The Dagster Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Dagster 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.
Dagster
The Insider’s Guide
Asset-based data orchestration platform, now part of Prefect
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Dagster’s own pages.
Made by Prefect Technologies, Inc. · 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 Dagster’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Dagster’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
2.0
GPA, above 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade
Dagster is an orchestration platform for data pipelines built around assets: the tables, files and models a pipeline produces. Its core framework is open source and can be self-hosted, and Dagster+ is the hosted product with a catalog, data quality checks and cost insights. The site says Dagster is now part of Prefect.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Dagster, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You define pipelines as Python code and run or host a code location, which is a developer's setup, not a click-through one.
- 1
Best for Python data pipelines built around assets
Dagster orchestrates data pipelines written in Python, organised around the tables and files they produce.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month plus $0.040 per credit (Solo).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial with access to everything Dagster offers
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Asset-based orchestration
Pipelines are modeled as assets with dependencies, alongside workflow-based orchestration for work that is not tied to a data asset.
- 6
Data catalog and lineage
Asset metadata, asset-level lineage and, on Starter and above, catalog search; column lineage is listed on the comparison table.
- 7
Data quality checks
Asset checks, freshness policies and dbt test integration surface the health of each asset.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 26 of 134
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Dagster you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Dagster at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $10 per month plus $0.040 per credit (Solo)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial with access to everything Dagster offers
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Prefect Technologies, Inc.
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for Python data pipelines built around assets
Dagster orchestrates data pipelines written in Python, organised around the tables and files they produce. There's no free hosted plan, credits are billed on top of the monthly fee, cost tracking sits on Pro, and the site now says Dagster is part of Prefect, so plans may shift.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Solo is $10 a month and Starter $100, but every asset and op also costs a credit ($0.040 or $0.035), so the bill isn't just the headline. The category's middle is $19.99. |
| Free plan and trial | C | 30-day trial with everything on, and the core framework can be self-hosted for nothing. There's no free hosted plan, so after a month you pay or run it yourself. |
| Features | C | Orchestration, catalog, data quality checks and cost insights. Cost tracking, project-level roles and several alert types are Pro only. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You define pipelines as Python code and run or host a code location, which is a developer's setup, not a click-through one. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web console with integrations for dbt, Snowflake, Databricks, AWS and Airbyte. No desktop or phone apps. |
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 Dagster is for
- Fits if your team writes Python and thinks of pipelines as tables and files
- Works for data teams that want a hosted console but can self-host the core later
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you can't write Python, as pipelines are code
- Tight if you're not paying: no free hosted plan, only a 30-day trial
- Watch out: credits are charged per asset and per op on top of $10 or $100 a month
- Watch out: the site says Dagster is now part of Prefect, so plans and branding may change
Good to know
Good for
- Data engineering teams that think in tables and models rather than tasks
- Teams running dbt, warehouse and ELT pipelines that want lineage in one place
- Individuals who want a hosted orchestrator for under $20 a month to start
Worth knowing
- Usage is billed in credits: one per asset materialized and one per op executed, on top of the monthly fee.
- There is no free hosted plan; the trial lasts 30 days, though the core framework can be self-hosted.
- Cost tracking, role scoping by project and several alert types are limited to the Pro plan.
- The site says Dagster is now part of Prefect, so plans and branding may change.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start
Dagster is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $10 per month plus $0.040 per credit (Solo).
There's no free hosted plan, so after a month you pay or run it yourself.
Solo
$10
per month, plus $0.040 per credit
1 user, 1 code location and 1 deployment for personal projects. Serverless compute is $0.010 a minute.
Starter
$100
per month, plus $0.035 per credit
Up to 3 users, 5 code locations, 1 deployment and catalog search. Serverless compute is $0.010 a minute.
Pro
Custom
Unlimited code locations and deployments, cost tracking and insights, uptime SLAs and a private Slack channel. Sold through sales.
Trying it first
30-day free trial with access to everything Dagster offers
Read from dagster.io 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
Asset-based data orchestration platform, now part of Prefect. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, workflow automation, dashboards.
Orchestration, catalog, data quality checks and cost insights.
- Asset-based orchestration
- Pipelines are modeled as assets with dependencies, alongside workflow-based orchestration for work that is not tied to a data asset.
- Data catalog and lineage
- Asset metadata, asset-level lineage and, on Starter and above, catalog search; column lineage is listed on the comparison table.
- Data quality checks
- Asset checks, freshness policies and dbt test integration surface the health of each asset.
- Insights and alerts
- Pipeline metrics with a 30-day lookback and alerts by email, Slack or Teams; cost tracking for BigQuery and Snowflake is a Pro feature.
- Hybrid or Serverless compute
- Run on Dagster Serverless, billed at $0.010 a minute, or on your own infrastructure in Hybrid mode with no compute charge from Dagster.
- Open-source core
- The core orchestration framework is open source on GitHub and can be self-hosted; Dagster+ adds branch deployments, RBAC and cost insights.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- dbt
- Snowflake
- Databricks
- AWS S3
- AWS Glue
- Airbyte
- ClickHouse
- Anthropic
Dagster is made by Prefect Technologies, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
26/134
Other automation tools it is graded above
Dagster's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 39 of 134) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $22.17 for the category: 10 of the 65 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 10 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 135 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Dagster’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 22 of 134
- CFree plan and trialAbove 38 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. Dagster 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
To replace Dagster you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 81 of the 134 other automation tools grade higher. It costs $120 a year. Dagster is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Connections that pull numbers from dozens of other services.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Dagster’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, Apache Airflow, Astronomer, Kestra and Windmill
The 5 tools Dagster 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 has a free plan. Dagster does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dagster also covers dashboards.
- Prefect also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Apache Airflow
Free
Open-source platform for authoring and scheduling workflows in Python.
- 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.
- Dagster is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Astronomer also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Kestra
Free plan
Open-source workflow orchestration platform defined in YAML.
- Kestra has a free plan. Dagster does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dagster also covers dashboards.
- 2.6GPA
Windmill
Free plan · from $10/mo
Open-source platform for scripts, workflows and internal apps.
- Windmill has a free plan. Dagster does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dagster also covers dashboards.
- 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
12
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 Dagster free?
No, Dagster is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial with access to everything Dagster offers.
How much does Dagster cost?
Dagster lists 3 plans. Solo: $10 per month, plus $0.040 per credit.
What platforms does Dagster work on?
Dagster is available on Web.
Does Dagster have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Dagster is listed for Web.
Does Dagster have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Dagster is listed for Web.
Is Dagster open source?
Yes. Dagster is open source, according to its own site.
What does Dagster integrate with?
Dagster's listing names dbt, Snowflake, Databricks, AWS S3, AWS Glue, Airbyte, ClickHouse and Anthropic.
Who makes Dagster?
Dagster is made by Prefect Technologies, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Dagster?
The closest alternatives to Dagster in our directory are Prefect, Apache Airflow, Astronomer, Kestra and Windmill.
How does Dagster compare with other automation tools?
Dagster's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 27.
Is Dagster good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Dagster C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $22.17 for the category: 10 of the 65 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Dagster?
To replace Dagster you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Dagster’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 Dagster'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 Prefect Technologies, Inc. Prices change, so check dagster.io 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
- Dagster, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dagster
- 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, "Dagster: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dagster
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dagster/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Dagster, 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 Dagster’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. Dagster is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Prefect Technologies, Inc. Prices and plans change: check dagster.io before you buy.