Compare
OpenRunners vs Namespace
Namespace runs CI on its own hardware with a unit-minute pricing model, deep debugging tools, macOS and Windows coverage and a hosted MCP server.
Side by side
The facts, sourced.
Namespace values come from its public pages, accessed 2026-10-14. OpenRunners values come from its published pricing policy and product limits.
| Attribute | OpenRunners | Namespace |
|---|---|---|
| Linux x64 $/vCPU-minute | $0.0020 (planned) | $0.0020 / $0.0030 at 4 GB per vCPU (prepaid / overage) |
| Linux arm64 $/vCPU-minute | Not offered | Same as x64 |
| Billing unit | Per second, 10-second minimum (planned) | Per minute, 1-minute minimum |
| Free tier | None; discretionary one-time alpha credits | 30-day trial |
| Fixed fees | None | $0, $100 or $250 per month by plan |
| Isolation | Firecracker + jailer microVM per job (design target, in validation) | Ephemeral instances on Namespace hardware; technology not stated |
| Cache | Serverless cache plane on object storage (in validation) | Cache volumes billed per GB-hour attached and per GB-day stored |
| Source license | Apache-2.0; source publication follows release review | Closed platform; some tools are public |
| Agent tooling | JSON CLI, REST API, two-tool MCP server from one registry | Hosted MCP server, nsc CLI and Devboxes |
| Operating systems | Linux x64 only | Linux x64 and arm64, Windows, macOS |
| Example month (4 vCPU, 50,000 job-minutes) | $400 | $400–$600 |
Source: namespace.so/pricing (accessed 2026-10-14). 4 vCPU / 16 GB shape, prepaid to overage. Example month excludes free tiers, credits and rounding. Tell us at [email protected] if a value is out of date.
Choosing
Which one fits your team.
Choose Namespace when
- Your jobs fit 2 GB per vCPU, where Namespace's rate is lowest.
- You need breakpoints, SSH, VNC or RDP into running jobs.
- You need macOS, Windows or Linux on Apple Silicon today.
Where OpenRunners differs
- OpenRunners plans a single rate at 4 GB per vCPU with per-second billing after a 10-second minimum.
- OpenRunners has no plan tiers or concurrency packages.
- OpenRunners is licensed under Apache-2.0 and designed to be self-hosted.
- OpenRunners is an invite-only alpha with customer admission closed; Namespace is generally available.
Migration
One line per job.
After your organization is admitted and a repository is selected, change the runs-on label. Workflow syntax does not change.
jobs:
build:
- runs-on: nscloud-ubuntu-24.04-amd64-4x16
+ runs-on: openrunners-4vcpu-ubuntu-2404FAQ
OpenRunners and Namespace.
Namespace bills a unit of 1 vCPU and 2 GB. A 4 vCPU / 16 GB shape uses 8 units, so its effective rate is $0.0020 to $0.0030 per vCPU-minute. The planned OpenRunners SKUs include 4 GB per vCPU.
Yes. Namespace documents a hosted MCP server. OpenRunners ships a stdio MCP server with two tools, search and call, over the same operation registry as its API and CLI.
Replace the nscloud runs-on label with an OpenRunners label once your organization is admitted.
Run your next job on a runner that shows its work.
Admission is manual for trusted GitHub repositories while the release gates close. Sign in with GitHub to request access and we will review your organization when a slot opens.