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Automation Integration · head to head

Dagster vs Orkes

Dagster logo

Dagster

Automation Integration

Data orchestration platform with asset lineage and AI-native observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Orkes logo

Orkes

Automation Integration

Commercial Conductor, now the maintainer of the workflow engine Netflix archived

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dagster learning curve steeper than simpler task schedulers; Orkes netflix archived the Conductor repository in December 2023 and Orkes took over maintenance, so the large-company backing that justified many original adoptions no longer exists.
  • They diverge on capability: Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration, Orkes covers JSON workflow definitions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dagster and Orkes actually diverge.

Attributes where Dagster and Orkes differ
AttributeDagsterOrkes
Pricing modelFree open-source core plus paid cloud platformquote
PlatformsCloud, Self-hostedLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Dagster

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

Only in Orkes

  • JSON workflow definitions
  • Polyglot workers
  • Visual workflow builder
  • AI and LLM tasks
  • Human tasks
  • Event handlers
  • RBAC and secrets
  • Hosted or self-hosted

What people use each for

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

Dagster

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

Orkes

  • A microservices estate that needs orchestration across services written in different languages without a shared SDKnot Dagster
  • A team already running Conductor OSS that wants a supported distribution now that Netflix has stopped maintaining itnot Dagster
  • An AI platform composing agent steps, model calls and vector lookups as versioned workflow definitionsnot Dagster
  • A business process needing human approval steps interleaved with automated service callsnot Dagster

Where each one falls short

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

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

Orkes

  • Netflix archived the Conductor repository in December 2023 and Orkes took over maintenance, so the large-company backing that justified many original adoptions no longer exists.
  • Enterprise pricing is entirely unpublished, and the only free option is explicitly a prototyping sandbox whose limits can change at any time, so there is no supported low-cost entry point.
  • Self-hosting Conductor OSS in production means operating the engine plus its persistence and indexing dependencies, typically Postgres or Cassandra with Elasticsearch, which is a substantial platform commitment.
  • JSON workflow definitions are language agnostic but verbose and awkward to test, and teams accustomed to defining workflows in code find them a step backwards in developer experience.
  • Orkes is a small company whose commercial future is tied to a single open source project it also maintains, which concentrates both vendor and project risk in the same place.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Orkes

Free
  • Developer EditionFree
    • All Conductor OSS features plus enterprise capabilities
    • Sandbox for prototyping only
    • Rate limits and resources may change without notice
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Availability SLA up to 99.99%
    • Orkes-hosted or customer-hosted deployment
    • Dedicated technical account manager

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Orkes if

  • You need json workflow definitions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want polyglot workers.
Orkes review

Questions people ask

Is Dagster or Orkes better?
Neither clearly leads. Dagster starts at Free and Orkes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dagster or Orkes?
Dagster starts at Free and Orkes at Free.
Does Dagster or Orkes run on more platforms?
Dagster runs on Cloud, Self-hosted. Orkes runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Dagster for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dagster best used for?
Dagster is most often used for orchestrating multi-stage data transformation pipelines, tracking data lineage across transformation tools, monitoring data quality and asset health, coordinating dbt and snowflake workflows. Of those, orchestrating multi-stage data transformation pipelines and tracking data lineage across transformation tools are not what Orkes is typically brought in for.
What can Dagster do that Orkes cannot?
Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration, Lineage tracking, Data quality monitoring, Multi-tool integration. Orkes covers JSON workflow definitions, Polyglot workers, Visual workflow builder, AI and LLM tasks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Orkes: Does Netflix still maintain Conductor?

No. Netflix archived its repository in December 2023. The open source project continues at conductor-oss under Apache 2.0, maintained by Orkes.

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
Orkes: Is there a free production tier?

No. The Developer Edition is a sandbox that the vendor states is unsuitable for production. Self-hosting Conductor OSS is the free production route.

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
Orkes: What does Enterprise cost?

Nothing is published; it is quoted by deployment and support requirements.

Orkes: How does it compare with Temporal?

Conductor uses declarative JSON workflow definitions and external workers; Temporal defines workflows in code. Temporal has the larger community.

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