Alternatives · Automation
Rundeck alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Rundeck alternative is Tines (2.6 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Rundeck compared with 5 alternatives: StackStorm, Apache Airflow, Kestra, Tines and Apache DolphinScheduler.
Rundeck has a free plan. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Rundeck sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| RundeckThis tool | Free plan | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| StackStorm | Free | Free | Web, Linux |
| Apache Airflow | Free | Free | Web |
| Kestra | Free plan | Yes | Web |
| Tines | Free plan | Yes | Web |
| Apache DolphinScheduler | Free | Free | Web |
How each one differs from Rundeck
StackStorm
Open-source event-driven automation for DevOps and SRE teams
- StackStorm is free.
- StackStorm lists no Windows and macOS apps, which Rundeck has.
- StackStorm does not cover job scheduling, which Rundeck does.
Suits: DevOps and SRE teams automating remediation and incident response
Apache Airflow
Open-source platform for authoring and scheduling workflows in Python
- Apache Airflow is free.
- Apache Airflow lists no Windows, Linux and macOS apps, which Rundeck has.
- Apache Airflow does not cover job scheduling, which Rundeck does.
Suits: Python-literate data teams that want full control of their orchestrator
Kestra
Open-source workflow orchestration platform defined in YAML
- Kestra lists no Windows, Linux and macOS apps, which Rundeck has.
- Kestra does not cover job scheduling, which Rundeck does.
Suits: Data and platform engineers who want workflows as code
Tines
Workflow automation and AI agents for security and IT teams
- Tines lists no Windows, Linux and macOS apps, which Rundeck has.
- Tines also covers templates and AI agents.
- Tines does not cover job scheduling, which Rundeck does.
Suits: Security teams automating alert intake, triage and remediation
Apache DolphinScheduler
Open-source workflow scheduler for data pipelines
- Apache DolphinScheduler is free.
- Apache DolphinScheduler lists no Windows, Linux and macOS apps, which Rundeck has.
Suits: Data engineering teams running dependent batch pipelines
Limits worth knowing in Rundeck
- Single sign-on, high-availability clusters and enterprise support are not in the free Community edition.
- Commercial pricing is not published; the downloads page says a license for PagerDuty Runbook Automation is bought through sales.
- Community is self-hosted and needs a registration step before download.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Rundeck?
The alternatives to Rundeck in this directory are StackStorm, Apache Airflow, Kestra, Tines and Apache DolphinScheduler. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Rundeck.
Is there a free alternative to Rundeck?
Yes. StackStorm, Apache Airflow and Apache DolphinScheduler are free to use. Kestra and Tines have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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