Activepieces vs Skyvern
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Activepieces
Open-source no-code business automation
VS
Skyvern
Automate browser workflows with LLMs and computer vision
| Feature | Activepieces | Skyvern |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 24,701 | ★ 23,058 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | UiPath, Zapier |
What are Activepieces and Skyvern?
Activepieces
Activepieces is an open-source, no-code automation tool for building workflows that connect business apps. It targets teams wanting an open Zapier alternative with an accessible UI. It is deployed via Docker.
- No-code flow builder
- Growing library of pieces
- AI-assisted automation
- MIT-licensed core
Skyvern
Skyvern automates browser-based workflows by combining large language models with computer vision, allowing it to operate on websites it has never seen before. It runs as a self-hosted service with an API.
- LLM-driven browser automation
- Works on unseen sites
- Vision-based interaction
- Workflow API
Activepieces vs Skyvern: key differences
Activepieces is written in TypeScript, while Skyvern is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Activepieces versus AGPL-3.0 for Skyvern. Activepieces is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for Skyvern. Activepieces is the more established project (first released 2022), while Skyvern arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Activepieces if…
- Truly open-source license
- Friendly no-code UI
- Active development
Watch out for
- Fewer integrations than n8n
- Younger project
Choose Skyvern if…
- Handles unseen websites
- Vision-based automation
- API-first design
Watch out for
- LLM costs add up
- Postgres required
Frequently asked questions
Is Activepieces or Skyvern better?
Neither is universally better. Activepieces has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Activepieces and Skyvern free and open-source?
Yes. Activepieces is licensed under MIT and Skyvern under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Activepieces and Skyvern with Docker?
Activepieces: yes. Skyvern: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Activepieces or Skyvern?
Activepieces has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for Skyvern. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.