Astronomer vs Prefect Pricing (2026)

Which one is cheaper?

One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.

Can I use either one for free?

Prefect has a free plan. Astronomer doesn't — though they do offer a free trial.

How do they charge?

Different approach here. Astronomer uses usage-based pricing, while Prefect goes with hybrid. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. Astronomer: Astronomer sits in the premium band of the managed-Airflow space — this isn't a scrappy open-source wrapper, it's the commercial layer for teams already committed to Airflow at scale. They're not competing on sticker price; they're competing for enterprises that want a vendor to own the operational headache of running Airflow reliably. Prefect: At $100/mo entry for paid plans, Prefect sits mid-pack — pricier than bare-bones workflow tools but well below heavyweight enterprise data orchestration platforms that gate everything behind custom quotes. They're clearly courting data teams who've outgrown open-source Prefect Core but aren't ready for a six-figure Airflow-alternative contract.

Still deciding? See the best Astronomer alternatives or the best Prefect alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.