GitHub Actions Changed Pricing in 2026 — Here's Exactly What You're Paying Now

In January 2026, GitHub updated their Actions runner pricing. Most teams didn't notice. Here's exactly what changed and how to calculate your new bill.

2026 Pricing Table

• 
  Ubuntu: $0.006/min (was $0.008 — 25% cheaper)
  


• 
  Windows: $0.010/min (was $0.016 — 37.5% cheaper)
  


• 
  macOS: $0.048/min (was $0.080 — 40% cheaper)
  

Good news — prices dropped.


Bad news — macOS still costs 8× more than Ubuntu. Most teams don't realize this until month-end.

The macOS Trap

• 
  10-minute macOS job: $0.048 × 10 = $0.48 per run
  


• 
  10-minute Ubuntu job: $0.006 × 10 = $0.06 per run
  

20 pushes/day:

• macOS → $9.60/day → $288/month
  


• Ubuntu → $1.20/day → $36/month
  

Same test output. $252/month difference.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Bill

1. Switch lint/typecheck jobs to Ubuntu — identical output, 8× cheaper
   


2. Use path filters — skip CI on docs-only commits
   


3. 
   Cache node_modules, pip packages aggressively
   


4. Run tests in matrix parallel — same cost, faster
   


5. Only use macOS when you genuinely need Apple frameworks
   

Free Calculator

Paste your YAML → see exact monthly cost:


githubactionscost.online/github-actions-cost-calculator

No signup. Runs in browser. 2026 pricing.