments.
Workflow Efficiency: Reduces manual tasks, increasing operational efficiency.

Companies in tech and software development frequently utilize GitHub Actions for integrating, deploying, and versioning projects. It is often employed for deploying applications to cloud environments like AWS and Kubernetes, managing extensive CI/CD workflows, and automating test and security operations, thereby streamlining production cycles across industries.

GitHub

GoCD is an open source continuous delivery server created by ThoughtWorks. GoCD offers businesses a first-class build and deployment engine for complete control and visibility. It was designed for continuous delivery and the concepts essential to this practice are built in at the core.

Thoughtworks

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Ancestry.com, Barclay Card, AutoTrader, BT Financial Group, Gamesys, Nike, Vodafone, Haufe Lexware, Medidata, Hoovers

Buyer's Guide

GitHub Actions vs. GoCD

June 2025

Free Report: GitHub Actions vs. GoCD

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