Nango vs Pipedream Connect: Pricing
Short answer: Nango is code-first: you write and own TypeScript functions, and its free plan covers 10 connections. Pipedream Connect lists 3,000+ APIs (per Pipedream; its own docs also say 2,500+), but its free tier is development only and production starts at $99 a month billed annually. Workday says it closed its acquisition of Pipedream.
I look at what each vendor lists and at how each feels to set up and run. Vendor claims are attributed, for example "per Nango".
At a glance
Nango vs Pipedream Connect features
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Integration logic written as TypeScript functions you generate with AI, then edit and version like application code | Toolkit for embedding integrations with code-level control; connected accounts used through components, an API proxy or workflows |
| APIs covered | 1,000+ APIs on its docs (per Nango) | 3,000+ APIs on its Connect docs, 2,500+ APIs on its managed auth page, and 10,000+ tools in its MCP server (per Pipedream). Counts differ across its own pages |
| Authentication | OAuth, API keys, token refresh, scopes and credential storage | Managed auth or API key collection; your server creates a short-lived token per end user; users connect through an SDK iframe or a hosted Connect Link |
| MCP | MCP server; an agent session returns an MCP URL and a session token | MCP server for agents |
| Data sync | Scheduled, resumable syncs with checkpoints | Not covered on the Connect pages |
| Developer interface | TypeScript functions; setup calls shown with curl; agent example uses the Vercel AI SDK | @pipedream/sdk with TypeScript and JavaScript examples, plus a REST API |
| Open source | Elastic License, which makes it source-available; Nango describes an open-source deployment (13.0k GitHub stars) | Components registry on GitHub described as source-available; the Connect docs do not state a license for Connect itself |
| Self-hosting | Free self-hosting is limited to API auth and proxy per its self-hosting docs; full self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud need Enterprise | Not mentioned in the Connect docs |
| Security | SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA with a BAA (per Nango); SAML SSO, SCIM, RBAC and audit trail, not mapped to plans on the page | SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR on all plans; SSO, SCIM and HIPAA on Business only |
| Support | In-app chat; private Slack on the Growth add-on and Enterprise | Community on Free, email on Startup, dedicated Slack on Business |
Nango vs Pipedream Connect pricing
The two meter different things. Nango bills on connections, compute hours and data transfer. Pipedream bills on external users, meaning distinct users of your app who connect at least one account, and on usage credits.
| Plan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free, $0. 10 connections, 10 compute hours and 10 GB data transfer a month. Hard-capped, resets monthly. | Free, $0. Full API, SDK and MCP access for building and testing. No production environment, and external users and credits are development only. |
| Paid | Pay-as-you-go, $50 a month. Includes $50 of credits, then $0.29 per connection, $0.72 per compute hour and $0.50 per GB. | Startup, $99 a month billed annually or $150 billed monthly. 100 external users included, then $2 each; 10,000 credits a month included, then $0.012 each. |
| Support add-on | Growth add-on, $450 a month: private Slack and 5 days requested integration delivery time | Email support on Startup |
| Enterprise | Custom. Self-hosting, bring your own cloud, MSA, SLA and commitment discounts. | Business, custom, annual contract. Volume pricing, SSO, SCIM, HIPAA, static egress IPs, dedicated Slack. |
Prices from nango.dev/pricing and pipedream.com/pricing. Pipedream's page says actions, MCP tool calls, proxy requests and deployed trigger events each use credits at 1 credit per 30 seconds of compute.
What it's like to use Nango and Pipedream Connect
These two overlap on managed auth and MCP, but they feel different the moment you open the docs. Nango wants you to own the integration code. Pipedream Connect wants you to embed a toolkit and lean on its catalog. Hands-on write-ups of Connect are hard to find, so where I cannot tell you how it behaves, I say what I would check.
Nango
What stood out to me is that Nango's current quickstart is built around agent sessions, for a platform that sells itself on code you own. You copy the environment API key into a backend env file, enable the APIs your agent needs by provider slug, and have your backend call POST /sessions with a stable user ID. The response holds an MCP URL and a session token that you pass to the agent as a remote MCP server, and the first time a user needs an account the agent replies with a connect link. The setup calls are shown with curl and the agent example uses the Vercel AI SDK in TypeScript. The docs name the Logs tab as the place that shows every tool call, provider request and response, and it is the screen I would keep open while debugging.
Underneath, the product is TypeScript functions that you generate with AI, then edit and version like application code (per Nango), plus scheduled, resumable syncs. That is the right shape if you want to read and review every integration. It is a bigger commitment than a managed toolkit if all you want is auth sorted.
Self-hosting is worth reading about before you plan around it. Free self-hosting is a limited option for hobby projects that covers API auth and proxy only, so syncs, tool calls, webhooks and the MCP server are not part of it, and full self-hosting needs Enterprise. The open reports I read cluster in the same place: a self-hosted connect link sending the Connect UI to Nango's cloud host, a CI environment variable switching the dashboard into a test-auth mode, and a long-running request to clarify the self-hosted feature set. The licence is the other thing to settle early. Nango calls itself open source, while the repository names the Elastic License, which is source-available, and early commenters pushed back on the open-source label. If you only need to read and run the code, that may not matter; if your policy requires an OSI-approved licence, it does.
