Softwr

Automation Integration · head to head

Mage AI vs Trigger.dev

Mage AI logo

Mage AI

Automation Integration

Data pipeline platform with AI-generated workflows and governance

From
$100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trigger.dev logo

Trigger.dev

Automation Integration

Build and deploy fully managed AI agents and workflows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Trigger.dev has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mage AI usage-based pricing lacks transparency for cost forecasting; Trigger.dev unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mage AI and Trigger.dev actually diverge.

Attributes where Mage AI and Trigger.dev differ
AttributeMage AITrigger.dev
Starting price$100/monthFree
Pricing modelUsage-based cloud platformfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-PremisesWeb

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 Mage AI

  • AI-generated workflows
  • Pipeline building
  • Data validation
  • Workflow orchestration
  • Automatic recovery
  • Reusable components
  • Governance controls

Only in Trigger.dev

Nothing recorded that Mage AI does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Mage AI

  • Building and orchestrating data pipelines with visual interfacenot Trigger.dev
  • Automating ETL workflows with AI assistancenot Trigger.dev
  • Validating data quality across transformationsnot Trigger.dev
  • Distributing transformed data to multiple destinationsnot Trigger.dev

Trigger.dev

  • Job automation and workflow orchestrationnot Mage AI
  • API-driven task schedulingnot Mage AI
  • Background job processing for applicationsnot Mage AI

Where each one falls short

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

Mage AI

  • Usage-based pricing lacks transparency for cost forecasting
  • Limited standalone pricing details on website
  • Requires contact for enterprise deployment options
  • Smaller ecosystem compared to established competitors
  • May require significant customization for complex data models

Trigger.dev

  • Unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • No published Enterprise pricing; requires contacting sales
  • HIPAA BAA compliance requires separate add-on request
  • Pro plan uses conditional language that obscures exact overage costs
  • Compute billing granularity is unclear; waits under 5 seconds still consume compute resources

Pricing, plan by plan

Mage AI

$100/month
  • Cloud$100/month
    • 1 development environment
    • Unlimited users
    • Usage-based infrastructure pricing
  • Hybrid Cloud$null/custom
    • Private data processing
    • Custom infrastructure
    • Contact sales
  • Private Cloud$null/custom
    • Complete isolation
    • Full infrastructure control
    • Contact sales
  • On-Premises$null/custom
    • Full local control
    • Enterprise deployment
    • Contact sales

Trigger.dev

Free
  • FreeFree
    • $5 monthly credits
    • 20 concurrent runs
    • 1 day log retention
  • Hobby$10/month
    • $10 monthly credits
    • 50 concurrent runs
    • 7 day log retention
  • Pro$50/month
    • $50 monthly credits
    • 200+ concurrent runs
    • 30 day log retention
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom discounts
    • RBAC and SSO
    • SOC 2 reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Mage AI if

  • You need ai-generated workflows.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-Premises.
  • You also want pipeline building.
Mage AI review

Choose Trigger.dev if

  • You want to start without paying.
Trigger.dev review

Questions people ask

Is Mage AI or Trigger.dev better?
Neither clearly leads. Mage AI starts at $100/month and Trigger.dev at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mage AI or Trigger.dev?
Trigger.dev has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $100/month for Mage AI and Free for Trigger.dev.
Does Mage AI or Trigger.dev run on more platforms?
Mage AI runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-Premises. Trigger.dev runs on Web.
Can I use Trigger.dev for free?
Yes. Trigger.dev has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mage AI starts at $100/month.
What is Mage AI best used for?
Mage AI is most often used for building and orchestrating data pipelines with visual interface, automating etl workflows with ai assistance, validating data quality across transformations, distributing transformed data to multiple destinations. Of those, building and orchestrating data pipelines with visual interface and automating etl workflows with ai assistance are not what Trigger.dev is typically brought in for.
What can Mage AI do that Trigger.dev cannot?
Mage AI covers AI-generated workflows, Pipeline building, Data validation, Workflow orchestration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mage AI: What is the starting price for Mage Cloud?

Cloud plan starts at $100/month for one development environment with unlimited users, plus usage-based compute charges.

Source
Trigger.dev: Is there a free plan for Trigger.dev?

Yes, the Free plan offers $5 in monthly credits, 20 concurrent runs, 1 day log retention, and community support at no cost.

Source
Mage AI: How is compute usage billed on Mage?

CPU is charged at $0.50 per hour and RAM at $0.50 per 4GB per hour of utilization.

Source
Trigger.dev: What's the starting price for a paid plan?

The Hobby plan costs $10 per month USD and includes $10 monthly credits, 50 concurrent runs, and 7 day log retention.

Source
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