Flag keys, types, and defaults ship in the same pull request as the code they gate.
LaunchDarkly alternative
A LaunchDarkly alternative that lives in code.
Define flag keys in git. Evaluate each request locally from a signed snapshot.
Flag keys and targeting are authored in the product, then synced to SDKs.
Git source of truth
0 extra hops
PR environment plan
$0 to start
Where the products differ
LaunchDarkly is a dashboard-first feature management platform. shipd is for teams who want the definition in the repository and the decision on the request path.
| Topic | shipd | LaunchDarkly |
|---|---|---|
| Flag keys | Defined in shipd.config.ts and reviewed in git. | Created and named in the LaunchDarkly dashboard. |
| Targeting | Dashboard today. Targeting rules in code is on the roadmap. | Rules, segments, and rollouts authored in the product UI. |
| Evaluation | SDK loads a signed snapshot and resolves in-process. Postgres is not on the request path. | SDKs cache flag config after talking to LaunchDarkly. The dashboard remains the source of truth. |
| Change review | Every pull request can show an environment plan before a definition reaches production. | Approvals and change requests live inside LaunchDarkly. |
| Decision trace | Each evaluation can show the matched rule and the inputs that produced it. | Debugging is centered on the LaunchDarkly UI and logs. |
| Pricing | Free tier, then seat-based Pro from $15 per member / month. | Platform pricing. Confirm current rates on launchdarkly.com. |
Choose shipd when
- Flag keys should be typed and reviewable beside application code.
- Evaluation must stay in-process. No database on the hot path.
- You want a readable plan across environments before a merge.
- You would rather start free than buy an enterprise platform first.
Stay on LaunchDarkly when
- Non-engineers need to create flags without touching git.
- You depend on LaunchDarkly experiments, integrations, or governance workflows.
- You need a vendor with a long enterprise track record and a large SDK catalog.
Be precise
What shipd does not claim
Targeting still lives in the dashboard
Flag keys are config as code today. Targeting rules in the repository are coming. Until then, rollouts and audiences are edited in shipd, not in git. Evaluation is still local: see local evaluation.
Not an experimentation suite
shipd evaluates variants. It is not a stats engine, and it is not trying to replace LaunchDarkly experiments, Statsig pulse, or PostHog analytics.
Not open source
If you need a self-hosted open-source control plane, look at Unleash, Flagsmith, or GrowthBook. shipd is a hosted product with a free tier.
Questions
- Is shipd a LaunchDarkly alternative?
- Yes, if you want flag keys in git and local evaluation. It is not a clone of LaunchDarkly's dashboard, experimentation suite, or enterprise workflow product.
- Does shipd evaluate flags locally?
- Yes. The SDK downloads a snapshot and checks flags in memory. Your app does not call shipd on every request.
- Is there a free LaunchDarkly alternative?
- shipd has a free plan: 5 projects, 100 flags, 5 members. Pro is $15 per member / month.
- Can product managers still change rollouts?
- Targeting and rollouts still live in the shipd dashboard today. Flag keys and defaults live in the repository so they cannot drift from the codebase.
Define once. Evaluate everywhere.