On the core job of OAuth, the feedback I found is positive: one early commenter said Nango cut their time to integrate, and another reported a year of stable use. That was an earlier version of the product, and some commenters also said the unified API label overstated what was then closer to a proxy that handles auth and retries, so judge today's product on today's docs. Pricing is easy to read. The free plan is hard-capped at 10 connections, 10 compute hours and 10 GB of data transfer a month, and support is in-app chat, with a private Slack channel only on the $450 Growth add-on or Enterprise.
Pipedream Connect
Pipedream's quickstart is longer, and it reads like a checklist for a production-grade embed. There are nine steps: set server credentials, create a project and copy its ID, create an OAuth client, generate a short-lived token for each end user on your server, connect the account through the SDK or a Connect Link, make authenticated requests, then test in development before deploying to production. The SDK connects through an iframe, and the Connect Link covers places that cannot run JavaScript or an iframe, such as mobile apps. That URL expires after 4 hours, so generate it when the user is ready. Examples are in TypeScript and JavaScript.
You'll notice the free tier shapes how you evaluate it. It gives full API, SDK and MCP access, but there is no production environment, and external users and credits are development only. The moment you ship you are on Startup, at $99 a month billed annually or $150 billed monthly. That includes 100 external users, meaning distinct users of your app who connect at least one account, then $2 each, and 10,000 credits a month, then $0.012 each. Actions, MCP tool calls, proxy requests and deployed trigger events each use credits at 1 credit per 30 seconds of compute, so the bill follows both your user count and what your agents do. Support is community on Free, email on Startup and a dedicated Slack channel on Business.
Public rough edges are few, partly because the Pipedream repository is mostly the components registry and its open issues are mostly app requests. Two Connect reports stand out: the React form component cannot reload dynamically configured props, and File Stash in development returns a 401 asking for an upgrade, although the environments docs say all Connect features are available in development on any plan. They are single reports, not a trend, but if you depend on either, test it in development first.
The bigger question mark is ownership. Workday announced a definitive agreement to acquire Pipedream and says it has since closed the deal. Its announcement does not say how existing customers are affected, and the community discussion of the news included a hope that Pipedream would stay open source alongside a read of the deal as a bad sign. I found no hands-on reports of Connect in that discussion, so I cannot tell you how it has held up. Before you build on it, I would ask Pipedream or Workday about roadmap and pricing.
How they differ in practice
Nango asks you to own code, and its free plan is hard-capped. Pipedream Connect asks you to adopt its toolkit, and its free tier is for development only, so production means paying. If code you can read matters more than catalog size, start with Nango. If you want managed auth across a large catalog and can accept paying to go live, Pipedream Connect is the broader start.
Which to choose
If you want integration code you can read, change and version, or you need syncs or self-hosting, Nango fits better. If you want managed auth across a very large catalog and are comfortable with production starting on a paid plan, Pipedream Connect is the broader start. Weigh the Workday acquisition against your own risk tolerance, since Workday's announcement does not say how existing customers are affected. Both have free plans, but Pipedream's is for development only.
Where viaSocket fits
viaSocket also sells an integration layer; it is not part of this comparison. In short, it is an integration layer for SaaS products and AI agents with 2,300+ integrations. Your user connects through one OAuth popup, viaSocket stores and refreshes the tokens, keeps each user's connections separate, and handles monitoring, webhooks, polling and retries. Its free plan lists 100K tasks a month and unlimited connected accounts.
It suits teams that want ready-made connections and managed auth in one place. If you want to own every sync as TypeScript code or run the platform yourself, Nango is the closer fit.
Check out viaSocket →FAQ
What is the main difference between Nango and Pipedream Connect?
Nango is built around integration functions written in TypeScript that you own, with syncs, actions and MCP. Pipedream Connect is a toolkit for managed auth and pre-built tools across 3,000+ APIs per Pipedream (its docs also cite 2,500+), used through components, an API proxy or workflows.
Do Nango and Pipedream Connect both have a free plan?
Yes, but they differ. Nango's free plan includes 10 connections, 10 compute hours and 10 GB of data transfer a month. Pipedream's free tier gives full API, SDK and MCP access for building and testing, with no production environment.
Is Pipedream owned by Workday?
Workday announced an agreement to acquire Pipedream, and its later release says it closed the acquisition. Workday's announcement does not say how existing customers are affected.
Is Nango open source?
Nango's GitHub page names the Elastic License, which is source-available, while its README and homepage call it open source. Free self-hosting is limited to API auth and proxy.
Can I self-host Nango or Pipedream Connect?
Nango's docs say free self-hosting covers API auth and proxy only, and list full self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud on Enterprise. The Pipedream Connect docs we read do not mention self-hosting.
Sources
- Nango pricing, docs, quickstart, GitHub, GitHub issues, self-hosting docs
- Pipedream pricing, Connect docs, quickstart, managed auth, GitHub issues
- Workday announcement, Workday release
- Hacker News: Nango launch thread, Hacker News: Workday and Pipedream thread