walkerOS vs. RudderStack
RudderStack is a warehouse-first customer data platform with both open-source and cloud offerings. It's often positioned as an open-source alternative to Segment. Here's how it compares to walkerOS.
Quick comparison
| Feature | RudderStack | walkerOS |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source | Yes (with limitations) | Yes (MIT, no limitations) |
| Pricing | From $750/month (cloud) | Free (paid support available) |
| Free tier | 1M events/month | Unlimited (self-hosted) |
| Self-hosted option | Yes | Yes |
| Complexity | Medium to high | Low to medium |
| Pre-built integrations | 200+ | Build your own or use existing |
| Warehouse-first | Yes (core focus) | Warehouse is one destination |
| Transformations | JavaScript/Python | JavaScript (mapping) |
| Composable tagging | No | Yes (tag once, use everywhere) |
Who should use what?
Choose RudderStack if
- You need a warehouse-first CDP architecture
- You want 200+ pre-built integrations
- Your data team needs JavaScript/Python transformations
- You prefer event-based pricing over MTU-based
- You need advanced features like identity resolution
Choose walkerOS if
- You want something lightweight and quick to set up
- You prefer truly open-source (MIT) without feature restrictions
- You want composable, component-level tagging for web
- When cost matters, walkerOS is free with no event limits
- You need focused event collection without full CDP complexity
Key differences
Open-source approach
RudderStack: Open-source core, but advanced features (Transformations, Live Events) require the cloud version or aren't available in Control Plane Lite. The open-source version has limitations.
walkerOS: Fully open-source under MIT license. All features available, no restrictions. Use it however you want.
Complexity and setup
RudderStack: Requires Docker or Kubernetes for self-hosting. Separate data plane and control plane concepts. More infrastructure to manage for the full feature set.
walkerOS: Simpler architecture. Get started quickly without complex infrastructure requirements. Designed for developers who want control without overhead.
Cost
RudderStack: Free cloud tier with 1M events/month. Paid plans start at $750/month with usage-based pricing (events, not MTUs). Self-hosted is "free" but requires infrastructure investment.
walkerOS: The software is free and open-source with no event limits. You pay for your own infrastructure costs. Optional paid services include implementation support (setup fees) and SLAs for teams that want help getting started or need guaranteed support.
Focus
RudderStack: Warehouse-first CDP. Built around the idea that your data warehouse is the source of truth. Strong focus on data teams and analytics infrastructure.
walkerOS: Event collection and routing. Focused on capturing events well and sending them where they need to go: warehouses, analytics tools, marketing platforms, or your own APIs.
Integrations
RudderStack: 200+ pre-built integrations. Great if you need broad coverage out of the box.
walkerOS: Fewer pre-built destinations, but full flexibility to build custom ones. Better for teams with specific requirements or who prefer owning their integration code.
Can they work together?
Yes! You can use walkerOS for event collection and send data to RudderStack as a destination. This gives you walkerOS's composable tagging and consent handling on the frontend, while leveraging RudderStack's warehouse integrations and transformations on the backend.
Getting started
Ready to try walkerOS? Check out the quickstart guide to set up lightweight event collection without CDP complexity.