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Automation Integration · head to head

Hatchet vs Salesforce Flows

Hatchet logo

Hatchet

Automation Integration

Postgres-backed distributed task queue and workflow engine for Python, TypeScript and Go

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce Flows logo

Salesforce Flows

Automation Integration

Automation inside Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hatchet postgres as the queue backend simplifies operations but sets a throughput ceiling, and very high task rates require database tuning or partitioning work that a purpose-built queue would not demand.; Salesforce Flows not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
  • They diverge on capability: Hatchet covers Postgres-backed queue, Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hatchet and Salesforce Flows actually diverge.

Attributes where Hatchet and Salesforce Flows differ
AttributeHatchetSalesforce Flows
Pricing modelPer month by task run countUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudSalesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile
FoundedUnknown1999

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 Hatchet

  • Postgres-backed queue
  • Durable execution
  • DAG workflows
  • Concurrency and fairness
  • Rate limiting
  • Cron and scheduling
  • Multi-language SDKs
  • Self-hosting

Only in Salesforce Flows

  • Visual flow builder
  • Approvals
  • Scheduled actions
  • Screen flows
  • Multi-step workflows
  • Conditional logic
  • Error handling
  • Salesforce native

What people use each for

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

Hatchet

  • An AI product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflownot Salesforce Flows
  • A team that outgrew Celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building themnot Salesforce Flows
  • An engineering group that wants durable execution self-hosted with no datastore beyond the Postgres they already runnot Salesforce Flows
  • A multi-tenant SaaS that needs one noisy customer's jobs not to starve everyone else'snot Salesforce Flows

Salesforce Flows

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hatchet

  • Postgres as the queue backend simplifies operations but sets a throughput ceiling, and very high task rates require database tuning or partitioning work that a purpose-built queue would not demand.
  • Data retention on the managed tiers is three days on Team and seven on Scale, which is short for debugging intermittent failures and forces you to export run history elsewhere.
  • The step from the free tier to Team is 500 US dollars a month plus usage, which is a large increment for a small team that simply needs a production SLA.
  • Hatchet is a young company in a category with Temporal, Inngest and cloud-native alternatives already established, so ecosystem, hiring pool and third-party material are all thin.
  • Self-hosting the MIT engine is realistic but you then run the engine, its Postgres and its workers yourself, and the managed features such as audit logs and support are not part of that.

Salesforce Flows

  • Not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
  • No automatic record locking, causing conflicts when multiple users update same records
  • Limited error handling compared to Apex
  • Requires Enterprise edition or higher for full capabilities
  • Auto-launched Flows cannot display screens to users
  • Complex dependency management and configuration challenges when deploying between environments

Pricing, plan by plan

Hatchet

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • First 100,000 task runs included
    • $10 per million task runs after
    • No card required
  • Team$500/month
    • Usage billed on top of the base fee
    • 10 users and 5 tenants
    • 3 day data retention
  • Scale$1000/month
    • Unlimited users and tenants
    • 7 day data retention
    • Audit logs
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • 300 million plus runs a month
    • Latency guarantees and custom SLAs
    • SSO and audit logging

Salesforce Flows

Free
  • Salesforce FreeFree
    • 2 user licenses
    • Basic workflows
    • Limited automation
  • Starter$25/user/month
    • Sales flows
    • Lead routing
    • Email marketing analytics
  • Professional$100/user/month
    • Sales quoting
    • Forecasting
    • AppExchange access
  • Enterprise$165/user/month
    • Full Flow Builder
    • Custom objects
    • Sandboxes

Which should you pick?

Choose Hatchet if

  • You need postgres-backed queue.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want durable execution.
Hatchet review

Choose Salesforce Flows if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want approvals.
Salesforce Flows review

Questions people ask

Is Hatchet or Salesforce Flows better?
Neither clearly leads. Hatchet starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hatchet or Salesforce Flows?
Hatchet starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free.
Does Hatchet or Salesforce Flows run on more platforms?
Hatchet runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Salesforce Flows runs on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
Can I use Hatchet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hatchet best used for?
Hatchet is most often used for an ai product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflow, a team that outgrew celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building them, an engineering group that wants durable execution self-hosted with no datastore beyond the postgres they already run, a multi-tenant saas that needs one noisy customer's jobs not to starve everyone else's. Of those, an ai product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflow and a team that outgrew celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building them are not what Salesforce Flows is typically brought in for.
What can Hatchet do that Salesforce Flows cannot?
Hatchet covers Postgres-backed queue, Durable execution, DAG workflows, Concurrency and fairness. Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Approvals, Scheduled actions, Screen flows.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hatchet: Is Hatchet open source?

Yes, the engine is MIT licensed and can be self-hosted, with a managed cloud offered alongside.

Salesforce Flows: Which Salesforce editions include Flows?

Salesforce Flow Builder is included in Enterprise Edition ($165/user/month) and above. Professional Edition lacks advanced automation capabilities and Flow Builder access. Starter and lower editions have limited Flow support.

Source
Hatchet: What does it cost?

Free for the first 100,000 task runs, then 10 US dollars per million. Team is 500 US dollars a month plus usage; Scale is 1,000.

Salesforce Flows: What are the main limitations of Salesforce Flows?

Flows are limited by DML operations (max 150 data elements that modify data), SOQL queries (max 100 data elements that retrieve data), and are not designed for bulk processing. Auto-launched Flows do not support screens and have limited error handling compared to Apex.

Source
Hatchet: Why Postgres as the queue?

So durable task state lives in a database your team already backs up, replicates and can inspect with SQL, instead of a second system.

Salesforce Flows: Can Salesforce Flows integrate with external systems?

Yes, through MuleSoft connectors and Salesforce API Catalog. Pre-built connectors exist for systems like Asana, and admins can create custom connectors. Complex integrations may still require Apex or third-party platforms.

Source
Hatchet: How does it compare with Temporal?

Lighter to adopt and operate, with a much smaller ecosystem and a lower throughput ceiling from the Postgres backend.

Salesforce Flows: When was Salesforce Flow redesigned?

Flow Builder was introduced in Spring '19 as a replacement for the previous Flow Designer, providing a more familiar interface similar to other Salesforce Lightning Builder tools.

Source
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