Dagster vs n8n: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

Dagster

Modern Data Orchestration Platform

ETL Workflow Automation+1 more

n8n

Visual Workflow Automation with Code

Project Management AI Productivity+3 more

Dagster

Modern Data Orchestration Platform

ETL Workflow Automation+1 more

n8n

Visual Workflow Automation with Code

Project Management AI Productivity+3 more

Dagster

Dagster is a tool that helps organize and run your data workflows automatically. Think of it as a smart manager for all your data tasks. Instead of manually running scripts or remembering which files depend on others, Dagster handles this for you.

What makes Dagster different is how it thinks about data. It tracks your tables, files, and models as important items (called assets) rather than just focusing on the jobs that create them. This helps you see how all your data connects together.

The platform includes features for testing your code before it goes live, checking data quality automatically, and showing you how much your data processes cost. You can use it on your own servers or in the cloud through their managed service.

n8n

n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform that uniquely combines visual building with custom coding capabilities. Think of it as a powerful middle ground between simple automation tools and complex programming frameworks.

The platform uses a node-based visual editor where each node represents a specific action like sending emails, updating databases, or calling APIs. You can connect these nodes to create workflows that automate repetitive tasks across hundreds of different apps and services. What makes n8n special is its flexibility – when visual building isn't enough, you can write JavaScript or Python code directly in the workflow.

Founded in 2019, n8n has gained popularity among technical teams because of its fair-code license model, which ensures the source code remains visible and allows self-hosting. The platform serves over 200,000 active users and 3,000+ enterprise customers worldwide, making it one of the most trusted automation tools for developers and technical teams.

Features of Dagster and n8n

Dagster

Asset-based data orchestration and tracking
Local testing and development environment
Automatic data quality validation checks
Integration with dbt, Snowflake, and other tools
Real-time data lineage visualization
Built-in cost tracking and monitoring
Schedule automation with smart triggers
Python-native development experience
Branch deployments for safe testing
Built-in data catalog and metadata

n8n

Visual workflow builder with 400+ integrations
Native AI capabilities and LangChain support
Self-hosting and cloud deployment options
JavaScript/Python coding when needed
Advanced debugging and testing tools
900+ community workflow templates
Enterprise security with SOC2 compliance
Git-based version control
High-performance execution (220 workflows/second)
Webhook triggers and cron scheduling

Use Cases of Dagster and n8n

Dagster

Workflow Automation Data Pipeline Building Job Scheduling Data Quality Management

n8n

Workflow Automation Repetitive Task Automation App Integration AI Agent Building AI Workflow Creation API Integration API Workflow Automation Code Writing Process Automation Custom Integration Building

Pricing of Dagster and n8n

Dagster

Dagster offers flexible pricing to match different team sizes and needs. There is also an open-source version you can run yourself for free if you have technical resources.

The Solo Plan costs $10 per month and is perfect for individual developers or small projects. You get 7,500 credits monthly, support for one user, one code location, and one deployment. This includes a 30-day free trial to test everything out.

The Starter Plan is $100 per month and designed for small teams getting serious about data pipelines. It includes 30,000 credits monthly, up to 3 users, 5 code locations, and the Catalog Search feature. Like Solo, it comes with a 30-day free trial.

For larger organizations, the Pro Plan requires contacting their sales team for custom pricing. This tier offers unlimited code locations and deployments, cost tracking tools, personalized support when getting started, a private Slack channel for assistance, uptime guarantees, and custom security reviews.

n8n

n8n offers flexible pricing to fit different needs and deployment preferences. The Community Edition is completely free and open-source, perfect for self-hosting with unlimited workflows.

For cloud hosting, n8n provides several plans:

Starter Plan – €20 per month (€24 monthly, €20 annually) with 2,500 workflow executions and 5 active workflows
Pro Plan – €50 per month (€60 monthly, €50 annually) with 10,000 executions and 15 active workflows
Enterprise Plan – Custom pricing with unlimited executions, advanced security features, dedicated support, and compliance tools

Special offer: Startup plan available for companies with up to 20 employees and under $5M funding.

Unlike competitors that charge per operation or task, n8n charges per complete workflow execution, making costs predictable regardless of workflow complexity. A single workflow with 100 steps costs the same as one with 5 steps, offering significant savings for complex automations.