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Automation Integration · head to head

Salesforce Flows vs Trigger.dev

Salesforce Flows logo

Salesforce Flows

Automation Integration

Automation inside Salesforce

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Salesforce Flows not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing; Trigger.dev unclear scaling costs beyond included limits; pricing becomes complex beyond base plan features
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salesforce Flows and Trigger.dev actually diverge.

Attributes where Salesforce Flows and Trigger.dev differ
AttributeSalesforce FlowsTrigger.dev
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsSalesforce Cloud, Web, MobileWeb
Founded1999Unknown

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 Salesforce Flows

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

Only in Trigger.dev

Nothing recorded that Salesforce Flows does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Salesforce Flows

  • Workflow Automationnot Trigger.dev
  • Data Integrationnot Trigger.dev
  • Process Automationnot Trigger.dev
  • App Integrationnot Trigger.dev
  • API Connectivitynot Trigger.dev

Trigger.dev

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 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

Choose Trigger.dev if

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

Questions people ask

Is Salesforce Flows or Trigger.dev better?
Neither clearly leads. Salesforce Flows starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salesforce Flows or Trigger.dev?
Salesforce Flows starts at Free and Trigger.dev at Free.
Does Salesforce Flows or Trigger.dev run on more platforms?
Salesforce Flows runs on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile. Trigger.dev runs on Web.
Can I use Salesforce Flows for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Salesforce Flows best used for?
Salesforce Flows is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration. Of those, workflow automation and data integration are not what Trigger.dev is typically brought in for.
What can Salesforce Flows do that Trigger.dev cannot?
Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Approvals, Scheduled actions, Screen flows.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
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
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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