Alternatives to Cronie

The standard UNIX cron daemon, crond, for running programs at scheduled times on Linux. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Cronie.

  • Supercronic

    A crontab-compatible job runner built to run scheduled jobs inside containers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Supercronic reads standard crontab files but is built to run inside containers and adds Prometheus metrics, making it of limited use on a regular host.

  • Cronicle

    A self-hosted, distributed task scheduler and runner with a web interface.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    Cronicle adds a web interface and runs jobs across multiple servers, but it is now in maintenance mode with only bug and security fixes.

  • Dagu

    A self-hosted workflow orchestrator that runs scripts, SSH commands and containers from declarative YAML files.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hostedCommand line

    Dagu replaces crontab lines with declarative YAML workflows and a web interface for running and monitoring jobs, shipped as a single binary.

  • Ofelia

    A lightweight job scheduler for Docker environments that runs cron-style tasks for containers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Ofelia runs cron-style jobs aimed at Docker containers, configured through files, and is only useful on hosts that run Docker.

  • Lingon

    A macOS app for scheduling apps, scripts, shortcuts and commands to run at set times or at login.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOS

    Lingon schedules tasks on macOS 14 or later through launchd with a graphical interface, with root tasks needing the paid Pro app.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.