AppBreakup
Submit an app

Apache Airflow alternatives: 8 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll workflow orchestration tools

Top picks

  • Prefect logo

    Best overall

    Prefect

    Starter plan: $100/month

  • Dagster logo

    Best free option

    Dagster

    Solo plan: $10/month plus credits

  • Argo Workflows logo

    Best open source

    Argo Workflows

    Open source

Common reasons people leave Apache Airflow: running scheduler, workers and metadata database yourself takes real ops effort, and local development and testing are clunkier than in newer tools like Prefect or Dagster. We ranked 8 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Apache Airflow, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Prefect currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Prefect logoPrefectOpen source$100/monthYesWeb, Linux, macOS +25 of 568.8
2Dagster logoDagsterOpen source$10/month plus creditsYesWeb, Linux, macOS +25 of 564.8
3Argo Workflows logoArgo WorkflowsOpen source—YesSelf-hosted4 of 457.5
4Windmill logoWindmillOpen source—YesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 451.2
5Astronomer (Astro) logoAstronomer (Astro)PaidDeployments from $0.35/hr (Developer)NoWeb, Self-hosted7 of 742.3
6Flyte logoFlyteOpen source—YesSelf-hosted4 of 442.3
7Temporal logoTemporalOpen source$50 per million actionsNoWeb, Self-hosted5 of 542.3
8Control-M logoControl-MPaid$2,400/month (SaaS Starter Pack, billed annually)NoWeb, Self-hosted5 of 542.3
  1. Prefect logo

    1. PrefectTop pick

    Best for: Python teams who want orchestration without rewriting code into a separate DAG framework

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.

    Pros

    • Plain Python with a decorator, little new to learn
    • Free hosted Hobby tier and a self-hostable open source server
    • Runs on your own compute, Kubernetes or serverless

    Cons

    • Free cloud tier is limited to 2 users and 5 deployments
    • Smaller integration ecosystem than Airflow
    • Paid plans jump quickly from a flat fee to per-user pricing
    Visit Prefect Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Prefect a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 2, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Hobby, free forever
    Checked Nov 8, 2026prefect.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan limits
    2 users, 5 deployments
    Checked Nov 8, 2026prefect.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starter plan
    $100/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026prefect.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $100 per user/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026prefect.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Dagster logo

    2. Dagster

    Best for: Data platform teams who want lineage, data quality and orchestration in one tool

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Asset-centric orchestration with built-in lineage and better local testing for data platform teams.

    Pros

    • Asset-based model makes lineage and freshness visible
    • Strong local development and testing workflow
    • Close dbt integration
    • Hybrid deployment keeps data in your own cloud

    Cons

    • Asset-centric model takes time to learn if you think in tasks
    • Managed plans add usage-based credits on top of the monthly fee
    • No free hosted tier beyond the trial
    Visit Dagster Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Dagster a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Solo plan
    $10/month plus credits
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dagster.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starter plan
    $100/month plus credits
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dagster.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    30 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dagster.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dagster.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Argo Workflows logo

    3. Argo Workflows

    Best for: Platform teams already on Kubernetes who want container-native batch and ML pipelines.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Kubernetes-native workflow engine where each step runs as a container, a fit for teams already running everything on K8s.

    Pros

    • Free, Apache 2.0 licensed CNCF project
    • Any language works, since each step is a container
    • Handles large parallel jobs on Kubernetes
    • Python users can define workflows with Hera

    Cons

    • Requires a Kubernetes cluster
    • YAML definitions get verbose for data engineers used to Python
    • No hosted version from the project itself
    Visit Argo Workflows Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Argo Workflows a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 3, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Runs on
    Kubernetes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026argoproj.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Workflow model
    DAG or step-based
    Checked Nov 8, 2026argoproj.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Implementation
    Kubernetes CRD
    Checked Nov 8, 2026argoproj.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Windmill logo

    4. Windmill

    Best for: Engineering teams that want scripts, workflows and internal UIs in one self-hosted platform

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Open source scripts, flows and internal UIs in one self-hosted tool, with a lighter setup than Airflow.

    Pros

    • Scripts, workflows and apps in one place
    • Supports many languages including Python and TypeScript
    • Free self-hosted edition with unlimited executions

    Cons

    • Built for developers, not business users
    • App builder is less polished than Retool's
    • Enterprise features need a paid licence
    Visit Windmill Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Windmill a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Community edition
    Free, unlimited executions
    Checked Nov 8, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Script languages
    Python, TypeScript, Go, PHP, Bash, SQL
    Checked Nov 8, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Free guests
    100 per 30 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Astronomer (Astro) logo

    5. Astronomer (Astro)

    Best for: Teams running Apache Airflow who want it managed, scaled and supported by Airflow specialists

    PaidWeb, Self-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Keeps your Airflow DAGs but hands hosting, scaling and upgrades to a managed service.

