Apache Airflow
Open source platform for writing, scheduling and monitoring data pipelines as Python code.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Self-hosted, Web
Is Apache Airflow free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- Apache-2.0
Checked on Apache Airflow's site Nov 1, 2026
Switch from Apache Airflow to
All 8
PrefectStarter plan: $100/month
DagsterSolo plan: $10/month plus credits
Argo WorkflowsOpen source
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 8
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow is the most widely used open source tool for orchestrating data pipelines. You define workflows (called DAGs) in Python: which tasks run, in what order, on what schedule, and what happens when something fails. Airflow's scheduler then runs them across workers and its web interface shows every run, its status and logs, with buttons to retry or backfill. A large catalogue of provider packages connects it to AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Snowflake, dbt, Spark, Kubernetes and hundreds of other services, so it can coordinate ETL, machine learning training, reporting and infrastructure jobs. It is free under the Apache 2.0 licence and run by the Apache Software Foundation community; you host it yourself, or pay for a managed version such as Astronomer, Google Cloud Composer or Amazon MWAA. Recent 3.x releases added asset-based scheduling and support for tasks in languages other than Python. It suits data engineering teams comfortable running infrastructure; small projects may find it heavy to set up and operate.
Best for: Data engineering teams that want a proven, free orchestrator with a huge integration ecosystem.
Pros and cons
What works
- Free and open source with a very large community
- Pipelines are plain Python, so they can be generated dynamically
- Hundreds of ready-made operators for clouds and data tools
- Managed versions available from several cloud providers
Why people leave
- 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
Apache Airflow vs Prefect, Dagster and Argo Workflows
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Apache Airflow | Prefect | Dagster | Argo Workflows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Open source | Open source | Open source |
| Verified price | — | $100/month | $10/month plus credits | — |
| Free plan | Free app | Hobby, free forever | Free app | Free app |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Web, Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted | Web, Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
Top Apache Airflow alternatives
See all 8- 1Prefect68.8
Turns ordinary Python functions into workflows with one decorator, with a free hosted tier to skip running servers.
- 2Dagster64.8
Asset-centric orchestration with built-in lineage and better local testing for data platform teams.
- 3Argo Workflows57.5
Kubernetes-native workflow engine where each step runs as a container, a fit for teams already running everything on K8s.
- 4
Windmill51.2Open source scripts, flows and internal UIs in one self-hosted tool, with a lighter setup than Airflow.
- 5
Astronomer (Astro)42.3Keeps your Airflow DAGs but hands hosting, scaling and upgrades to a managed service.
Why people left Apache Airflow
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Apache Airflow: common questions
What is Apache Airflow?
Apache Airflow: Open source platform for writing, scheduling and monitoring data pipelines as Python code. Best for data engineering teams that want a proven, free orchestrator with a huge integration ecosystem. Available for Linux and Web, and you can host it yourself.
Is Apache Airflow free?
Yes. Apache Airflow is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.
Is Apache Airflow open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at apache/airflow. You can also run it on your own server.
What platforms does Apache Airflow run on?
Apache Airflow is available for Linux, Self-hosted and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Apache Airflow?
The highest-ranked Apache Airflow alternatives right now are Prefect, Dagster and Argo Workflows. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
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.