Softwr

Software · head to head

Trigger.dev vs Airbyte

T

Trigger.dev

Software

Build and deploy fully managed AI agents and workflows

From
On request
Rated
-
Airbyte logo

Airbyte

Software

The open-source ELT platform

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Airbyte has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Trigger.dev compute is billed per second by machine size, from $0.0000169 per second on the smallest Micro instance up to $0.00068 per second on Large 2x, plus $0.000025 per run invocation, as of August 2026.; Airbyte the self-managed open source Core edition has no SSO or RBAC, no multiple workspaces, no row filtering or encryption, and no monitoring integrations

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Trigger.dev and Airbyte actually diverge.

Attributes where Trigger.dev and Airbyte differ
AttributeTrigger.devAirbyte
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Trigger.dev

Nothing recorded that Airbyte does not also cover.

Only in Airbyte

  • Data replication
  • Schema detection
  • ELT pipelines
  • Real-time sync
  • Data transformation
  • Monitoring
  • Custom connectors
  • 300+ connectors

What people use each for

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

Trigger.dev

No use cases recorded yet. See the Trigger.dev review.

Airbyte

  • Replicating data from SaaS applications into a warehousenot Trigger.dev
  • Self-hosting an open source ELT pipelinenot Trigger.dev
  • Managed data replication without running infrastructurenot Trigger.dev
  • Building connectors for sources without an off-the-shelf integrationnot Trigger.dev

Where each one falls short

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

Trigger.dev

  • Compute is billed per second by machine size, from $0.0000169 per second on the smallest Micro instance up to $0.00068 per second on Large 2x, plus $0.000025 per run invocation, as of August 2026.

Airbyte

  • The self-managed open source Core edition has no SSO or RBAC, no multiple workspaces, no row filtering or encryption, and no monitoring integrations
  • Sync frequency on Core is limited compared with the managed tiers, which offer 15 minute syncs
  • Support on the free tier is community and AI only; premium support requires Pro or Enterprise
  • The free Agents plan stops at 1,000 agent operations a month and pauses capacity until the next month once hit
  • Agent overages are billed per operation at $0.004 to $0.005 once past the plan allowance

Pricing, plan by plan

Trigger.dev

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Trigger.dev review.

Airbyte

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
    • Full features
  • Cloud$50/month
    • Cloud hosted
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Trigger.dev if

Nothing in the data separates Trigger.dev from Airbyte on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Choose Airbyte if

  • You need data replication.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want schema detection.

Questions people ask

Is Trigger.dev or Airbyte better?
Neither clearly leads. Trigger.dev starts at On request and Airbyte at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Trigger.dev or Airbyte?
Airbyte has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Trigger.dev and Free for Airbyte.
Does Trigger.dev or Airbyte run on more platforms?
Trigger.dev runs on Web. Airbyte runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Airbyte for free?
Yes. Airbyte has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Trigger.dev starts at On request.
What can Trigger.dev do that Airbyte cannot?
Airbyte covers Data replication, Schema detection, ELT pipelines, Real-time sync.

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