dbt Labs vs Prefect Pricing (2026)

Price is one row. To weigh the features too, use our feature comparison template →

Which one is cheaper?

They both start at the same price — $100/mo. The difference is in what you get at each tier.

Can I use either one for free?

Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.

How do they charge?

Both use a hybrid model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. dbt Labs: dbt Labs isn't competing on price — the free Developer tier is a land-and-expand move, not a signal they're the budget option. They're positioning as the category-defining standard for analytics engineering, so the real competition is convincing teams to pay for orchestration and governance instead of duct-taping open-source dbt Core themselves. 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 dbt Labs alternatives or the best Prefect alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.