Circleci CircleCI Open Source Program
CI/CD automation platform for building and testing software pipelines
Redeem on Circleci ↗About
CircleCI supports open source projects with one of the most robust free CI/CD plans available. It provides up to 400,000 monthly credits for Linux, Docker, and Arm builds (equivalent to ~80,000 build minutes on a small Docker instance), and 30,000 credits for macOS and Windows builds. The program includes features like Docker layer caching, SSH debugging, flaky test detection, and advanced orchestration capabilities to accelerate build and test pipelines. Eligible projects hosted on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket can access essential CI/CD tools at no cost.
Tiers
Linux, Docker, & Arm Builds
up to 100For open source projects leveraging Linux, Docker, or Arm environments; receive up to 400,000 monthly credits, enabling approximately 80,000 build minutes on a small Docker instance.
- 400,000 monthly credits for Linux, Docker, and Arm builds
- 30x concurrent build capacity
- Enterprise-grade CI/CD features including Docker layer caching, SSH debugging, and flaky test detection
- Access to various resource classes and self-hosted runners
- Monthly credit refresh with no rollover
- Public repository on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
- Meets open source licensing criteria
- Sign Up. Register on CircleCI to activate the open source plan and start building. Get Started ↗
macOS & Windows Builds
up to 100Designed for open source projects requiring macOS or Windows environments; receive up to 30,000 monthly credits with essential CI/CD functionalities.
- 30,000 monthly credits for macOS and Windows builds
- Essential CI/CD features with enterprise support
- 5x concurrent build capacity
- Access to private repositories under the free plan
- Public repository on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
- Meets open source licensing criteria
- Sign Up. Register on CircleCI's platform to access macOS and Windows build credits. Get Started ↗
FAQ
How are credits converted to build minutes?
On a Linux Medium resource class, 1 credit is approximately 0.2 minutes, so 400,000 credits equate to about 80,000 build minutes on a small Docker instance.
Do credits roll over to the next month?
No, credits on the free plan expire at the end of each month and do not roll over.
Can I use macOS and Windows builds for my open source project?
Yes, open source projects can access up to 30,000 monthly credits for macOS and Windows builds with essential CI/CD functionalities.
What support options are available?
CircleCI offers community forums, detailed open source documentation, and optional direct assistance from their Developer Relations team for larger projects.