Best Prefect Alternatives in 2025
Prefect is a modern workflow orchestrator, but it may not be right for everyone. Here are the best alternatives.
Top Prefect Alternatives
1. ShedBoxAI (Recommended)
Best for: Teams wanting simplicity over Python code
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| YAML-only configuration | No visual UI |
| Built-in AI integration | Newer ecosystem |
| Zero Python required | |
| No cloud dependency |
Compare ShedBoxAI vs Prefect →
2. Dagster
Best for: Asset-centric data platforms
Similar to Prefect in many ways, but with a different mental model.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Software-defined assets | Steeper learning curve |
| Strong typing | More opinionated |
| Good dev experience |
3. Apache Airflow
Best for: Enterprise with existing investment
The original workflow orchestrator, still widely used.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Huge ecosystem | Complex setup |
| Enterprise proven | DAG complexity |
| Many operators | Heavy infrastructure |
4. Temporal
Best for: Long-running workflows
Temporal excels at durable execution and complex workflow patterns.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Durable execution | Operational complexity |
| Language agnostic | Overkill for simple tasks |
| Strong consistency |
Quick Comparison
| Feature | ShedBoxAI | Dagster | Airflow | Temporal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | YAML | Python | Python | Code |
| Complexity | Low | Medium | High | High |
| AI Built-in | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cloud Required | No | No | No | Yes |
Getting Started with ShedBoxAI
pip install shedboxai
shedboxai run config.yaml