Cirrus Runners alternative
NoMac vs Cirrus Runners
Cirrus Runners sells unlimited-minute macOS runners for GitHub Actions at $150 a month each. NoMac gives an agent an interactive Mac from $9.99. When each wins.
A Mac for your agent, ready in about a minute.
$9.99/month for 5 hours every week · billed by the second · no overage
7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase. Prices checked 22 September 2026 from public list prices.
What Cirrus Runners is
GitHub Actions runners priced by concurrency instead of minutes: each runner, macOS included, is a flat $150 a month with unlimited minutes, 15% less on an annual commitment. Built by the team behind the Tart VM tool.
Cirrus Runners vs NoMac at a glance
| Cirrus Runners | NoMac | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | GitHub Actions runners | Interactive sessions |
| Price | $150/month per runner, unlimited minutes | $9.99 or $29.99/month |
| Best at | Heavy, continuous CI | Bursty agent work |
| Agent access | Through CI | MCP, CLI, REST API and SSH |
Choose Cirrus Runners when
- ·Your team runs so much macOS CI that per-minute pricing hurts.
- ·You want a predictable CI bill no matter how many builds run.
- ·You want runners from the people who build Tart.
Choose NoMac when
- ·You are one developer; $150 a month for CI capacity is more than you need.
- ·Your agent needs an interactive Mac, not a runner in a queue.
- ·Your Mac use is a few hours a week.
The verdict
Flat-rate runners are the best deal in CI once you are busy. Until then, and for anything interactive, paying for a whole runner is paying for a queue you rarely fill.
Try it in two minutes
Keep Cirrus Runners for what it does best, and give your agent a Mac for everything else. From your project directory:
npm install -g @nomac/cli nomac login nomac start --json nomac sync . nomac ssh -- xcodebuild -list nomac stop --json # or let Claude Code drive it claude mcp add nomac -- npx @nomac/cli mcp
Or give your agent nomac.app/install and it sets itself up.
Questions
What is the best Cirrus Runners alternative for AI agents?＋
NoMac is built for coding agents: a fresh macOS VM with Xcode and root, started and driven over MCP, CLI, REST API or SSH, billed by the second from weekly hours. It is the better fit when an agent needs a Mac in short bursts. Cirrus Runners is the better fit when your team runs so much macOS CI that per-minute pricing hurts.
How much does NoMac cost?＋
$9.99 a month for 5 hours every week, or $29.99 a month for 25 hours every week. Ready time is billed by the second after a one-minute minimum; queue and setup are free. There is no overage. 7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase.
Can Claude Code, Codex or Cursor use NoMac?＋
Yes. Add the MCP server with one command (claude mcp add nomac -- npx @nomac/cli mcp), or use the hosted MCP endpoint from a cloud sandbox. The agent can start a Mac, run commands, read output and stop it.
Do I need an Apple Developer account?＋
Not to start a Mac, compile, run tests or use the iOS Simulator. Signing and TestFlight uploads need your own Apple Developer membership, as on any Mac.
What happens to my files when I stop?＋
The VM and everything on it is deleted, including anything your agent installed and any credentials you sent. Pull what you need first with nomac pull, rsync or scp.
Stop paying for a Mac that waits for you.
Full macOS with Xcode and root, over MCP, CLI, API or SSH. Billed by the second, deleted when you stop. $9.99 a month, or $29.99 for 25 hours a week.
Get your agent a Mac7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase. Cancel anytime.