connic vs Trigger.dev
Agent platform or TypeScript task runtime
Trigger.dev runs TypeScript tasks and chat agents built with the AI SDK. connic runs agents defined in YAML with Python tools, plus connectors, judges and guardrails on the platform.
Sources and methodologyLast reviewed
| connic | Trigger.dev | |
|---|---|---|
| Managed agent platform | Built as | Background task platform |
| YAML and Python | Agents and tools | TypeScript with the AI SDK |
| Kafka, SQS, email, Postgres and more | What starts a run | Your code, schedules, chat sessions |
| Built in | Judges and A/B tests | Built in your code |
| Review queue with routing | Approvals | Wait tokens, UI built by you |
| Enterprise plan | Self-hosting | Apache 2.0, Docker or Kubernetes |
| EU data, German company | EU and contract | EU execution, UK company |
The short answer
Trigger.dev suits TypeScript teams that run background jobs and chat agents in their own code and want Apache 2.0 software they can self-host. connic suits teams that want agents started by queues, inboxes and databases, with judges, guardrails and approvals run by the platform.
Use connic when
- Agents are the main workload, with tools in Python
- Kafka, SQS, email or Postgres events should start agents
- Judges, guardrails and live A/B tests should come with the platform
- Reviewers need an approval queue with routing
- You need EU data hosting and an EU contract partner
Use Trigger.dev when
- Background jobs are the main workload, with agents beside them
- You build chat agents in TypeScript with the AI SDK and React
- You want Apache 2.0 code you can self-host
- Prompts should be versioned on deploy and editable from the dashboard
- EU execution with a UK contract partner meets your requirements
Where connic and Trigger.dev differ
What each platform does in the areas that usually decide an evaluation.
How agents are built
connic
An agent is a YAML file with its model, prompt and tools. Custom tools are Python functions.
Trigger.dev
Agents are TypeScript tasks that call the AI SDK. chat.agent adds durable chat sessions with stored history, sub-agents and tool approvals. Python runs as scripts through a build extension.
What starts a run
connic
Connectors for Kafka, SQS, email, Postgres, Stripe, webhooks, cron, Slack and more, defined in code or in the dashboard.
Trigger.dev
Your code triggers tasks through the SDK or API, and schedules run on cron. Webhooks reach a task through a handler in your app. Kafka, SQS and inbound email triggers are not documented.
Durability
connic
Model requests and tool operations retry inside a run. An approval can hold a run for up to seven days.
Trigger.dev
Failed tasks retry, and runs are checkpointed while they wait. Waits longer than a few seconds use no compute.
Approvals and guardrails
connic
Approvals pause a tool call with its exact parameters until a reviewer decides. Guardrails check input and output on every run.
Trigger.dev
Wait tokens pause a task until your app or a webhook completes them. Chat agents can require approval before a tool runs, shown in your frontend. Guardrails are code you add.
Evals and releases
connic
Judges score sampled production runs against a rubric. A/B tests split live traffic and compare success rate, judge scores, cost and latency.
Trigger.dev
LLM observability records tokens, cost and latency for each AI SDK call. Prompts are versioned on every deploy and can be overridden per environment. Evals and traffic splits are code you write.
Memory and retrieval
connic
Sessions keep conversation history, and memory tools store and recall knowledge across runs. Retrieval gives agents semantic search over your documents.
Trigger.dev
chat.agent stores each conversation's transcript on the platform by default, or in your own database. Managed vector storage is not documented.
Hosting
connic
Managed runtime with environments on every paid plan. Self-hosting on enterprise.
Trigger.dev
Trigger.dev Cloud runs tasks on machines from 0.25 to 8 vCPUs, with private networking on Pro and Enterprise. The Apache 2.0 platform self-hosts on Docker or Kubernetes.
EU and contract
connic
Platform data and connic/* inference stay in the EU. The contract partner is a German company.
Trigger.dev
Runs can execute in an EU region, which does not move payloads, outputs, tags or logs. The contract partner is API Hero Ltd in England.
The same agent in connic and Trigger.dev
A claims agent with one tool that looks up a policy. In connic it is a YAML file and a Python function. In Trigger.dev it is an AI SDK tool and a TypeScript task that runs the model's tool loop.
connic
name: claims-intake
model: connic/gpt-5.6-sol
system_prompt: Check the policy first.
tools:
- policies.lookup_policyimport os
import httpx
API = os.environ["POLICY_API_URL"]
async def lookup_policy(policy_id: str) -> dict:
"""Look up a policy by number.
Args:
policy_id: Policy number from the claim
"""
url = f"{API}/policies/{policy_id}"
async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
response = await client.get(url)
return response.json()Trigger.dev
import { tool } from "ai";
import { z } from "zod";
const API = process.env.POLICY_API_URL;
export const lookupPolicy = tool({
description: "Look up a policy by number",
inputSchema: z.object({ id: z.string() }),
execute: async ({ id }) => {
const res = await fetch(`${API}/policies/${id}`);
return res.json();
},
});import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";
import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import { generateText, isStepCount } from "ai";
import { lookupPolicy } from "../tools/lookup-policy";
export const claimsIntake = task({
id: "claims-intake",
run: async (payload: { claim: string }) => {
const { text } = await generateText({
model: openai("gpt-5.6-sol"),
instructions: "Check the policy first.",
prompt: payload.claim,
tools: { lookupPolicy },
stopWhen: isStepCount(5),
});
return text;
},
});connic vs Trigger.dev, feature by feature
Each row is scored from connic's and Trigger.dev's public documentation. The methodology and sources follow the table.
