Dagu

Dagu is a YAML-based workflow engine for teams that want to orchestrate scripts, services and scheduled jobs on infrastructure they manage. Its strongest case is broad execution support in a compact self-hosted deployment; the trade-off is that SSO, access controls and audit logs require a paid license.

Overview

Dagu runs as a single binary, locally or across distributed workers, without an external database or message broker. That keeps the deployment footprint lean, while a built-in web UI brings run management, logs and retries together. The GNU General Public License v3.0 makes the core open source, and places Dagu in Workload Automation Software.

This is a practical fit for teams with existing commands and services to coordinate, especially those that prefer self-hosting. It is less compelling for organizations that need administrative controls on a free license.

Key features

YAML DAG workflows can run shell scripts, Docker containers, SSH commands, SQL queries, HTTP requests, chat completion steps and Agent Harness steps. That variety lets teams connect existing work rather than recast every task into a single execution format. Workflow dependencies, event triggers and cross-platform execution add flexibility beyond a simple cron runner.

Cron scheduling supports timezones, catchup windows and overlap policies. Retry policies, zombie detection, lifecycle handlers and notifications address failure handling and run coordination, useful for workloads that need more than a start time and a command.

Built-in actions span 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. The breadth is a strength for mixed workflows, though it does not remove the need to operate the self-hosted engine.

Pricing

Community is free, billed Free forever, and includes unlimited servers and workers but only up to 2 API keys. That is a substantial no-cost option for individual or small deployments; the key cap can be restrictive when more clients need API access.

Team costs $50 a month, billed $50 / mo or $500 / yr · Save 2 months. It covers 3 self-host Dagu server licenses and unlimited workers, adding SSO (OIDC), RBAC, audit logging, standard support and incident routing. It suits teams that need governance across a few servers.

Pro costs $150 a month, billed $150 / mo or $1,500 / yr · Save 2 months. It includes 15 self-host server licenses, unlimited workers and the same listed controls and standard support as Team. The higher tier is for organizations that need a larger licensed server allotment, not a different set of listed controls.

Enterprise has custom pricing, a custom licensed server allotment and priority support. A free self-host license trial lasts 14 days and requires no credit card. Community support through documentation, GitHub Issues and Discord is best effort; paid support is handled directly by Dagu's maintainer.

Platforms

Dagu supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows. The single-binary deployment and distributed-worker option make it suitable for teams managing their own execution environment across platforms.

Who it's for

Choose Dagu if you want open-source workflow definitions, broad task types and run visibility in a self-hosted system without adding a database or message broker. The free plan is a sensible starting point when two API keys are enough. Teams that need SSO, role-based access, audit logging or incident routing should budget for Team or Pro; organizations requiring priority support can consider Enterprise.

Dagu's privacy policy says hosted-service data is on Google Cloud Platform and protected with encryption in transit and at rest, access controls and tenant isolation safeguards. That statement concerns the hosted service; it does not change the operational responsibility that comes with self-hosting.

Pros and cons

Lean deployment: a single binary works locally or across distributed workers without an external database or message broker.

Broad workflow scope: scripts, containers, remote commands, queries, HTTP and numerous built-in integrations can be combined in YAML workflows.

Useful free tier: unlimited servers and workers cost nothing forever, but the allowance stops at 2 API keys.

Paid governance: Team and Pro add SSO, RBAC, audit logs and incident routing, but these controls are not part of Community.

Support varies by tier: community help is best effort, while standard support comes with Team and Pro and priority support with Enterprise.

Alternatives

Kestra is worth comparing if you want a free workflow platform released under the Apache 2.0 license.

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

Windmill may fit better if its Free and Open-source plan's published workspace, user, storage and guest-app allowances match your needs.

Argo Workflows is a free, open-source workflow engine for Kubernetes, a better direction when Kubernetes is the defining environment.

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

ActiveBatch may suit buyers seeking a paid product with a no-obligation quote and execution-agent licensing.

Temporal offers a usage-based Pay-As-You-Go option with no base monthly fee, a contrast for readers weighing consumption pricing against Dagu's fixed license tiers.

Apache Airflow is a free Apache-licensed option for teams that prefer its workflow engine.

Verdict

Dagu is a strong choice for teams that want to self-host YAML workflows and coordinate varied jobs without operating a separate database or broker. Its open-source Community plan keeps entry costs at zero, but the 2-key ceiling and paid-only governance features make Team the more realistic choice once access control and auditability matter. Look elsewhere if your requirements or preferred operating model point to another workflow platform.