Head-to-head · Workflow Orchestration Software
Apache DolphinScheduler vs Google Cloud Workflows
Apache DolphinScheduler leads on 1 check, Google Cloud Workflows on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Free planonly Google Cloud Workflows
- Most featuresGoogle Cloud Workflows · 4 of 5
Apache DolphinScheduler and Google Cloud Workflows score identically on our rubric (8.9 out of 10) for workflow orchestration software; Apache DolphinScheduler sits at #6 and Google Cloud Workflows at #7 in our editorial ranking, so the choice comes down to fit.
Apache DolphinScheduler offers visual workflow builder; Google Cloud Workflows doesn't. On deployment model, Apache DolphinScheduler gives you Self-hosted where Google Cloud Workflows offers Cloud.
Apache DolphinScheduler is the better fit for open-source visual DAG orchestration. Google Cloud Workflows is the better fit for google Cloud service orchestration.
- Apache DolphinScheduler fits best
Open-source visual DAG orchestration
- Google Cloud Workflows fits best
Google Cloud service orchestration
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Side by side
| Feature | Apache DolphinScheduler 8.9/10 Visit ↗ | Google Cloud Workflows 8.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Ranking | #6 in Workflow Orchestration Software | #7 in Workflow Orchestration Software |
| Best for | Open-source visual DAG orchestration | Google Cloud service orchestration |
| Pricing model | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Open source | $0.01/unit/mo |
| Free plan | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, Linux | Web |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs | Docs |
| Integrations | 12 integrations | 16 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Apache DolphinScheduler 2/5 · Google Cloud Workflows 4/5 | ||
| Visual workflow builder | ✓ (best) | — |
| Event triggers | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Automatic retries | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Execution observability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Human approvals | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment model | Self-hosted | Cloud |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Apache DolphinScheduler is an open-source workflow orchestration platform for organizations building and operating data pipelines. Its web interface supports visual drag-and-drop DAG creation, while the Python SDK and Open API support… Read the review → |
Google Cloud Workflows is a fully managed orchestration service for defining and executing sequences across Google Cloud services, custom services, and HTTP APIs. It suits teams coordinating serverless applications, automated processes, IT… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Apache DolphinScheduler — where it wins
- Visual drag-and-drop DAG creation with complex dependencies
- Backfills, recovery, reruns, versioning, and instance history
- Broad integrations across data, infrastructure, and ML tools
Where it doesn't
- Self-managed deployment requires infrastructure ownership
- No hosted SaaS deployment model is provided
- Operational scope may exceed simple scheduling needs
Google Cloud Workflows — where it wins
- Ordered steps, branching, parallel execution, retries, and callbacks
- Eventarc triggers plus connectors for major Google Cloud products
- Step-level execution history, Cloud Logging, and Cloud Monitoring metrics
Where it doesn't
- Cloud-only deployment limits portability across environments
- Google Cloud-centric integrations may not suit multi-cloud teams
- YAML or JSON authoring lacks a visual workflow builder
- Apache DolphinScheduler8.9/10 · Open source
A capable self-hosted choice for teams building and operating visual data workflows.
Visit siteFull verdict → - Google Cloud Workflows8.9/10 · Free plan
A low-cost managed workflow engine for coordinating Google Cloud services and APIs.
Visit Google CloudFull verdict →
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All workflow orchestration software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update