DeployMonkey and Runbot are not direct competitors — they serve fundamentally different purposes. Runbot is Odoo SA's continuous integration and testing tool designed for Odoo module development. DeployMonkey is a managed hosting platform for deploying Odoo in production. However, people sometimes confuse them because both can "run Odoo instances." This guide clarifies the differences.
What is Runbot?
Runbot (runbot.odoo.com) is Odoo SA's CI/CD system that automatically builds and tests Odoo branches. When a developer pushes a commit to an Odoo GitHub branch, Runbot spins up a temporary Odoo instance to run automated tests. It is used by Odoo SA and community contributors to ensure code quality.
What is DeployMonkey?
DeployMonkey is a BYOS (Bring Your Own Server) managed Odoo hosting platform. You connect your VPS, and DeployMonkey deploys production-ready Odoo instances with Docker, SSL, automated backups, and monitoring.
Comparison
| Feature | DeployMonkey | Runbot |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Production hosting | CI/CD testing |
| Instance Lifetime | Permanent | Temporary (hours/days) |
| Custom Domain | Yes, with SSL | No |
| Automated Backups | Yes (S3) | No |
| Performance Tuning | Yes (workers, memory) | No (testing only) |
| Automated Testing | No | Yes (core feature) |
| GitHub Integration | No | Yes (triggers on push) |
| Cost | From free + VPS | Free (for OSS contributors) |
When to Use Each
Use Runbot for: Testing module contributions to Odoo core or OCA, running automated test suites, evaluating branch stability before merging.
Use DeployMonkey for: Deploying Odoo for your business, hosting client instances, running production and staging environments, any use case requiring persistent data and custom domains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Runbot for production?
No. Runbot instances are temporary, have no backup system, no custom domain support, and are designed for testing only.
Does DeployMonkey have CI/CD features?
DeployMonkey focuses on deployment and hosting, not CI/CD. For automated testing, use Runbot, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI alongside DeployMonkey.
Can I test my modules before deploying?
Yes. Deploy a staging instance on DeployMonkey to test your modules in a production-like environment. Use Runbot for automated unit/integration testing.
Is Runbot available for private repositories?
Odoo SA's public Runbot is for Odoo and OCA repositories. For private repos, you would need to set up your own Runbot instance or use alternative CI tools.
Can I use both together?
Absolutely. Use Runbot for automated testing during development, then deploy to DeployMonkey when your code is ready for production.