Kestra vs Luigi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Kestra
Declarative orchestration and scheduling platform
VS
Luigi
Python module for building complex batch job pipelines
| Feature | Kestra | Luigi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 27,575 | ★ 18,762 |
| First released | 2021 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | AWS Step Functions |
Why pick each one
Choose Kestra if…
- Strong for data orchestration
- Scalable architecture
- Open-source license
Frequently asked questions
Is Kestra or Luigi better?
Neither is universally better. Kestra has the larger community, while Luigi is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Kestra and Luigi free and open-source?
Yes. Kestra is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Luigi under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kestra and Luigi with Docker?
Kestra: yes. Luigi: check the project docs for container support.