Sidekiq
Sidekiq is a framework for running application work in background jobs, with job and operational data stored in Redis.
What Sidekiq is
Sidekiq is a framework for running application work in background jobs, with job and operational data stored in Redis. A client converts job data to JSON and places it in a Redis queue; Sidekiq server processes take jobs from that queue and process them. The listed core features across OSS, Pro, and Enterprise include scheduled jobs, error handling, a Web UI, a Ruby API, middleware, and support for long-running work. Pro adds batches and callbacks for tracking grouped jobs and building more complex workflows. It also protects jobs when a process crashes or is killed and retries delivery after temporary Redis errors. Enterprise includes Pro features as well as encryption, rate limiting, periodic and unique jobs, historical metrics, multi-core processing, and rolling restarts. Enterprise encryption protects only the last job argument; error messages and backtraces remain plaintext. Sidekiq is self-hosted, and its official SDK language is Ruby. OSS is free; listed commercial plans are Sidekiq Pro at $995 a year and Sidekiq Enterprise at $269 a month.
Good
- OSS has a free plan.
- Supports scheduled and long-running jobs.
- Pro adds batches and callbacks.
- Enterprise adds rate limiting and historical metrics.
- Development and staging use is free and unlimited.
Watch out
- Requires self-hosted deployment and Redis.
- Official SDK language is Ruby.
- Enterprise starts at 100 production worker threads.
- Enterprise encryption leaves errors and backtraces plaintext.
Who it suits
The listed audience ranges from hobbyists using OSS to small businesses using Pro and medium to large companies using Enterprise. It suits Ruby application teams that can run Sidekiq themselves and use Redis.
Verdict
Sidekiq provides a Redis-backed background job framework with features that vary by plan. Compare the free OSS option with the listed commercial plans, and note Enterprise’s encryption scope and production-thread licensing basis.
Plans and prices
From Sidekiq's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Sidekiq OSS | Free | Open source · LGPL · hobbyists · Free |
| Sidekiq Enterprise | $269 a month | Commercial license · starts at 100 threads · volume discounts may apply · Starting at $269/mo |
| Sidekiq Pro | $995 a year | Commercial license · priority email support · no server or environment limit · $995/year |
The facts
Each one read from Sidekiq's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audience
- The maker's comparison lists hobbyists for OSS, small business for Pro, and medium to large companies for Enterprise.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Core features
- The plans comparison lists scheduled jobs, error handling, a Web UI, a Ruby API, middleware, and long-running jobs across OSS, Pro, and Enterprise.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Data store
- Sidekiq stores job and operational data in Redis.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The maker documents configuring Sidekiq with Redis URLs through environment variables, including REDIS_URL and Heroku's REDIS_PROVIDER pattern.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Encryption scope
- Enterprise encryption protects only the last job argument; error messages and backtraces remain plaintext.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Enterprise capabilities
- Enterprise includes encryption, rate limiting, periodic jobs, unique jobs, historical metrics, multi-core processing, and rolling restarts, plus Pro features.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Sidekiq's wiki says server processes boot Rails, making the Rails API, including Active Record, available to jobs and workers.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Job model
- The client serializes job data as JSON and pushes it into a Redis queue, where Sidekiq server processes pull and process jobs.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Limits
- Enterprise licensing is based on production worker thread count; development and staging use is free and unlimited.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Pro reliability
- Sidekiq Pro uses Redis RPOPLPUSH to protect jobs when a process crashes or receives a KILL signal, and its client retries delivery after transient Redis errors.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Pro workflows
- Sidekiq Pro adds batches and callbacks for tracking grouped jobs and building more complex workflows.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Sidekiq is a framework for background job processing that scales applications by performing work in the background.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- Commercial priority support covers one incident per quarter, has a maximum response time of two working days, and excludes the customer's application and infrastructure.checked 3 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2012checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- Lake Oswego, Oregon, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Free trial
- The maker says it does not offer pre-sales demos or free trials, but a purchased month of Pro or Enterprise may be tried and refunded if the customer is unhappy.checked 3 Oct 2026
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