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Trigger.dev
Open-source platform from Y Combinator's Winter 2023 batch for running long-running background jobs and AI agents in TypeScript, with retries, queues, and observability.
TypeScript teams that need long-running AI tasks and background jobs with retries, human-in-the-loop steps, and real-time streaming to the frontend.
Teams working mainly in Python or Go, or buyers that need SOC 2 reports and a BAA on a small plan.
Verdict
Trigger.dev is worth using for TypeScript teams that need reliable long-running jobs and AI agents without managing workers. Its open-source license and self-hosting option reduce lock-in. Teams outside the TypeScript ecosystem should look at language-agnostic tools.
Score Breakdown
How Trigger.dev scores in the categories that matter to its buyers.
Pricing
Trigger.dev publishes plan prices that include monthly usage credits, plus compute and per-run rates.
| Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 / month | $5 in monthly credits |
| Hobby | $10 / month | $10 in monthly credits |
| Pro | $50 / month | $50 in monthly credits |
| Enterprise | Custom | |
| Runs | $0.25 per 10,000 runs | Plus compute by machine size |
| HIPAA BAA | $500 / month | On request |
The Field at a Glance
How Trigger.dev compares with other workflow orchestration vendors we reviewed, by Overall Score and relative typical engagement cost.
Trigger.dev scores 8.0 in workflow orchestration, under Temporal (8.7) and Inngest (8.1), and ahead of Camunda (7.6), n8n (7.5), and Prefect (7.4). Relative cost lands lower for this subcategory.
Use-case matrix
| Use case | Fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No run time limits | Strong | Runs can last minutes, hours, or longer. |
| Retries and queues | Strong | Durable execution survives crashes. |
| Realtime streaming | Strong | Stream run output to the frontend. |
| Open source | Strong | Apache 2.0, self-hostable. |
| Languages | Mixed | Built for TypeScript projects. |
| Compliance on small plans | Mixed | A BAA costs $500 a month. |
Who it’s for
Good fit
- TypeScript and Next.js teams
- AI agent builders
- Startups replacing cron and queue setups
Poor fit
- Python-first data teams
- Teams needing cheap HIPAA coverage
- Very simple scheduled scripts
Review Excerpts
Below are excerpts from public reviews. Our team scoured public reviews, forums, and chat rooms to get a balanced view of customers' experience with this company. Paid reviews and pay-for-play sites such as Clutch were excluded.
“We run millions of workflows a month on Trigger.dev: orchestration, calendar sync, an AI agent for phishing, fraud, and billing.”
“Trigger.dev is one of those tools that you set up once (takes like 30 minutes) and then never have to worry about again. We use it heavily at Magic Patterns and wish we used it earlier.”
Trigger.dev is built for TypeScript projects, so teams working mainly in other languages get less from it, and a HIPAA BAA adds $500 a month.
Company Facts
- Founded
- 2022 (Y Combinator)
- Location
- London, United Kingdom (Y Combinator)
- Employees
- About 17 (Y Combinator)
- Latest funding
- Series A led by Standard Capital (Trigger.dev)
- Accelerator
- Y Combinator, Winter 2023 batch (Y Combinator)
- Website
- trigger.dev
Key Leadership
Matt Aitken
Co-founder and CEO
Methodology
This page is an independent evaluation of Trigger.dev for buyers comparing options in workflow orchestration. AI Industry Reviews accepts no sponsorships, advertising, or pay-for-placement fees. Trigger.dev did not pay for this review.
What we scored
The headline number is an Overall Score on a 0-10 scale. Eight criteria sit under it in two groups.
- Buyer outcomes (for workflow orchestration)
- TypeScript developer experience
- Long-running AI tasks
- Open source and self-hosting
- Language coverage
- Company & commercial
- Innovation & product leadership
- Project management & communication
- Pricing
- Contract fairness
Pricing measures whether the price looks fair for the value delivered, including packaging and renewal friction that show up in real buying cycles.
Score Composition
| Input | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 40% | A proprietary read of what practitioners say about likes, complaints, and day-to-day use, including public review sites, forums, and private chat rooms. Paid reviews and pay-for-play sites such as Clutch are out of scope. |
| Product | 35% | Hands-on look at screens and workflows. |
| Pricing | 15% | Whether the price looks fair for what you get. |
| Docs & training | 10% | Docs, tutorials, and training material. |
How we balanced the evidence
The Overall Score is the simple average of the eight criteria. Recommendation language follows that score and the fit pattern described above.
Scope
Trigger.dev is graded here as workflow orchestration. Criteria scores can move as more review volume and product checks are added.