Apache Airflow vs Novu
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
Novu
Open-source notification infrastructure for developers
| Feature | Apache Airflow | Novu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46,409 | ★ 39,466 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | AWS Step Functions, Azure Data Factory | Courier, Knock |
Why pick each one
Choose Novu if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 39.5k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Airflow or Novu better?
Neither is universally better. Apache Airflow has the larger community, while Novu is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Apache Airflow and Novu free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Airflow is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Novu under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Airflow and Novu with Docker?
Apache Airflow: yes. Novu: yes.