Overview

Dagu is an open-source workflow engine for defining DAGs in YAML and managing runs, logs, and retries through a web interface. It runs as a single binary, locally or across distributed workers, without an external database or message broker. That makes it a practical option for teams seeking workflow orchestration without adding those services to their deployment.

The core is licensed under GNU GPL v3.0. Paid licenses add security and support controls to self-hosted servers, so Dagu can serve both individual operators and teams that need more formal access management.

Key features

Workflow steps can run shell scripts, Docker containers, SSH commands, SQL queries, HTTP requests, chat completion steps, and Agent Harness steps. This range is useful when jobs already live in different tools and formats; Dagu can coordinate them without requiring every task to be rebuilt as a single type of step.

Cron scheduling supports timezones, catchup windows, and policies for overlapping runs. Retry policies, zombie detection, lifecycle handlers, and notifications provide further controls for managing execution and responding to run conditions. Dependencies and event triggers allow workflows to extend beyond a fixed schedule, while cross-platform execution broadens where they can run.

Built-in integration actions cover HTTP, mail, SSH, SFTP, Git, S3, Redis, LLM, browser, computer, SQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and DuckDB. Dagu also supports MCP connections from Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, Zed, and Cline. Together, these options make it relevant to teams connecting operational jobs with data stores, services, and AI clients.

The built-in web UI brings run management, logs, and retries together. For teams that need identity and accountability controls, Team and Pro add SSO through OIDC, role-based access control, audit logging, incident routing, and support. The Community edition is more limited administratively, with a cap of two API keys.

Pricing

Dagu uses a freemium model, with a free plan, paid licenses from $50.00 USD per month, and a 14-day free self-host license trial that requires no credit card.

Plan	Price	What it includes
Community	0.00 USD per free; free forever	Unlimited servers and workers, with up to 2 API keys.
Team	50.00 USD per month; $50 / mo or $500 / yr, save 2 months	3 self-host Dagu server licenses, unlimited workers, SSO (OIDC), RBAC, audit logging, standard support, and incident routing.
Pro	150.00 USD per month; $150 / mo or $1,500 / yr, save 2 months	15 self-host Dagu server licenses, unlimited workers, SSO (OIDC), RBAC, audit logging, standard support, and incident routing.
Enterprise	Custom pricing	Custom licensed server allotment and priority support.

Community is the clear fit for individual use or teams that can operate without more than two API keys and paid support. Team adds the access, audit, and incident controls for three licensed servers; Pro offers the same controls for up to 15. Both paid plans include unlimited workers, but their server-license allotments differ. Enterprise is the option for a custom allotment and priority support. Team and Pro support is standard, and support is handled directly by Dagu's maintainer.

Documentation, GitHub Issues, and Discord are open to everyone, with community help provided on a best-effort basis. The trial provides a short evaluation window for the self-hosted license without requiring card details.

Platforms

Dagu supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. Its single-binary deployment and distributed-worker support suit operators who want to choose between local execution and a broader worker setup.

Who it's for

Dagu is best suited to operators and teams that want to define workflows in YAML, reuse existing scripts and services, and retain control through self-hosting. The Community plan will appeal to those who need unlimited servers and workers but can work within the two-API-key cap. Teams that need SSO, RBAC, audit logs, incident routing, or direct standard support should budget for Team or Pro. It is less compelling for buyers who want those controls without a paid license.

Pros and cons

Pros

Modest deployment footprint: A single binary runs locally or across distributed workers without an external database or message broker.
Broad execution and integration options: Workflows can combine scripts, containers, commands, queries, requests, and a wide set of built-in actions.
Generous free infrastructure allowance: Community includes unlimited servers and workers, useful for self-hosters who do not need more than two API keys.
Paid team controls are clear: Team and Pro include SSO, RBAC, audit logging, and incident routing alongside unlimited workers.

Cons

Community has an API-key ceiling: The free plan allows up to two, which may constrain teams with more clients or integrations.
Administrative controls require payment: SSO, RBAC, audit logging, and incident routing are reserved for Team and Pro.
Paid plans limit licensed servers: Team covers three and Pro 15, so deployments needing more must consider Enterprise custom pricing.
Community support is best effort: Those needing standard support must choose a paid plan; priority support is limited to Enterprise.

Alternatives

Consider Kestra if a free workflow platform under the Apache 2.0 license better fits your licensing preference.

Rundeck is another freemium option with a free community plan; its Community plan is for small teams and requires registration.

Choose Windmill if its free and open-source plan's workspace and user allowances better match your needs: it includes 3 workspaces and 50 users, among other caps.

Argo Workflows is a free, open-source workflow engine for Kubernetes, making it the alternative to consider when Kubernetes is central to the choice.

HCL Workload Automation is an enterprise workload automation option with a free trial.

Apache Airflow is free to download and use under the Apache License, and may suit readers who prefer that open-source option.

Temporal offers usage-based pricing with no base monthly fee and $150 in free credits for 90 days, an alternative for readers who prefer that pricing model.

ActiveBatch is a paid alternative with a free trial.

Browse Workload Automation Software for more options in the category.

Verdict

Choose Dagu if you want self-hosted YAML workflows, broad execution options, and a deployment that does not depend on an external database or broker. Its main advantage is combining that lean setup with unlimited Community servers and workers; look elsewhere if you need SSO, audit logs, or incident routing without a paid license, or if your server count outgrows the paid tiers.

	Automic Automation	Dagu
Free plan		Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from		$50/mo
Platforms	api, Linux, self-hosted, Web	api, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows
Deployment	hybrid	hybrid
Workflow dependencies	Yes	Yes
Event triggers	Yes	Yes
Cross-platform execution	Yes	Yes
SLA monitoring	Yes
Audit logs	Yes	Yes
Free plan		Yes
Paid from		50 /mo

Automic Automation vs Dagu

Automic Automation

Dagu