Namespace vs compiler.dev: Runners and macOS

Namespace is a broad compute platform whose GitHub Actions runners are one product among several, and it has the widest range of machine shapes and macOS options of any provider we checked. compiler.dev is narrower: one default Linux machine, simple prices and a safe fallback. If you need many shapes, big RAM or macOS today, Namespace is the better fit. If you want one line to change and a bill you can predict, compiler.dev is. Prices were checked in October 2026 on Namespace's pricing page.

What Namespace is

Namespace sells on-demand compute for CI: managed GitHub runners, remote Docker builders, cache volumes and developer boxes. Runners are defined as profiles. You create a profile in the dashboard, choose the OS, architecture and shape, and use its name as the label: namespace-profile-<name>.

What sets it apart is the breadth. Linux amd64 shapes run from 1 vCPU / 2 GB up to 32 vCPU / 512 GB, and 64 vCPU shapes exist. Linux on Apple Silicon (arm64) is in early access. macOS runs on Apple M5 Max for most workloads and M4 Pro for some. It has native cache integrations for Bazel, Turborepo, Pants and Moonrepo, and cache volumes that persist between jobs.

Its pricing uses unit minutes with a multiplier per shape. Developer is pay as you go. Team ($100 a month) includes 100,000 unit minutes and Business ($250 a month) includes 250,000, which lowers the per-minute rate to about two thirds of the pay-as-you-go rate.

Side-by-side

Namespace rates in the table are its pay-as-you-go ("overage") rates, which apply on the Developer plan. On Team or Business the same shape costs about two thirds as much inside the included minutes, for example $0.008 for 8 vCPU / 16 GB. The comparison is not like for like on memory: compiler.dev's 8 vCPU machine has 16 GB, the same as Namespace's 8 / 16 shape, which is the closest pair.

Where Namespace is the better choice

• macOS is a big part of your CI. It lists eight macOS shapes, up to 16 vCPU and 56 GB, on M5 Max and M4 Pro. compiler.dev's macOS is early access with two sizes. If you ship iOS apps, Namespace has the more complete offer, and its 6 vCPU shape at $0.09 compares with GitHub's own larger macOS prices of $0.077 to $0.102 a minute.
• You need unusual shapes. Memory-heavy builds, 128 GB test databases or 512 GB machines are listed shapes. See picking a runner size for how to decide what you need.
• You use Bazel, Pants or Moonrepo. Native cache integrations exist and are priced per cache hit and per GB.
• You want long jobs. Business allows jobs up to 24 hours; the Developer plan caps instance duration at 3 hours.
• You want a trial without a payment method. Namespace's 30-day trial does not ask for a payment method.

Where compiler.dev is the better choice

• You want a flat, readable price list. Namespace's multiplier system and per-shape RAM options take some arithmetic. compiler.dev has five Linux sizes and one rate each.
• You want one flat price at the sizes most teams use. 8 vCPU / 16 GB is $0.012 on compiler.dev, the same as Namespace's $0.012 pay as you go. On a Team plan Namespace is cheaper per minute inside the 100,000 included unit minutes, so run your own numbers.
• You want automatic fallback. If compiler.dev cannot run a job or credit ends, jobs run on your old runners.
• You do not want to define profiles. There is nothing to configure beyond the label.
• Measured results on full pipelines. compiler.dev's benchmarks show GitHub-hosted vs compiler.dev the headline result is a median 1.5× faster across 18 measured stacks (15 faster, 2 the same, 1 slower). We have not benchmarked Namespace. Namespace's own site makes speed claims we have not verified.

How to switch

To Namespace, create a profile first, then use its label:

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: namespace-profile-big-linux
    steps:
      - uses: namespacelabs/nscloud-checkout-action@v8
      - uses: namespacelabs/nscloud-cache-action@v1
        with:
          cache: go
      - run: go test ./...

Namespace's docs advise removing docker/setup-buildx-action so its remote builders are not overridden. To compiler.dev:

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux, compiler-ci]
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: ~/go/pkg/mod
          key: go-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
      - run: go test ./...

Install the app at app.compiler.dev. Caches do not move between vendors. Read GitHub Actions caching if you are rebuilding keys.

FAQ

Is Namespace cheaper than compiler.dev?

For Linux at the same 8 vCPU / 16 GB, compiler.dev is $0.012, the same as Namespace's pay-as-you-go $0.012 (checked October 2026). On Namespace's Team or Business plans the prepaid rate is lower, about $0.008, so heavy users should compare on their actual usage.

Which is better for iOS builds?

Namespace today, for range and maturity. compiler.dev's macOS runners are early access: a 14-core M4 Pro at $0.055 a minute and a 7-core at $0.028. Our pricing page has the current details.

Does Namespace need a credit card to try?

No. The pricing page says the 30-day Developer trial does not ask for a payment method. compiler.dev's trial of 200 minutes does require a card, but you pay nothing until you use credit and you set a monthly limit.

Can Namespace run ARM Linux?

Linux arm64 runs on Apple Silicon and is in early access, with access through its support. Check its page for the current state.