RelayRunner docs: FAQ
Page: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/faq
Markdown: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/faq.md
All pages: https://relayrunner.app/docs/llms.txt

Other pages (Markdown):
- Changelog: https://relayrunner.app/docs/changelog.md
- CLI changelog: https://relayrunner.app/docs/changelog/cli.md
- CI traces in your observability tool: https://relayrunner.app/docs/changelog/opentelemetry-traces.md
- Platform changelog: https://relayrunner.app/docs/changelog/platform.md
- Retries, queueing and provider usage: https://relayrunner.app/docs/changelog/retries-queueing-and-provider-usage.md
- Optimized checks: https://relayrunner.app/docs/concepts/optimized-checks.md
- Principles: https://relayrunner.app/docs/concepts/principles.md
- Routing: https://relayrunner.app/docs/concepts/routing.md
- Runner order: https://relayrunner.app/docs/concepts/runner-order.md
- Add a provider: https://relayrunner.app/docs/contribute/add-provider.md
- Feedback: https://relayrunner.app/docs/contribute/feedback.md
- Activity and history: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/activity.md
- Performance: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/performance.md
- Remove RelayRunner: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/remove.md
- Signals: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/signals.md
- Telemetry: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/telemetry.md
- Usage and savings: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/usage.md
- Workspaces and members: https://relayrunner.app/docs/dashboard/workspaces.md
- Set up with an agent: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/agents.md
- How it works with GitHub Actions: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/github-actions.md
- Install the CLI: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/install.md
- Move your workflows over: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/move-over.md
- Route GitHub Actions jobs to any runner: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/overview.md
- Quickstart: https://relayrunner.app/docs/get-started/quickstart.md
- Keep up with coding agents: https://relayrunner.app/docs/guides/agent-surge.md
- Run CI on your laptop while you work: https://relayrunner.app/docs/guides/laptop-ci.md
- macOS and iOS builds on your Mac: https://relayrunner.app/docs/guides/mac-builds.md
- Spend controls: https://relayrunner.app/docs/guides/spend-controls.md
- Share your team's machines: https://relayrunner.app/docs/guides/team-machines.md
- RelayRunner API: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/api.md
- CLI: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/cli.md
- Errors: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/errors.md
- FAQ: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/faq.md (this page)
- GitHub App: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/github-app.md
- Runner labels: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/labels.md
- MCP server: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/mcp.md
- Data and privacy: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/privacy.md
- relay.yml inputs: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/relay-inputs.md
- Repo config: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/repo-config.md
- Security: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/security.md
- Troubleshooting: https://relayrunner.app/docs/reference/troubleshooting.md
- GitHub-hosted: https://relayrunner.app/docs/runners/github.md
- Hosted providers: https://relayrunner.app/docs/runners/hosted.md
- Providers: https://relayrunner.app/docs/runners/providers.md
- Your machines: https://relayrunner.app/docs/runners/self-hosted.md

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# FAQ

> Common questions about RelayRunner.

## Is RelayRunner free?

Yes. It's open source, and the core routing will stay that way. We plan to add a paid tier later for advanced management, aimed at larger teams. Nothing you set up now will need to change.

## Do I pay RelayRunner for runner minutes?

No. Your machines are yours, and hosted providers bill you directly under your own accounts. A routed job only gets a label.

## Do relay jobs use minutes?

No. A relay job finishes in about a second, without a runner. Optimized checks don't use minutes either.

## Does it work with my existing GitHub Actions workflows?

Yes. Each routed job gets a relay job in front of it and a `runs-on` that reads its answer. Steps, check names and logs stay the same. See [GitHub Actions](/docs/get-started/github-actions).

## What happens when my laptop is closed?

Jobs go to the next step in your runner order, usually GitHub-hosted, with nothing to change. A job that was running when it closed stops. Re-run it and it routes again (see [Re-running a job](/docs/concepts/routing#re-running-a-job)), or turn on [automatic retries](/docs/concepts/routing#automatic-retries) to have the Router re-run it for you.

## Do I need to keep a terminal open?

Yes, `relayrunner connect` is the on/off switch. While it runs, the machine takes jobs.

## Can a job read the files on my computer?

On a Mac with Apple silicon, no. Each job runs in its own Linux VM that sees none of your files. On Linux and Intel Macs a job runs as you, like on any self-hosted runner, so route jobs only from repos you trust. See [Security](/docs/reference/security).

## Does it work with public repositories?

Public repos can use relays to choose between hosted providers, and optimized checks. Their jobs never run on your machines.

## Does it work on Windows?

Not yet. Machines can be macOS or Linux, on x64 or ARM64.

## Can I use it with GitHub Enterprise Server?

Not yet. It works with organizations and personal accounts on github.com.

## Can a job run on several machines at once, like a matrix?

Not through one relay. Each relay routes one job, so matrix jobs aren't routed. Give separate jobs their own relays.

## Can my teammates' jobs run on my laptop?

Only if you share it with **anyone**. A new machine only runs jobs you started.

## Does RelayRunner see my code or secrets?

No. Jobs on your machines use GitHub's own runner, which talks to GitHub directly. See [Data and privacy](/docs/reference/privacy).

## Can I run RelayRunner myself?

The code is on [GitHub](https://github.com/relayrunner/relayrunner). The hosted service at app.relayrunner.app is the supported way to use it today.

## What providers does it support?

It routes to your own machines, existing self-hosted runners, GitHub-hosted runners, and hosted providers such as Blacksmith, Depot and Namespace. See [Providers](/docs/runners/providers).