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Automation Integration · head to head

Dagster vs Tines

Dagster logo

Dagster

Automation Integration

Data orchestration platform with asset lineage and AI-native observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Tines logo

Tines

Automation Integration

No-code automation for security teams

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dagster learning curve steeper than simpler task schedulers; Tines no-code, UI-driven approach is restrictive for complex logic and version control integration with SDLC
  • They diverge on capability: Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration, Tines covers Story builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dagster and Tines actually diverge.

Attributes where Dagster and Tines differ
AttributeDagsterTines
Pricing modelFree open-source core plus paid cloud platformUnknown
PlatformsCloud, Self-hostedWeb
FoundedUnknown2018

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 Tines

  • Story builder
  • Drag-and-drop workflows
  • Event triggers
  • Incident response automation
  • Threat intelligence
  • Case management
  • Alert triage
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Dagster

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

Tines

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

Tines

  • No-code, UI-driven approach is restrictive for complex logic and version control integration with SDLC
  • No native log intelligence layer to validate data completeness
  • Limited scope to security workloads, cannot handle general business automation
  • Governance features lag behind EU AI Act compliance requirements

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

Tines

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Tines review.

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.

Choose Tines if

  • You need story builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want drag-and-drop workflows.

Questions people ask

Is Dagster or Tines better?
Neither clearly leads. Dagster starts at Free and Tines at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dagster or Tines?
Dagster starts at Free and Tines at Free.
Does Dagster or Tines run on more platforms?
Dagster runs on Cloud, Self-hosted. Tines runs on Web.
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 Tines is typically brought in for.
What can Dagster do that Tines cannot?
Dagster covers Asset-centric orchestration, Lineage tracking, Data quality monitoring, Multi-tool integration. Tines covers Story builder, Drag-and-drop workflows, Event triggers, Incident response automation.

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
Tines: What are Tines' pricing tiers?

Tines offers a free Community Edition for evaluation, Starter Edition at $500/month with annual billing, and Business/Enterprise tiers starting around $50,000/year for small security teams and scaling to $200,000+ for large SOCs.

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
Tines: What is the Community Edition limited to?

As of July 2026, the free Community Edition is scoped to 1 builder and 3 flows as an evaluation tool to test Tines' capabilities.

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
Tines: Is Tines limited to security automation?

Yes, Tines is purpose-built for security automation. Teams needing non-security automation on the same orchestration layer would need to evaluate alternatives.

Source
Tines: Does Tines have native log intelligence capabilities?

No, Tines lacks a native log intelligence layer, meaning it cannot determine whether the data feeding your detection tools is complete. Teams must build automation against whatever alerts their existing infrastructure provides.

Source
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