Compare tools
Pick 2–5 published tools. Values come from our evidence-checked profiles — an em-dash means unknown, never “no”. Ranking rows reflect the current published methodology for the comparison context.
CircleCI vs Jenkins
Context: CI/CD Tools · 23 rows
| Attribute | CircleCICircleCI | JenkinsJenkins Project |
|---|---|---|
| Identity · Taxonomy | ||
| Documentation | https://circleci.com/docs/ | https://www.jenkins.io/doc/ |
| Tags | ci, cd, devops, continuous-integration, usage-based | ci, open-source, java, plugins, self-hosted |
| Platform · Deployment | ||
| Delivery model | SaaS, self-hosted | self-hosted |
| Pricing · Licensing | ||
| Free plan | true | true |
| License model | — | open-source |
| Pricing model | free, usage | free |
| Source repository | — | https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins |
| SPDX license IDs | — | MIT |
| Starting price | 15 | — |
| Features · Product · Fit | ||
| Core capabilities | Continuous integration and deployment pipelines, Self-hosted runners and CircleCI Server for on-premises installations, REST APIs (v1, v2, v3) and a Runner API, CircleCI CLI for local and scripted workflows, Audit logging with SSO, MFA, and OIDC token support | Open source automation server built in Java, Self-contained installation with packages for Windows, Linux, and macOS, Extensible via plugins for building, testing, and deploying software, Continuous Delivery Foundation project with community governance |
| Api · Integrations · Ecosystem | ||
| API available | true | — |
| CLI | true | — |
| Security · Privacy · Compliance | ||
| Regulatory compliance | FedRAMP Tailored, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, UK Extension to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework | — |
| Security certifications | SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP Tailored | — |
| Audience · Use · Case | ||
| Best for | A usage-based CI/CD platform with a permanently free plan, credits-based paid tiers, and concurrency options for teams automating build, test, and deployment workflows. | An open-source automation server for teams that want a self-hosted, plugin-extensible CI/CD system maintained by its community. |
| Company-size fit | SMB, mid-market, enterprise | — |
| Primary use cases | Automating build, test, and deployment pipelines, Self-managed enterprise CI/CD with CircleCI Server | Continuous integration builds, Continuous delivery and deployment automation, Extending CI with community plugins |
| Lifecycle · Versioning | ||
| Changelog/release notes | https://circleci.com/changelog/ | — |
| Current version | — | 2.568.3 (LTS) |
| Maintenance status | active | active |
| Vendor · Maintainer | ||
| Founded year | 2011 | 2011 |
| Headquarters country | United States | — |
| Vendor type | commercial | foundation |
“—” means unknown (we never treat missing evidence as a negative). Cells reflect each value's current evidence state; superseded or stale values are excluded. Ranking rows are editorial assessments under the cited methodology version — see the CI/CD Tools category for definitions.