Side by side
Gearman vs Graphile Worker
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 Open source APILinuxMac+2
Choose Gearman if you need a free, self-hosted framework for routing jobs among clients, job servers, and workers, with support for multiple languages and job server failover. Check the protocol coverage before choosing GearmanSharp, which is incomplete.
Visit Gearman Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2
Graphile Worker combines PostgreSQL-backed jobs, scheduling, and retry behavior in a self-hosted package. Check its database and Node.js requirements, and note that crashed-worker recovery and live migration are Worker Pro features.
Visit Graphile WorkerThe facts
| Gearman | Graphile Worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Worker Pro launch offer: $25 a month |
| Plans published | 2 | 6 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | gearman.org | worker.graphile.org |
| On task queue software | #1 of 37 | #2 of 37 |
Gearman: what it does well
- Free under the BSD license.
- Supports asynchronous background and prioritized jobs.
- Clients and workers can use different language interfaces.
- Handles payloads up to 4096 MB and can chunk larger messages.
- Supports failover across multiple job servers.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment requires users to run Gearman themselves.
- GearmanSharp is incomplete and does not implement the full protocol.
Graphile Worker: what it does well
- Jobs retry with exponential backoff.
- Recurring schedules allow optional backfill.
- Supports standalone and embedded deployment.
- SSL-encrypted PostgreSQL connections are documented.
What to know first
- Requires PostgreSQL 12+ and Node 22.18+.
- Global installation is not recommended.
- No dead-letter queue is listed.
Alternatives to Gearman Alternatives to Graphile Worker The whole list