Which is cheaper, Dagster or Windmill?

Dagster is 12.0x cheaper than Windmill. Dagster starts at $10/mo, Windmill starts at $0/mo.

Does Dagster have a free tier?

No, Dagster does not have a free tier.

Dagster has significant switching cost. Windmill has moderate switching cost. Windmill is easier to switch away from.

Queues

Dagster

← More affordable

Data orchestration platform with software-defined assets, observability, and serverless compute

Switching Cost: significant

Windmill

Open-source workflow engine and developer platform for scripts, flows, and internal apps

Switching Cost: moderate

You're paying a premium for Windmill — expect around a 12.0x higher bill compared to Dagster.

Startups take note: Windmill provides a free tier, while Dagster requires payment from day one.

You'll notice different pricing structures: hybrid for Dagster versus per-seat for Windmill.

If budget is your primary constraint, Dagster is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

If budget is your primary constraint, Dagster is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

Price Difference

12.0x

Dagster is cheaper by $110/mo

Free Tier

Windmill

Has a free tier option

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies

Switching Costs

Windmill

Lower switching costs for easier migration