CircleCI Open Source Program
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Free CI/CD for open source: up to $100/month in CircleCI credits, no strings attached.
CircleCI hands out serious monthly credits to open source projects—400,000 for Linux/Docker/Arm builds (roughly 80,000 small-instance minutes) and 30,000 for macOS/Windows. That's enough to run a healthy test suite without hitting a paywall. You get the full feature set: Docker layer caching, SSH debugging, flaky test detection, and parallelization. Projects on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket qualify. The catch: you need to prove the repo is actually open source (public license, active community) and CircleCI will audit it. Approval is usually quick, but they do verify legitimacy. Best for teams running frequent builds who'd otherwise pay for CI/CD.
2 tiers
Tier 1
Linux, Docker, & Arm Builds
For 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.
$100
click to collapse
Tier 1
Linux, Docker, & Arm Builds
For 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.
$100
click to collapseBenefits
- 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
Eligibility
- Public repository on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
- Meets open source licensing criteria
How to apply
- 1
Tier 2
macOS & Windows Builds
Designed for open source projects requiring macOS or Windows environments; receive up to 30,000 monthly credits with essential CI/CD functionalities.
$100
click to collapse
Tier 2
macOS & Windows Builds
Designed for open source projects requiring macOS or Windows environments; receive up to 30,000 monthly credits with essential CI/CD functionalities.
$100
click to collapseBenefits
- 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
Eligibility
- Public repository on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
- Meets open source licensing criteria
How to apply
- 1
Pros
- ✓ Up to $100/month in credits—enough for serious test volume without cost
- ✓ Full feature parity with paid plans: caching, debugging, flaky test detection, parallelization
- ✓ Works across GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket; no platform lock-in
Cons
- ✗ Requires genuine open source project with public license; CircleCI audits eligibility
- ✗ macOS and Windows builds get fewer credits (30K vs 400K for Linux), limiting cross-platform testing
- ✗ Credits expire monthly; unused balance doesn't roll over
Frequently asked questions
How are credits converted to build minutes?
Do credits roll over to the next month?
Can I use macOS and Windows builds for my open source project?
What support options are available?
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