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The StackStorm Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about StackStorm 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.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

StackStorm

The Insider’s Guide

Open-source event-driven automation for DevOps and SRE teams

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from StackStorm’s own pages.

Made by StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from StackStorm’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on StackStorm’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

StackStorm is a free, open-source automation engine that connects apps, services and workflows. Sensors watch for events, rules map those events to actions or multi-step workflows, and a web UI, command-line client and REST API are provided. It is hosted as a Linux Foundation project.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about StackStorm, taken from its own pages and our grades.

You install it on Linux, Docker or Kubernetes and write Python.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for event-driven automation for IT operations

    You install and run it yourself, there's no paid support, and custom sensors and actions are written in Python.

  2. 2

    It is free

    StackStorm has no paid plan at all.

  3. 3

    It runs on 2 platforms

    Web and Linux.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    Rules

    Rules map triggers to actions or workflows, with matching criteria and a mapping from the trigger payload to the action's inputs.

  6. 6

    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.

  7. 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. 8

    Keep it

    StackStorm is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

StackStorm at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
It is free
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web, Linux
Made by
StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC
Category
Automation
Our grade
2.4 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for event-driven automation for IT operations

StackStorm is a free, open-source automation engine where sensors watch for events, rules fire actions and workflows, and there's a web UI, ChatOps and an API. You install and run it yourself, there's no paid support, and custom sensors and actions are written in Python.

ToolGPA report cardStackStormGraded Nov 13, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyC$0 for open-source software, but you run it on your own machines. That puts it in the middle.
Free plan and trialBNo paid plan; it costs only the servers you host it on.
FeaturesBSensors, rules, workflows, packs, an audit trail, ChatOps and an API. The core job is covered.
Ease of useDNo store rating on record. You install it on Linux, Docker or Kubernetes and write Python.
Platforms and integrationsBWeb UI and Linux, with 7 integrations and an API.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.4

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 StackStorm is for

  • Fits if your IT team wants rules that react to events and run fixes automatically
  • Works for engineers comfortable writing Python sensors and actions

Who it is not for

  • 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

Good to know

Good for

  • DevOps and SRE teams automating remediation and incident response
  • Teams that want event-driven rules and ChatOps on their own infrastructure
  • Engineers comfortable writing automation as Python and YAML

Worth knowing

  • 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.

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

StackStorm is free to use.

No paid plan; it costs only the servers you host it on.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Open source

    $0

    Free software you install and run yourself. The project's pages list no paid plans.

Read from stackstorm.com on Nov 13, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

2

Places it runs: Web and Linux

Open-source event-driven automation for DevOps and SRE teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation.

Sensors, rules, workflows, packs, an audit trail, ChatOps and an API.
From our grade for features
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.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • Linux

What it works with

  • Docker
  • OpenStack
  • Puppet
  • Jira
  • Sensu
  • Splunk
  • Slack

StackStorm is made by StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC.

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

StackStorm'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 (B, above 100 of 134) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).

StackStorm has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 135 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. StackStorm’s own letter is outlined.

  • CValue for moneyAbove 22 of 134
  • BFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 134
  • BFeaturesAbove 86 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. StackStorm is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$5$20$50$200$500$2k$5kMore for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessStackStormIFTTTNode-RED

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

StackStorm 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.
  • A real app for Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: audit logs.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. StackStorm’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

Rundeck, Kestra, Tines, Apache Airflow and Argo Workflows

The 5 tools StackStorm is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

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 StackStorm free?

Yes. StackStorm is free to use.

How much does StackStorm cost?

StackStorm lists one plan. Open source: $0.

What platforms does StackStorm work on?

StackStorm is available on Web and Linux.

Does StackStorm have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. StackStorm is listed for Web and Linux.

Does StackStorm have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. StackStorm is listed for Web and Linux.

Is StackStorm open source?

Yes. StackStorm is open source, according to its own site.

Does StackStorm have an API?

Yes. StackStorm offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does StackStorm integrate with?

StackStorm's listing names Docker, OpenStack, Puppet, Jira, Sensu, Splunk and Slack.

Who makes StackStorm?

StackStorm is made by StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC.

What are the alternatives to StackStorm?

The closest alternatives to StackStorm in our directory are Rundeck, Kestra, Tines, Apache Airflow and Argo Workflows.

How does StackStorm compare with other automation tools?

StackStorm's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 90 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 23.

Is StackStorm good value for money?

ToolGPA grades StackStorm C for value for money. StackStorm has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of StackStorm?

StackStorm 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 StackStorm’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 the StackStorm project'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 StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC. Prices change, so check stackstorm.com 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

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, "StackStorm: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stackstorm

Know someone choosing between automation tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stackstorm/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded automation tools after StackStorm, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what StackStorm’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. StackStorm is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by StackStorm, a Series of LF Projects, LLC. Prices and plans change: check stackstorm.com before you buy.