- YesFull support
- PartialLimited, beta or extra setup
- NoNot available
| Feature | connic | Trigger.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Product shape | ||
| Agent-native runtimeconnic's unit of deployment is an agent defined in YAML. Trigger.dev's unit is a TypeScript task, and chat.agent wraps an AI SDK loop in a durable chat session. | Yes | Partial |
| YAML-based agent configconnic agents are YAML files with Python tools. Trigger.dev agents are TypeScript code. | Yes | No |
| Python supportconnic's custom tools are Python functions. Trigger.dev tasks run on Node.js or Bun and can run Python scripts through the Python build extension. | Yes | Partial |
| Durable executionTrigger.dev retries failed tasks and checkpoints runs while they wait, so long waits use no compute. connic retries model requests and tool operations inside a run, and an approval can hold a run for up to seven days. | Partial | Yes |
| Triggers & integrations | ||
| Webhook triggersBoth start runs from webhooks. On Trigger.dev, a handler in your app receives the request and triggers the task. | Yes | Yes |
| Cron schedulingBoth run on a cron schedule. | Yes | Yes |
| Kafka connectorconnic's Kafka connector consumes and publishes messages. Trigger.dev's docs do not list a Kafka trigger. | Yes | No |
| SQS connectorconnic's SQS connector reads and sends queue messages. Trigger.dev's docs do not list an SQS trigger. | Yes | No |
| Email triggersconnic's email connector starts runs from an inbox and can send results by email. Trigger.dev's docs do not list an inbound email trigger. | Yes | No |
| Stripe eventsconnic has a Stripe connector. Trigger.dev's Stripe guide has your app receive and verify the webhook, then trigger a task. | Yes | No |
| Postgres event triggersconnic's Postgres connector starts runs from NOTIFY events. Trigger.dev documents database triggers through Sequin, a separate service. | Yes | No |
| Realtime streaming to the frontendBoth stream results to a frontend. connic streams over its WebSocket connector. Trigger.dev has Realtime React hooks and a chat transport for the AI SDK. | Yes | Yes |
| Agent features | ||
| Agent memoryBoth keep conversation history. Trigger.dev's chat.agent stores transcripts on the platform by default. connic adds memory tools that store and recall knowledge across runs. | Yes | Yes |
| Managed retrievalconnic indexes uploaded and synced documents for semantic search by agents. Trigger.dev's docs do not list managed vector storage. | Yes | No |
| Evaluations and judgesconnic's judges score sampled production runs against a rubric. Trigger.dev records tokens, cost and latency per AI SDK call, and evals are code you write. | Yes | No |
| Human approvalsBoth pause for a person. connic routes approvals to reviewers. Trigger.dev uses wait tokens and tool approvals in chat agents, answered from your app. | Yes | Yes |
| Live A/B tests between agent versionsconnic splits live traffic between agent versions and compares them with statistics. Trigger.dev versions prompts on deploy and allows one override per environment, without traffic splits. | Yes | No |
| MCP tool supportconnic agents use MCP servers as tools. Trigger.dev's MCP server lets coding assistants operate projects and chat with agents, and tasks call other MCP servers from code. | Yes | Partial |
| Deployment & operations | ||
| Managed hostingBoth run your code on managed infrastructure. Trigger.dev machines range from 0.25 to 8 vCPUs, and Free includes $5 of monthly usage. | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostingTrigger.dev's Apache 2.0 platform self-hosts on Docker or Kubernetes. Bring Your Own Cloud was announced in 2025, and its availability should be confirmed with Trigger.dev. connic offers self-hosting on enterprise. | Partial | Yes |
| Environmentsconnic includes environments on every paid plan. Trigger.dev has development, preview and production environments, with a preview branch per Git branch. | Yes | Yes |
| Log and trace retentionconnic's retention follows the plan and can be shortened per environment. Trigger.dev keeps logs for 1 day on Free, 7 days on Hobby, 30 days on Pro and a custom period on Enterprise. | Yes | Partial |
| EU & compliance | ||
| Managed EU data residencyconnic keeps platform data and connic/* inference in the EU. Trigger.dev can execute runs in an EU region, but the region does not move payloads, outputs, tags or logs. Self-hosting is its route to full control. | Yes | Partial |
| EU contract partnerconnic contracts through a German company. Trigger.dev's terms name API Hero Ltd, registered in England and Wales. | Yes | No |
| EU AI Act mappingconnic maps execution logs, approvals and guardrails to deployer obligations. Trigger.dev documents logs and human-in-the-loop waits, without a mapping to the Act or a guardrail service. | Yes | Partial |
| Pricing | ||
| Plan fee becomes usage creditBoth turn the plan fee into usage credit. connic's base rates before package discounts are €0.0337 per started LLM-agent run, €0.00042 per runtime second and €0.00342 per GB-hour of storage. Trigger.dev Hobby and Pro include $10 and $50 of usage, billed at $0.000025 per run plus $0.0000169 to $0.00068 per second by machine size. | Yes | Yes |
| No per-seat pricingAdding teammates does not change connic's plan price. Trigger.dev Pro includes 25 members and charges $20 per month for each extra seat. | Yes | No |
Methodology
We compare generally available capabilities documented in each vendor's product, pricing, security, and legal material. Yes means documented support, Partial means limited scope, beta or preview status, or additional setup, and No means unavailable or not documented in the sources reviewed. connic capabilities are checked against current product documentation, and roadmap claims are not scored.
Execution region is kept separate from data residency. Bring Your Own Cloud availability should be confirmed commercially rather than inferred from its 2025 announcement.
Last reviewed October 14, 2026 by the connic research team.
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