Dagster vs Orkes: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Dagster and Orkes side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Orkes leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Dagster
Data orchestration platform for ML pipelines
Best for you if:
- • You want modern data orchestration
Orkes
Orchestrate complex distributed systems and AI agents with confidence
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Dagster | Orkes |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $10/mo, billed monthly Solo plan | Free plan |
Category | ETL & Data Pipelines Workflow Automation | Workflow Automation Developer Tools |
Rating | n/a | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 26 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Overage fees: $0.04/credit for Solo, $0.03/credit for Starter. | n/a |
Choose Dagster or Orkes?
Choose Dagster if
- You want modern data orchestration
- You want good DX
- You work in ETL & data pipelines, not workflow automation
Choose Orkes if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want battle-tested and rooted in open-source (Conductor OSS from Netflix)
- You want ensures durability and state persistence for long-running processes
- You work in workflow automation, not ETL & data pipelines
In-Depth Analysis
Dagster
Data orchestration platform for ML pipelines
Dagster's pricing model is fair and generous, especially with its robust Open Source offering and significant free credits in the Solo and Starter tiers.
Watch out
Overage fees: $0.04/credit for Solo, $0.03/credit for Starter.
Strengths
- Pro: Modern data orchestration
- Pro: Good DX
- Pro: Asset-centric
- Pro: Type system
- Pro: Good documentation
Weaknesses
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Newer than Airflow
- Con: Cloud expensive
- Con: Ecosystem smaller
- Con: Resource intensive
Key features
Orkes
Orchestrate complex distributed systems and AI agents with confidence
Orkes offers a very generous Developer Edition which is completely free and includes enterprise features, making it highly accessible for individual developers and small teams.
Strengths
- Pro: Battle-tested and rooted in open-source (Conductor OSS from Netflix)
- Pro: Ensures durability and state persistence for long-running processes
- Pro: Facilitates coordination of multi-agent workflows with sequential, parallel, and handoff patterns
- Pro: Provides guardrails and control for secure and auditable operations
- Pro: Offers full decision traceability and cost monitoring for agent execution
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires technical expertise for implementation and management
Key features
Plans and prices: Dagster vs Orkes
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dagster |
| dagster.io/pricing read Oct 25, 2026 |
| Orkes |
| orkes.io/pricing read Nov 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Dagster pricing and Orkes pricing.
Key Takeaways
Dagster
- Choose if you want data orchestration platform for ML pipelines
Orkes
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Orkes leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Orkes has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 26 reviews); Dagster has none we can show.
- Dagster starts at $10/mo, billed monthly; Orkes has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only Orkes has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Dagster and Orkes compare in 2026?
On the data below, Orkes leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Orkes has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 26 reviews); Dagster has none we can show. Dagster starts at $10/mo, billed monthly; Orkes has no public paid plan price on file. Only Orkes has a free plan.
What are Dagster and Orkes used for?
Dagster: Data orchestration platform for ML pipelines. Orkes: Orchestrate complex distributed systems and AI agents with confidence.
What does Dagster cost vs Orkes?
Dagster's cheapest paid plan is Solo at $10/mo, billed monthly. Orkes has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between Dagster and Orkes?
Dagster's main strength: modern data orchestration. Orkes's main strength: battle-tested and rooted in open-source (Conductor OSS from Netflix).