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When larger runners actually save money
A larger runner costs more per minute, so it is unclear whether it is cheaper overall.
5 min read
A larger runner costs more per minute, so it is unclear whether it is cheaper overall.
Why it happens
Total cost is rate multiplied by duration. A runner that costs twice as much but finishes in a third of the time is cheaper.
How to fix it
- Measure duration on both sizes with a warm cache before deciding
- Check CPU utilization — if the larger runner idles, you are paying for nothing
- Remember developer waiting time has a cost that does not appear on the invoice
- Use larger runners for the critical path and smaller ones for everything else
Your next build could be twice as fast, at half the price
Start free. Migrating away is the same one line, and we publish that diff too.
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