Side by side
BullMQ vs Hatchet
Both stand on task queue software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Self-hosted
BullMQ provides scheduling, retries, job flows, rate controls, and monitoring for distributed background work. Licensing and Pro-only capabilities should be checked against organization size and required features.
Visit BullMQ
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Choose Hatchet if you need durable workflow execution, controls for retries and scheduling, and options to self-host the orchestration engine. Its free tier includes monthly run and event allowances, but teams exceeding them pay usage charges; larger or enterprise deployments can request a Custom plan.
Visit HatchetThe facts
| BullMQ | Hatchet | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Self-hosted | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Standard: $1,395 a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | bullmq.io | hatchet.run |
| On task queue software | #16 of 37 | #12 of 37 |
BullMQ: what it does well
- MIT-licensed standard project
- Supports delayed and recurring jobs
- Retry policies include dead-letter queues
- Libraries span seven listed runtimes
- Works with several Redis-compatible services
What to know first
- Group rate limiting requires Pro
- Pro availability is limited to Node.js and Bun
- Standard license excludes organizations with 100-plus employees
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure
Hatchet: what it does well
- Persists tasks and agent invocations for retries, debugging, and replay.
- Supports Python, TypeScript, Go, and Ruby SDKs.
- Includes scheduling, event triggers, concurrency controls, and rate limits.
- Provides real-time monitoring, OpenTelemetry collection, and searchable logs.
- Embedded mode supports local development and CI without an account or Docker.
What to know first
- The free tier drops tasks after its limits are exceeded.
- Free usage is limited to 1 million runs and events each month.
- The Custom plan does not list a price.
Alternatives to BullMQ Alternatives to Hatchet The whole list