Apache Airflow vs HA-Fusion
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apache Airflow
Programmatically author, schedule and monitor workflows
VS
HA-Fusion
A modern, easy-to-use and performant custom Home Assistant dashboard
| Feature | Apache Airflow | HA-Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | free |
| Language | Python | Svelte |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46,409 | ★ 2,994 |
| First released | 2015 | 2022 |
| Replaces | AWS Step Functions, Azure Data Factory | — |
Why pick each one
Choose HA-Fusion if…
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Airflow or HA-Fusion better?
Neither is universally better. Apache Airflow has the larger community, while HA-Fusion is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Apache Airflow and HA-Fusion free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Airflow is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HA-Fusion under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Airflow and HA-Fusion with Docker?
Apache Airflow: yes. HA-Fusion: yes.