Bee-Queue vs Graphile Worker
Bee-Queue
github.comGraphile Worker
worker.graphile.orgSide by side
| Figure | Bee-Queue | Graphile Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $25/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 7 |
| Spec score · Task Queue Software | 7.6 (#24) | 9.1 (#1) |
| Intended use | It is designed to power distributed worker pools and focuses on short, real-time jobs. | The maker describes Graphile Worker as a simple-to-maintain queue for regular organizations and says it is not intended to replace dedicated queues at Facebook scale. |
| License | The repository includes an MIT license that grants permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, sublicense, and sell copies of the software. | The core Graphile Worker project is released under the MIT license. |
| Purpose | Bee-Queue is a job/task queue for Node.js, backed by Redis. | Graphile Worker stores jobs in PostgreSQL and executes them on Node.js so background work does not hold up application responses. |
| Requirements | The README says Redis 2.8 or later is required and recommends Redis 3.2 or later because of a delay issue with older versions. | The current release requires PostgreSQL 12 or newer and Node.js 22.18 or newer. |
| Scheduling | Jobs can be scheduled to run after a specified time. | Recurring tasks can use crontab-like scheduling with optional backfill. |
| Security | The repository's Security and quality navigation shows 0. | The connection documentation describes SSL-encrypted PostgreSQL connections and CA certificate configuration. |
Plans
Graphile Worker
- Graphile WorkerFree
- Graphile Worker OSSFree
- Worker Pro launch offer$25 a month
- Worker Pro Launch Offer$25 a month
- Worker Pro regular price$100 a month
- Worker Pro regular pricing$100 a month
- Private Advisor sponsorship$899 a month
In their own words
Graphile Worker
Graphile Worker stores jobs in PostgreSQL and runs them on Node.js, so background work does not hold up application responses. It is free and open source under the MIT license, and is self-hosted in standalone or embedded mode, including within an application server's Node.js process. Jobs execute at least once, and failed jobs are retried automatically with exponential backoff. Recurring tasks can use crontab-like schedules with optional backfill; other controls include de-duplication by unique job_key and batch jobs that append data to queued jobs. The feature list says execution typically begins in under 3ms using PostgreSQL LISTEN/NOTIFY. The current version requires PostgreSQL 12+ and Node 22.18+. Installation is supported through npm, Yarn or pnpm, and global installation is not recommended. Database connections can use SSL encryption and CA certificate configuration. Community help is available through Graphile Discord, with professional support contracts also offered. Worker Pro adds crashed-worker recovery and live migration to new Worker versions.