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Automation Integration · head to head

Automation Anywhere vs Dagster

Automation Anywhere logo

Automation Anywhere

Automation Integration

Enterprise automation software

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dagster logo

Dagster

Automation Integration

Data orchestration platform with asset lineage and AI-native observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dagster has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Automation Anywhere no enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing; Dagster learning curve steeper than simpler task schedulers
  • They diverge on capability: Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA, Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Automation Anywhere and Dagster actually diverge.

Attributes where Automation Anywhere and Dagster differ
AttributeAutomation AnywhereDagster
Starting price$200/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree open-source core plus paid cloud platform
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsDesktop, WebCloud, Self-hosted
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Automation Anywhere

  • Desktop RPA
  • Cloud RPA
  • No-code automation
  • Intelligent process automation
  • Analytics
  • Monitoring
  • Scalability
  • 500+ connectors

Only in Dagster

  • Asset-centric orchestration
  • Lineage tracking
  • Data quality monitoring
  • Multi-tool integration
  • Branch deployments
  • Dagster+ AI
  • Hybrid deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Automation Anywhere

  • Workflow Automationnot Dagster
  • Data Integrationnot Dagster
  • Process Automationnot Dagster
  • App Integrationnot Dagster
  • API Connectivitynot Dagster

Dagster

  • Orchestrating multi-stage data transformation pipelinesnot Automation Anywhere
  • Tracking data lineage across transformation toolsnot Automation Anywhere
  • Monitoring data quality and asset healthnot Automation Anywhere
  • Coordinating dbt and Snowflake workflowsnot Automation Anywhere

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Automation Anywhere

  • No enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing
  • Cloud Community Edition is free but limited compared to enterprise offerings

Dagster

  • Learning curve steeper than simpler task schedulers
  • Asset-centric model requires redesigning existing task-based pipelines
  • Pricing complex with per-credit costs on top of base fee
  • Open-source version requires self-hosting infrastructure
  • Limited to data workflows; not suitable for general automation

Pricing, plan by plan

Automation Anywhere

$200/month
  • CommunityFree
    • Community version
    • Limited use
  • Enterprise$200/month
    • Full RPA capabilities
  • Premium$500/month
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support

Dagster

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Full orchestration engine
    • Community support
  • Solo$10/month
    • 1 user and 1 code location
    • Pay-as-you-go credits at $0.040 per credit
    • 1 deployment
  • Starter$100/month
    • Up to 3 users and 5 code locations
    • Better credit rate at $0.035 per credit
    • 1 deployment
  • Pro$null/custom
    • Unlimited code locations and deployments
    • Custom serverless compute pricing
    • Personalized onboarding

Which should you pick?

Choose Automation Anywhere if

  • You need desktop rpa.
  • You work on Desktop, Web.
  • You also want cloud rpa.
Automation Anywhere review

Choose Dagster if

  • You need asset-centric orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want lineage tracking.
Dagster review

Questions people ask

Is Automation Anywhere or Dagster better?
Neither clearly leads. Automation Anywhere starts at $200/month and Dagster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Automation Anywhere or Dagster?
Dagster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $200/month for Automation Anywhere and Free for Dagster.
Does Automation Anywhere or Dagster run on more platforms?
Automation Anywhere runs on Desktop, Web. Dagster runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Dagster for free?
Yes. Dagster has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Automation Anywhere starts at $200/month.
What is Automation Anywhere best used for?
Automation Anywhere is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration. Of those, workflow automation and data integration are not what Dagster is typically brought in for.
What can Automation Anywhere do that Dagster cannot?
Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA, Cloud RPA, No-code automation, Intelligent process automation. Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration, Lineage tracking, Data quality monitoring, Multi-tool integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Automation Anywhere: How much does Automation Anywhere cost?

Automation Anywhere provides a Cloud Community Edition available free with full-featured automation access. Enterprise and commercial deployment pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires contact with the sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Dagster: What does Solo plan at $10/month include?

Solo includes 1 user, 1 code location, 1 deployment, and serverless compute at $0.010/minute, with 30-day free trial.

Source
Automation Anywhere: Does Automation Anywhere offer a free version?

Yes, Automation Anywhere offers the Cloud Community Edition as a free option with full-featured automation access for learning and development purposes. Commercial and enterprise use requires different licensing arrangements.

Source
Dagster: How are credits calculated on Dagster+?

Each asset materialization and ops execution costs 1 credit. Solo plan charges $0.040 per credit; Starter reduces to $0.035 per credit.

Source
Dagster: Is Dagster open-source available for free?

Yes, Dagster open-source is free and includes the full orchestration engine for self-hosted deployment with community support.

Source
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