What to check when a GitHub Actions macOS runner feels slow

When a macOS job in GitHub Actions feels “slow”, wait time, preparation, and re-downloads often dominate more than raw compute. Below is a check order built only from facts in the public docs—no unmeasured speed claims. data_asof: 2026-09-29.

1. Four checks first

• Queue wait — in the Actions timeline, check how long the job sat before it started.
• Cold start — a fresh VM and runner registration can add setup time. XenoCI creates a new macOS VM for every job (getting started).
• Cache miss — re-downloading dependencies or DerivedData can outweigh the compile itself. Data from actions/cache is stored on GitHub.
• Tool and simulator installs — installing Xcode, runtimes, or packages inside the workflow can dominate the job. Pick Xcode with xcode-select / DEVELOPER_DIR, not the runs-on label (runner images).

2. XenoCI runner facts (shape and pricing)

This page does not publish speed benchmarks. The table below lists only facts checked against the site docs and rates.js. data_asof: 2026-09-29.

On a pure per-minute list price, XenoCI list price KRW 100 is not lower than the GitHub-hosted standard macOS rate ($0.062/min). The differences are no monthly fee, non-expiring prepaid credits, 100 free credits each month, per-second billing, and Apple Silicon M4.

3. Workflow example you can paste

Switch the label to xenoci-macos and keep the cache on GitHub. Change the scheme name to match your project.

name: build
on: [push, workflow_dispatch]

jobs:
  ios:
    runs-on: xenoci-macos
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/cache@v4
        with:
          path: |
            ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
            .build
          key: ${{ runner.os }}-ios-${{ hashFiles('**/Package.resolved', '**/Podfile.lock') }}
      - run: xcodebuild -scheme App -destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=iPhone 16' test

4. Read next

For connection steps see GitHub Actions integration, for images and Xcode see runner images overview, and for credits and isolation see getting started and the FAQ.