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Automation Integration · head to head

Dify vs Windmill

Dify logo

Dify

Automation Integration

The Platform for Production-Ready Agentic Workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windmill logo

Windmill

Automation Integration

Open-source developer platform for building scripts, workflows, and internal apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dify free tier limited to 200 monthly message credits; Windmill free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dify and Windmill actually diverge.

Attributes where Dify and Windmill differ
AttributeDifyWindmill
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWebweb, api, linux, windows, mac

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 Dify

Nothing recorded that Windmill does not also cover.

Only in Windmill

  • Script-to-workflow engine
  • Auto-generated UIs
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Git sync
  • SSO support
  • Audit logs

What people use each for

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

Dify

  • AI workflow automationnot Windmill
  • Custom application deploymentnot Windmill

Windmill

  • Turning ad-hoc scripts into scheduled jobs and APIsnot Dify
  • Building internal tools from existing Python/TypeScript codenot Dify
  • Self-hosted automation for engineering teamsnot Dify
  • Orchestrating multi-language workflowsnot Dify

Where each one falls short

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

Dify

  • Free tier limited to 200 monthly message credits
  • Professional tier supports only 3 team members

Windmill

  • Free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • Compute unit and seat-based pricing (developer vs. operator seats, worker compute units) adds pricing complexity beyond a flat monthly fee.
  • Email triggers are capped at 100/day on the free tier, limiting event-driven use cases without upgrading.
  • Smaller ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared to more established automation tools like n8n.

Pricing, plan by plan

Dify

Free
  • SandboxFree
    • 200 monthly message credits
    • 1 workspace
    • 5 apps
  • Professional$590/year
    • 5,000 monthly message credits
    • 3 team members
    • 50 apps
  • Team$1590/year
    • 10,000 monthly message credits
    • 50 team members
    • 200 apps

Windmill

Free
  • Free / Open-sourceFree
    • Unlimited executions
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Max 10 users with SSO
  • Enterprise$120/month
    • Unlimited executions and workspaces
    • Uncapped SSO seats
    • 24/7 priority support (3-hour response)

Which should you pick?

Choose Dify if

  • You want to start without paying.
Dify review

Choose Windmill if

  • You need script-to-workflow engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want auto-generated uis.
Windmill review

Questions people ask

Is Dify or Windmill better?
Neither clearly leads. Dify starts at Free and Windmill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dify or Windmill?
Dify starts at Free and Windmill at Free.
Does Dify or Windmill run on more platforms?
Dify runs on Web. Windmill runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
Can I use Dify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dify best used for?
Dify is most often used for ai workflow automation, custom application deployment. Of those, ai workflow automation and custom application deployment are not what Windmill is typically brought in for.
What can Dify do that Windmill cannot?
Windmill covers Script-to-workflow engine, Auto-generated UIs, Self-hosted deployment, Git sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dify: How much does Dify cost?

Dify Cloud offers a free Sandbox tier, Professional at $590/year with 5,000 monthly credits, and Team at $1,590/year with 10,000 monthly credits.

Source
Windmill: What does Windmill cost?

Windmill's Free and Open-source edition is $0/month for self-hosted use with unlimited executions, while Enterprise starts at $120/month with unlimited workspaces and uncapped SSO seats, priced further by developer/operator seats and compute units.

Source
Dify: Is Dify free to use?

Yes, Dify offers a free Sandbox tier with 200 monthly message credits, 1 workspace, 5 apps, and 50MB storage. Community edition is free and open-source.

Source
Windmill: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

The free self-hosted plan supports unlimited executions but caps SSO at 10 users, workspaces at 3, groups/permissions at 4, and email triggers at 100 per day.

Source
Dify: What are Dify's team collaboration limits?

Professional tier supports 3 team members. Team tier supports 50 team members. Enterprise plans with custom team sizes require contacting sales.

Source
Windmill: How is usage metered on Windmill Enterprise?

Enterprise usage is metered through seats (developer seats at $20/month, operator seats at $10/month) and compute units, e.g. $100/month for 2 standard-worker compute units.

Source
Windmill: What happens to a self-hosted Windmill deployment if the company shuts down?

The pricing page addresses this directly as an FAQ topic, noting that self-hosted applications built on the open-source edition can continue running independently of Windmill the company.

Source
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