compare
Kestra vs Prefect
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Kestra | Prefect |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Java | Python |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 29k | 24k |
| Latest | v2.0.5 | 3.8.8 |
| Last push | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-06 |
| Release cadence | about 3 days between releases | too few releases |
| Active contributors | 132+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 51 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace Apache Airflow. Alternatives to Apache Airflow →
Full replacementKestraWorkflows declared in YAML, with tasks in any language and event triggers.
Full replacementPrefectWorkflows as plain Python functions with decorators, without DAG files.
Kestra
Prefect
- 3.8.82026-10-063.8.8 - I take my wildcards literally
- 3.8.8.dev42026-10-063.8.8.dev4: Nightly Development Releasepre-release
- 3.8.8.dev32026-10-023.8.8.dev3: Nightly Development Releasepre-release
- 3.8.8.dev22026-10-013.8.8.dev2: Nightly Development Releasepre-release
- 3.8.8.dev12026-09-303.8.8.dev1: Nightly Development Releasepre-release
Kestra
unsigned The latest release, v2.0.5, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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Prefect
✓ signed The latest release, 3.8.8, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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