Activepieces vs Trigger.dev
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Activepieces
Open-source no-code business automation
VS
Trigger.dev
Open-source background jobs and workflows for code
| Feature | Activepieces | Trigger.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 24,701 | ★ 16,387 |
| First released | 2022 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Zapier |
What are Activepieces and Trigger.dev?
Activepieces
Activepieces is an open-source, no-code automation tool for building workflows that connect business apps. It targets teams wanting an open Zapier alternative with an accessible UI. It is deployed via Docker.
- No-code flow builder
- Growing library of pieces
- AI-assisted automation
- MIT-licensed core
Trigger.dev
Trigger.dev is an open-source platform for writing long-running background jobs and workflows directly in code with no timeouts. It targets developers building reliable async tasks. It is deployed via Docker.
- Background jobs written in code
- No execution timeouts
- Built-in retries and observability
- Scheduling and webhooks
Activepieces vs Trigger.dev: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Activepieces versus Apache-2.0 for Trigger.dev. Activepieces is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Trigger.dev.
Why pick each one
Choose Activepieces if…
- Truly open-source license
- Friendly no-code UI
- Active development
Watch out for
- Fewer integrations than n8n
- Younger project
Choose Trigger.dev if…
- Code-first and developer friendly
- Reliable long-running tasks
- Good observability
Watch out for
- Aimed at developers only
- Requires Postgres and Redis
Frequently asked questions
Is Activepieces or Trigger.dev better?
Neither is universally better. Activepieces has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Activepieces and Trigger.dev free and open-source?
Yes. Activepieces is licensed under MIT and Trigger.dev under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Activepieces and Trigger.dev with Docker?
Activepieces: yes. Trigger.dev: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Activepieces or Trigger.dev?
Activepieces has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Trigger.dev. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.