Apache Airflow vs StackStorm (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Apache Airflow and StackStorm share a 2.4 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about the free plan, where Apache Airflow grades higher, or features, where StackStorm does.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Apache Airflow
Open-source platform for authoring and scheduling workflows in Python
StackStorm
Open-source event-driven automation for DevOps and SRE teams
Which one is for you
Pick Apache Airflow if
- Fits if you write Python and already run your own servers
- Works for teams that want workflows defined as code with no licence fee
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a drag-and-drop builder, as workflows are Python only
- Not for you if you have nobody to install, upgrade and secure it
- Tight if you need paid support, because the project lists community help only
- Watch out: managed hosting means a separate vendor and a separate bill
Pick StackStorm if
- Fits if your IT team wants rules that react to events and run fixes automatically
- Works for engineers comfortable writing Python sensors and actions
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host software, since no hosted service is listed
- Not for you if you need vendor support, as help comes from community Slack, forums and GitHub
- Too light on hand-holding for non-technical teams: custom pieces are Python plugins or scripts
- Watch out: install docs cover Ubuntu and RHEL-compatible Linux, Docker and Kubernetes, not Windows or Mac
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAApache AirflowFair | 2.4GPAStackStormFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo licence fee, but it only runs if you host it, so you pay for a server and someone's time. Managed versions such as Astro are billed separately. | C$0 for open-source software, but you run it on your own machines. That puts it in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no caps from the project. The cost is the hosting, not the software. | BNo paid plan; it costs only the servers you host it on. |
| Features | CScheduling, monitoring and a large set of integrations for clouds. There's no visual builder in the core project, and the site lists no paid support plan. | BSensors, rules, workflows, packs, an audit trail, ChatOps and an API. The core job is covered. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. Workflows are written in Python and you install and operate it yourself. | DNo store rating on record. You install it on Linux, Docker or Kubernetes and write Python. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb interface, with integrations for Google Cloud, AWS and Azure. No phone apps and no desktop app. | BWeb UI and Linux, with 7 integrations and an API. |
| Best for | scheduling Python workflows you host yourself | event-driven automation for IT operations |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apache Airflow and StackStorm. How we grade
Price against what you get
Apache Airflow has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. StackStorm has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
StackStorm scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other automation tools on the chart, none scores higher than Apache Airflow for less, and none scores higher than StackStorm for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Apache Airflow | StackStorm | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Apache Software Foundation | StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC |
| Price read from | airflow.apache.org | stackstorm.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Apache Airflow
- You install, upgrade, secure and scale it yourself unless you buy a managed service such as Astronomer's Astro.
- The project's site lists a community, meetups and a Slack for help; it offers no paid support plan.
- Defining workflows requires Python knowledge; there is no visual builder in the core project.
StackStorm
- It is self-hosted: the install docs cover Ubuntu and RHEL-compatible Linux, Docker and Kubernetes, and no hosted service is listed.
- The project lists no paid plan or vendor support; help comes from the community Slack, forums and GitHub.
- Custom sensors and actions are written as Python plugins or scripts, so it suits technical teams.
Key features
Apache Airflow
- Pipelines as Python code
- Workflows are written in Python, so loops and date logic can generate tasks dynamically, with Jinja templating built in for parameters.
- Web interface
- A web application shows the status and logs of running and finished tasks, and lets you schedule and manage workflows.
- Scalable architecture
- A modular design with a message queue lets Airflow spread work over any number of workers.
- Provider integrations
- Ready-made operators cover Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and other third-party services, and you can write your own.
- AI provider
- The Common AI provider reached 1.0 in October 2026, covering agents, sandboxes, human approval and retries for LLM work in pipelines.
StackStorm
- Sensors and triggers
- Sensors are Python plugins that watch for events in outside systems and emit triggers, such as timers, webhooks or a monitoring alert.
- Rules
- Rules map triggers to actions or workflows, with matching criteria and a mapping from the trigger payload to the action's inputs.
- Actions and workflows
- Actions are outbound integrations such as SSH or REST calls, and workflows string several actions together with order, conditions and data passing.
- Packs and Exchange
- Packs group integrations and automations for sharing, and many are published on StackStorm Exchange.
- Audit trail
- Manual and automated action executions are recorded with their triggering context and results, and audit logs can feed tools such as Splunk and syslog.
- ChatOps, web UI and API
- The docs describe ChatOps support, a web UI, a CLI client, a REST API and Python client bindings.
Plans
Apache Airflow
Open source$0
Apache-2.0 licensed software you install and run yourself; hosting and operations costs are yours.
StackStorm
Open source$0
Free software you install and run yourself. The project's pages list no paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apache Airflow or StackStorm?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Apache Airflow and StackStorm are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apache Airflow or StackStorm?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Apache Airflow and StackStorm have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apache Airflow and StackStorm run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only StackStorm lists a Linux app. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.