The Apache Airflow Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Apache Airflow in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Apache Airflow
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source platform for authoring and scheduling workflows in Python
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Apache Airflow’s own pages.
Made by Apache Software Foundation · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Apache Airflow’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apache Airflow’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 90 of the 134 other automation tools we grade
Apache Airflow is an open-source platform, created by its community, for programmatically authoring, scheduling and monitoring workflows. Pipelines are defined in Python and run by a scheduler and workers, with a web interface for watching runs and logs. It is free to download and run yourself, with managed versions sold by other companies.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Apache Airflow, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Workflows are written in Python and you install and operate it yourself.
- 1
Best for scheduling Python workflows you host yourself
Airflow schedules and monitors workflows you write in Python, and it costs nothing to download.
- 2
It is free
Apache Airflow has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
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.
- 5
Web interface
A web application shows the status and logs of running and finished tasks, and lets you schedule and manage workflows.
- 6
Scalable architecture
A modular design with a message queue lets Airflow spread work over any number of workers.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 90 of 134
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Apache Airflow is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Apache Airflow at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Apache Software Foundation
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for scheduling Python workflows you host yourself
Airflow schedules and monitors workflows you write in Python, and it costs nothing to download. You install, upgrade, secure and scale it yourself, there's no visual builder and no paid support plan, so it suits people who are comfortable running their own servers.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No 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. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright with no caps from the project. The cost is the hosting, not the software. |
| Features | C | Scheduling, 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. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. Workflows are written in Python and you install and operate it yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web interface, with integrations for Google Cloud, AWS and Azure. No phone apps and no desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Apache Airflow is for
- Fits if you write Python and already run your own servers
- Works for teams that want workflows defined as code with no licence fee
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Python-literate data teams that want full control of their orchestrator
- Organizations that need free software with a large provider ecosystem
- Teams happy to run it themselves or buy a managed Airflow service
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Apache Airflow is free to use.
No licence fee, but it only runs if you host it, so you pay for a server and someone's time.
Open source
$0
Apache-2.0 licensed software you install and run yourself; hosting and operations costs are yours.
Read from airflow.apache.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source platform for authoring and scheduling workflows in Python. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation.
Scheduling, monitoring and a large set of integrations for clouds.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Google Cloud
- Amazon Web Services
- Microsoft Azure
Apache Airflow is made by Apache Software Foundation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
90/134
Other automation tools it is graded above
Apache Airflow's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 90 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 23.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 124 of 134) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Apache Airflow has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 135 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apache Airflow’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 22 of 134
- AFree plan and trialAbove 124 of 134
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 134
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 134
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 39 of 134
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 80 automation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apache Airflow is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Apache Airflow is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 90 of the 134 other automation tools we grade.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
What this rests on. Apache Airflow’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Prefect, Dagster, Astronomer, Kestra and Windmill
The 5 tools Apache Airflow is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Prefect
Free plan · from $100/mo
Python workflow orchestration with an open-source core and a cloud.
- Prefect also covers AI agents.
- 2.0GPA
Dagster
Free trial · from $10/mo
Asset-based data orchestration platform, now part of Prefect.
- Apache Airflow has a free plan. Dagster does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dagster also covers dashboards.
- 1.8GPA
Astronomer
Free trial · from $0.35
Managed Apache Airflow platform (Astro) with usage-based pricing.
- Apache Airflow has a free plan. Astronomer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Apache Airflow is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Astronomer also covers AI agents and dashboards.
- 2.4GPA
Kestra
Free plan
Open-source workflow orchestration platform defined in YAML.
- 2.6GPA
Windmill
Free plan · from $10/mo
Open-source platform for scripts, workflows and internal apps.
- Windmill also covers AI agents and app builder.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Apache Airflow free?
Yes. Apache Airflow is free to use.
How much does Apache Airflow cost?
Apache Airflow lists one plan. Open source: $0.
What platforms does Apache Airflow work on?
Apache Airflow is available on Web.
Does Apache Airflow have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Apache Airflow is listed for Web.
Does Apache Airflow have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Apache Airflow is listed for Web.
Is Apache Airflow open source?
Yes. Apache Airflow is open source, according to its own site.
Does Apache Airflow have an API?
Yes. Apache Airflow offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Apache Airflow integrate with?
Apache Airflow's listing names Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
Who makes Apache Airflow?
Apache Airflow is made by Apache Software Foundation.
What are the alternatives to Apache Airflow?
The closest alternatives to Apache Airflow in our directory are Prefect, Dagster, Astronomer, Kestra and Windmill.
How does Apache Airflow compare with other automation tools?
Apache Airflow's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 90 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 23.
Is Apache Airflow good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Apache Airflow C for value for money. Apache Airflow has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Apache Airflow?
Apache Airflow is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apache Airflow’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apache Airflow's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apache Software Foundation. Prices change, so check airflow.apache.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Apache Airflow, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/apache-airflow
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Apache Airflow: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apache-airflow
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apache-airflow/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Apache Airflow, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 135 automation tools we grade, compared
- Knime Insider's GuideOpen-source visual workflows for data analysis and automation3.2 GPA
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apache Airflow’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apache Airflow is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apache Software Foundation. Prices and plans change: check airflow.apache.org before you buy.