Comparison

StarSling vs Blacksmith

Blacksmith provides fast, drop-in GitHub Actions runners on better hardware. StarSling is also a drop-in runner replacement, and adds the AI-native layer: agents that analyze your workflows, logs, and telemetry and open pull requests that optimize caching, installs, parallelization, and test sharding. The category difference is fast-runners vs fast-runners-plus-self-driving-optimization.

Drop-in runner replacementAI optimization PRsGitHub Actions support

Last updated 2026-06-22

Head to head
Drop-in runner replacement
StarSlingYes, swap ubuntu-latest for starsling-ubuntu-24.04.
BlacksmithYes, a drop-in GitHub Actions runner replacement.
AI optimization PRs
StarSlingYes. AI agents analyze logs/telemetry and open optimization PRs (early access).
BlacksmithNo. Focuses on faster runner infrastructure.
GitHub Actions support
StarSlingRuns your existing GitHub Actions workflows unchanged.
BlacksmithYes. Runs existing GitHub Actions workflows.
Primary focus
StarSlingFast runners plus self-driving AI optimization of the pipeline.
BlacksmithFast drop-in runner infrastructure.
Pricing model
StarSlingUsage-based per-minute; 2,000 free min/mo to start; queue time never billed.
BlacksmithUsage-based (see Blacksmith's site for current pricing).
Best fit

Choose StarSling if

Teams that want fast runners AND an AI layer that continuously improves the pipeline through reviewable PRs.

Choose Blacksmith if

Teams that primarily want faster drop-in runners without an optimization-agent layer.

FAQ
How is StarSling different from Blacksmith?

Both are fast, drop-in GitHub Actions runners. StarSling adds AI agents that analyze your workflows and open optimization PRs, so the pipeline keeps getting faster, not just the hardware.

Is StarSling a drop-in replacement like Blacksmith?

Yes. Swap your runs-on label to starsling-ubuntu-24.04; your workflows, actions, and secrets are unchanged.

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Get started

Try the AI-native runner.

One line to install. Faster runs on day one, and agents that keep optimizing your pipeline through reviewable PRs.