    Pros

    • Runs standard Airflow DAGs, so existing pipelines move over with little change
    • Workers scale to zero when idle
    • Private cloud option for regulated environments
    • Buyable through AWS, Azure and GCP marketplaces

    Cons

    • Deployments bill by the hour even when no tasks run
    • Only orchestrates Airflow, so it doesn't help if you prefer another framework
    • SSO enforcement and longer audit logs need the Business tier or higher
    Visit Astronomer (Astro) Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Astronomer (Astro) a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Starting price
    Deployments from $0.35/hr (Developer)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Idle workers
    Scale to zero
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Astro Private Cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplaces
    AWS, Azure, GCP
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Built on
    Apache Airflow
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    Deployments from $0.42/hr
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Dedicated clusters
    From $2.40/hr
    Checked Nov 8, 2026astronomer.io(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Flyte logo

    6. Flyte

    Best for: ML and data teams on Kubernetes who want typed, reproducible Python pipelines.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Typed Python tasks with caching and resumable runs, built for ML pipelines on Kubernetes.

    Pros

    • Free and Apache 2.0 licensed
    • Typed task inputs and outputs catch errors early
    • Caching and retries resume from the failed step
    • Managed option through Union.ai

    Cons

    • Needs a Kubernetes cluster for production use
    • Flyte 2 changes the SDK, so Flyte 1 code needs migrating
    • Smaller community than Airflow
    Visit Flyte Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Flyte a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 5, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Governance
    Linux Foundation AI & Data
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flyte.org(opens source in a new tab)
    SDK languages
    Python, TypeScript, Rust, Go
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flyte.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Managed version
    Union.ai
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flyte.org(opens source in a new tab)
  7. Temporal logo

    7. Temporal

    Best for: Engineering teams building business-critical, long-running processes in several languages

    Open sourceWeb, Self-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Durable execution for application workflows that need retries and long waits, not just scheduled DAGs.

    Pros

    • MIT-licensed server you can run anywhere
    • Official SDKs for eight languages
    • Handles retries, timers and long waits without custom state machines
    • Detailed per-workflow event history for debugging

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve, including rules about deterministic workflow code
    • You still run and scale your own worker processes
    • Self-hosting the cluster and its database is a significant ops job
    Visit Temporal Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Temporal a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free credits
    $150 for 90 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026temporal.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $50 per million actions
    Checked Nov 8, 2026temporal.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026temporal.io(opens source in a new tab)
    SDK languages
    Go, Java, Python, TypeScript, .NET, PHP, Ruby, Rust
    Checked Nov 8, 2026temporal.io(opens source in a new tab)
  8. Control-M logo

    8. Control-M

    Best for: Large enterprises orchestrating batch jobs and data pipelines across mainframe, on-prem and cloud

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apache Airflow

    Enterprise orchestration with SLA monitoring, mainframe support and vendor backing from BMC.

    Pros

    • Covers mainframe, on-premises and multi-cloud workloads from one console
    • SLA management with predictive alerts for late jobs
    • Large integration library, including SAP and managed file transfer
    • Available as SaaS, on-premises or a hybrid of both

    Cons

    • Enterprise pricing; the entry SaaS pack costs thousands of dollars a month
    • Custom enterprise pricing requires talking to sales
    • Heavy for small teams that only need to schedule a few pipelines
    Visit Control-M Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Control-M a good Apache Airflow alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Deployment
    SaaS or on-premises
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bmc.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $2,400/month (SaaS Starter Pack, billed annually)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bmc.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hybrid deployment
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bmc.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise pricing
    Based on execution volume and complexity
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bmc.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    BMC Software
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bmc.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Apache Airflow alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Prefect logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for most people

Prefect

Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.

Dagster logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for a free option

Dagster

Asset-centric orchestration with built-in lineage and better local testing for data platform teams.

Argo Workflows logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for open source

Argo Workflows

Kubernetes-native workflow engine where each step runs as a container, a fit for teams already running everything on K8s.

Windmill logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for self-hosting

Windmill

Open source scripts, flows and internal UIs in one self-hosted tool, with a lighter setup than Airflow.

Prefect logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for Mac

Prefect

Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.

Prefect logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for Windows

Prefect

Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.

Prefect logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for Linux

Prefect

Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.

Astronomer (Astro) logo

Best Apache Airflow alternative for working in the browser

Astronomer (Astro)

Keeps your Airflow DAGs but hands hosting, scaling and upgrades to a managed service.

Apache Airflow alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Apache Airflow?

Prefect ranks first right now. Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers. Dagster and Argo Workflows follow it in our ranking.

Apache Airflow vs Prefect: what's the difference?

Both Apache Airflow and Prefect are free and open source. Only Prefect runs on macOS and Windows.

Is Apache Airflow free?

Apache Airflow is free and open source.

How much do Apache Airflow alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Apache Airflow alternatives: Prefect, $100/month; Dagster, $10/month plus credits; Astronomer (Astro), Deployments from $0.35/hr (Developer); Temporal, $50 per million actions; Control-M, $2,400/month (SaaS Starter Pack, billed annually). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Apache Airflow?

Yes. Prefect (open source), Dagster (open source), Argo Workflows (open source) and Windmill (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Apache Airflow?

Yes: Prefect, Dagster, Argo Workflows and Windmill, plus 1 more in the list above. Prefect, Dagster and Argo Workflows can also be self-hosted.

Which Apache Airflow alternatives work on Linux?

Prefect and Dagster run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Apache Airflow?

The complaints we hear most: running scheduler, workers and metadata database yourself takes real ops effort; local development and testing are clunkier than in newer tools like Prefect or Dagster; no official hosted service from the Apache project itself.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Apache Airflow, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.