---
title: "Dagster Pricing, Features & Alternatives (2026)"
description: "Dagster (Data Orchestration): Free tier. Plans, pros & cons, and Dagster alternatives compared for startups in 2026."
source: https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/dagster
retrieved: 2026-11-10
---

![Dagster logo](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=dagster.io&sz=128)

[Data Orchestration](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/data-orchestration)Free tier

# Dagster: Pricing, Features & Alternatives

Dagster models a pipeline as the data assets it produces, written as Python functions, so lineage and freshness come built in. The core is Apache 2.0\. Dagster+ is the managed version: Solo is $10 a month for 1 user at $0.040 a credit, Starter is $100 a month for up to 3 users at $0.035 a credit, and Pro is custom. Serverless compute on Solo and Starter is $0.010 a minute, and both include a 30-day trial.

Who it’s for: Data engineers who want pipelines described as the tables and models they produce, with lineage built in.

Category

Data Orchestration

Pricing

Free tier available

Free tier

Yes

Best for

Data Orchestration: data assets, lineage, Python

## Dagster at a Glance

What it is

Asset-based data orchestrator

Workflows written in

Python

Licence

Apache 2.0

Managed option

Dagster+ from $10 a month

Free access

Open source; 30-day Dagster+ trial

Checked November 2026 against [Dagster pricing](https://dagster.io/pricing), [Dagster on GitHub](https://github.com/dagster-io/dagster).

[Visit Dagster official site](https://dagster.io/)

## Dagster Pricing Plans (2026)

| Plan           | Price                          | Highlights                               |
| -------------- | ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| Open source    | $0 (Apache 2.0)                | Self-hosted · Asset-based pipelines      |
| Solo           | $10 / month + $0.040 / credit  | 1 user · 1 code location                 |
| StarterPopular | $100 / month + $0.035 / credit | Up to 3 users · 5 code locations         |
| Pro            | Contact sales                  | Unlimited code locations and deployments |

Pricing summary: Free · paid from $10/mo. Always confirm current pricing on the official site.

## Key Dagster Features

* ✓Open source under Apache 2.0
* ✓Dagster+ Solo: $10 a month, 1 user, 1 code location, $0.040 per credit
* ✓Dagster+ Starter: $100 a month, up to 3 users, 5 code locations, $0.035 per credit
* ✓Pro: custom, unlimited code locations and deployments
* ✓Serverless compute $0.010 a minute on Solo and Starter; 30-day trial

### ✓ Pros

* +Lineage and freshness from the asset model
* +Pleasant local development
* +Cheap managed entry point
* +Apache 2.0 core

### ✗ Cons

* −Credit billing needs watching
* −Asset model is a shift from task DAGs
* −Smaller hiring pool than Airflow

## Best Dagster Alternatives

[Compare all ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tool-alternatives/dagster)

[![Apache Airflow logo](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=airflow.apache.org&sz=128)Apache AirflowFree](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/apache-airflow)[![Prefect logo](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=prefect.io&sz=128)PrefectFree · paid from $100/mo](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/prefect)[![Kestra logo](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=kestra.io&sz=128)KestraFree · then usage-based](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/kestra)

## Dagster Compared

[Dagster vs Apache Airflow](https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/apache-airflow-vs-dagster)[Dagster vs Prefect](https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/dagster-vs-prefect)[Dagster vs Kestra](https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/dagster-vs-kestra)

## Dagster FAQ

What is Dagster used for?⌄

Dagster is a data orchestration tool. Asset-based data orchestrator: you declare the tables and models you want, Dagster keeps them fresh. Open source, plus Dagster+ from $10 a month.

Is Dagster free?⌄

Yes. Dagster has a free tier you can start with, and paid plans for more usage and features.

How much does Dagster cost?⌄

Dagster offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $10/month. Some plans are usage-based (pay-as-you-go).

What are the best Dagster alternatives?⌄

Popular Dagster alternatives include Apache Airflow, Prefect, Kestra. Compare pricing and features on our Dagster alternatives page.

## Not sure if Dagster fits your stack?

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