Small Team Engineering

Why Small Teams Pay 60-88% More for Enterprise DevOps Tools

Eduardo Garcia Eduardo Garcia
January 15, 2025
5 min read

A deep dive into the pricing models of Ansible Tower, StackStorm, and other enterprise solutions, and why small teams need purpose-built alternatives.

Why Small Teams Pay 60-88% More for Enterprise DevOps Tools

Small teams often face a significant cost disadvantage when it comes to DevOps tools. While enterprise-grade solutions offer comprehensive features, their pricing models are often geared towards large organizations, leaving small teams to pay a disproportionately higher price for the same functionality. This article delves into the pricing models of Ansible Tower, StackStorm, and other enterprise solutions, and explains why SMBs need purpose-built alternatives like Stavily.

The Problem with Enterprise Pricing Models:

Enterprise DevOps tools typically employ pricing models based on:

  • Number of Nodes: Pricing is based on the number of servers or virtual machines being managed. This can be expensive for SMBs with a large number of nodes, even if those nodes are relatively small.
  • Number of Users: Pricing is based on the number of users accessing the tool. This can be a barrier for SMBs with a growing engineering team.
  • Feature Tiers: Essential features are often locked behind higher-priced tiers, forcing SMBs to pay for functionality they may not need.
  • Long-Term Contracts: Enterprise vendors often require long-term contracts, locking SMBs into expensive commitments.

These pricing models often result in SMBs paying 60-88% more than enterprises for the same DevOps functionality. This is because enterprise vendors are focused on serving large organizations with complex needs and are not optimized for the SMB market.

The Need for Purpose-Built Alternatives:

SMBs need DevOps tools that are:

  • Affordable: Pricing models that are tailored to the SMB budget.
  • Simple: Easy to set up and use, without the complexity of enterprise solutions.
  • Flexible: Adaptable to the specific needs of SMBs, without being locked into rigid workflows.
  • Scalable: Able to scale as the SMB grows, without incurring significant cost increases.

Stavily: The Purpose-Built Alternative for SMBs:

Stavily is a plugin-oriented, API-driven DevOps automation platform designed specifically for SMBs. Stavily offers:

  • Transparent Pricing: A predictable base fee plus usage-based charges, ensuring that SMBs only pay for what they use.
  • Simple Setup: A 5-minute setup process, allowing SMBs to quickly deploy automation workflows.
  • Plugin Architecture: A plugin architecture that allows SMBs to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
  • Scalable Platform: A scalable platform that can grow with the SMB, without incurring significant cost increases.

Stavily provides SMBs with a cost-effective and easy-to-use alternative to enterprise DevOps tools. By focusing on the specific needs of SMBs, Stavily empowers them to achieve enterprise-grade efficiency without breaking the bank. With Stavily, SMBs can turn their operational chaos into automated elegance, saving time, reducing costs, and improving reliability.

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