beanstalkd

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted

What beanstalkd is

Beanstalkd is a free, self-hosted work queue for running time-consuming tasks asynchronously. Producers place jobs into the queue, and worker processes take jobs out and run them. The project describes reducing page-view latency in high-volume web applications as the queue’s original purpose. Separate tubes let producers and consumers use distinct queues, while reserve can wait until a job is available or use a timeout. With the -b option, beanstalkd records jobs in a binlog and can recover queue contents after a restart. Jobs can be buried so they stay out of the ready queue until kicked. Clients can work with multiple beanstalkd servers, although each server does not know about other instances. The project lists client libraries for languages including C, C++, Clojure, Go, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and .NET/C#. It supports the Beanstalk protocol over TCP using ASCII encoding. The source release is MIT-licensed. Listed operating systems include Linux 2.6.17 or later, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, and Illumos. The project directs bug reports to its mailing list.

Who it suits

Beanstalkd suits developers who need a self-hosted queue for asynchronous jobs and can operate it on a listed system. Its client libraries cover a range of programming languages.

What it does well

Free and MIT-licensed.
Binlog can recover jobs after a restart.
Separate tubes provide independent queues.
Clients can use multiple servers.
Client libraries cover many languages.

What to know first

Each server does not know about other instances.
Listed Linux support starts at version 2.6.17.
Bug reports go to a mailing list.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Beanstalk	MIT-licensed source release · self-hosted software	Free

As beanstalkd.github.io lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the beanstalkd project website.
Choose a self-hosted deployment on a listed platform.
Use a listed language client library to connect to the queue.
Use the Beanstalk protocol over TCP with ASCII encoding.

Verdict

Beanstalkd provides a straightforward queue model with tubes, blocking reservations, and optional binlog recovery. It is a free self-hosted choice for supported systems, with clients available across many languages.

Questions

How much does beanstalkd cost?

The listed plan is free. The source release is MIT-licensed.

Is there a free plan or trial?

Beanstalkd is listed as free, with a free plan and no free trial.

Which platforms are listed?

Linux, macOS and self-hosted are listed. The README names Linux 2.6.17 or later, Mac OS X, FreeBSD and Illumos as required operating systems.

Which programming languages have client libraries?

The project lists libraries for C, C++, Clojure, Go, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust and .NET/C#.

What protocol does it support?

It supports the Beanstalk protocol over TCP using ASCII encoding.

How can users report bugs?

The project directs bug reports to its mailing list.

Facts from beanstalkd's own pages

Administration: The FAQ points to administration and monitoring tools on the project tools page. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Architecture: Producers put jobs into the queue and worker processes take jobs out and run them. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Blocking jobs: The reserve command blocks until a job is available, and reserve-with-timeout is also supported. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Client integrations: The project lists client libraries for languages including C, C++, Clojure, Go, Java, JavaScript, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and .NET/C#. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Compatibility: The client library page says the 1.x protocol remains compatible until beanstalkd 2.0. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Distributed setup: Clients can handle multiple beanstalkd servers, but each server does not know about other instances. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Job handling: Jobs can be buried so they remain out of the ready queue until kicked, which the FAQ says can prevent a timed-out task from being rerun. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Notable limit: The README lists Linux 2.6.17 or later, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, and Illumos as required operating systems. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Persistence: With the -b option, beanstalkd writes jobs to a binlog and can recover its contents after restart. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Purpose: Beanstalk is a simple, fast work queue for running time-consuming tasks asynchronously. · beanstalkd.github.io, 11 Oct 2026
Queue organization: Tubes are separate job queues that let producers and consumers work independently. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Security: The project’s download page identifies the source release as MIT-licensed; the opened official pages make no security or compliance claims. · beanstalkd.github.io, 11 Oct 2026
Support: The site directs bug reports to its mailing list. · beanstalkd.github.io, 11 Oct 2026
Use case: The site describes reducing page-view latency in high-volume web applications as the queue’s original purpose. · beanstalkd.github.io, 11 Oct 2026