Trigger.dev vs Windmill
Short answer
Trigger.dev: Platform for background jobs, scheduled tasks and long-running AI agent workflows written in TypeScript. Windmill: Open-source developer platform for scripts, workflows, AI agents and internal apps, self-hostable. Both are in our Workflow automation with AI category.
Choose Trigger.dev if you want: fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Open core).
Windmill publishes no official RAM figure, so we cannot compare hosting cost directly.
Last updated · computed from each project's official docs and live GitHub data · sources
Trigger.dev vs Windmill side by side
| Trigger.dev | Windmill | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Workflow automation with AI | Workflow automation with AI |
| What it is | Platform for background jobs, scheduled tasks and long-running AI agent workflows written in TypeScript. | Open-source developer platform for scripts, workflows, AI agents and internal apps, self-hostable. |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms |
| License type | Permissive | Open core |
| License conditions | Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep license and notices. | The source without the "enterprise" flag is AGPLv3 (clients and OpenAPI spec Apache-2.0). The official Community Edition images include proprietary code: free to use internally and redistribute as is, but not to sell, offer as a managed service, modify or wrap. Embedding it in a product you sell needs a commercial license. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| GitHub stars | 16.7k | 18.4k |
| Last commit | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
| Latest release | v4.8.3 | v1.860.0 |
| Minimum hardware | 3 vCPU · 6 GB RAM | Not published |
| Recommended hardware | Not published | Not published |
| RAM measured by us | Not tested yet | Not tested yet |
| GPU | Not required / not stated | Not required / not stated |
| Est. server cost | from €35.99/mo | Not estimated |
| Deploy method | Docker Compose | Docker Compose |
| Known gotchas | 4 listed | 4 listed |
| Telemetry | Not documented | On by default |
| Calls home by default | Not documented | Not documented |
| SSO (OIDC / SAML / LDAP) | Not documented | Free with limits (OIDC free with limits · SAML paid) |
| Audit log | Not documented | Basic free, more in paid plan |
| RBAC | Not documented | Basic free, more in paid plan |
| Details | Full Trigger.dev guide → | Full Windmill guide → |
Key differences
- License: Trigger.dev: Apache-2.0 (Permissive). Windmill: AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms (Open core).
- Official hardware: Trigger.dev: minimum 3 vCPU · 6 GB RAM. Windmill: not published.
- Est. server cost: Trigger.dev: from €35.99/mo. Windmill: not estimated (no official RAM figure).
- GitHub stars: Trigger.dev: 16.7k. Windmill: 18.4k.
- Last commit: Trigger.dev: Oct 31, 2026. Windmill: Nov 4, 2026.
- Latest release: Trigger.dev: v4.8.3 (Oct 30, 2026). Windmill: v1.860.0 (Nov 3, 2026).
Same for both: Category: Workflow automation with AI; GPU: not required or not stated; Deploy: Docker Compose · multi-container stack; Status: Active.
Trigger.dev vs Windmill: FAQ
Trigger.dev or Windmill: which should a small business choose?
Choose Trigger.dev if you want: fewer license conditions (Permissive vs Open core). Windmill publishes no official RAM figure, so we cannot compare hosting cost directly.
Which is cheaper to self-host, Trigger.dev or Windmill?
Trigger.dev: from €35.99/mo. Windmill: not estimated (no official RAM figure). Our estimate is the cheapest Hetzner Cloud plan that meets each project's official RAM and vCPU figure; it covers the server only.
How much hardware do Trigger.dev and Windmill need?
Trigger.dev: minimum 3 vCPU · 6 GB RAM. Windmill: not published.
What is the license difference between Trigger.dev and Windmill?
Trigger.dev: Apache-2.0 (Permissive). Permissive. Internal and commercial use allowed; keep license and notices. Windmill: AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms (Open core). The source without the "enterprise" flag is AGPLv3 (clients and OpenAPI spec Apache-2.0). The official Community Edition images include proprietary code: free to use internally and redistribute as is, but not to sell, offer as a managed service, modify or wrap. Embedding it in a product you sell needs a commercial license. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Is Trigger.dev or Windmill more actively maintained?
Trigger.dev: Active, last commit Oct 31, 2026. Windmill: Active, last commit Nov 4, 2026. GitHub data refreshed Nov 4, 2026.
Which is easier to deploy, Trigger.dev or Windmill?
Trigger.dev installs via Docker Compose (multi-container stack); Windmill via Docker Compose (multi-container stack). Trigger.dev lists 4 known gotchas and Windmill lists 4; see each app page.
Related
- Trigger.dev self-hosting guide · Windmill self-hosting guide
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Sources
- Trigger.dev GitHub repository: github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev
- Trigger.dev documentation: trigger.dev/docs/self-hosting/overview
- Trigger.dev license: github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev/blob/main/LICENSE
- Trigger.dev hardware requirements, Trigger.dev deploy instructions: trigger.dev/docs/self-hosting/docker
- Windmill GitHub repository: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill
- Windmill documentation: www.windmill.dev/docs/
- Windmill license: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill/blob/main/LICENSE
- Windmill hardware requirements: www.windmill.dev/docs/advanced/self_host
- Windmill deploy instructions: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill#docker-compose
- Hetzner Cloud pricing used for cost estimates (read 2026-11-01): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub REST API (stars, commits, releases): docs.github.com/en/rest
Every value is generated from the same verified data as the app pages. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.