Buildbot vs Drone
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted ci/cd & build options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Buildbot
Flexible Python-based continuous integration framework
VS
Drone
Container-based continuous delivery platform
| Feature | Buildbot | Drone |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CI/CD & Build | CI/CD & Build |
| License | GPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,460 | ★ 37,713 |
| First released | 2003 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Jenkins | Jenkins, CircleCI |
Why pick each one
Choose Buildbot if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.5k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Buildbot or Drone better?
Drone is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Buildbot if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Buildbot and Drone free and open-source?
Yes. Buildbot is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Drone under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buildbot and Drone with Docker?
Buildbot: yes. Drone: yes.