Automatisch vs Windmill
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Windmill
Developer platform for scripts, flows and apps
| Feature | Automatisch | Windmill |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 66 · Good | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,980 | ★ 18,022 |
| First released | 2022 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Zapier | Zapier, Retool |
What are Automatisch and Windmill?
Automatisch
Automatisch is an open-source business automation tool that connects apps and services with visual workflows. It targets privacy-conscious teams wanting an open Zapier alternative. It is deployed via Docker.
- Visual automation flows
- Keeps data on your servers
- Growing connector catalog
- Open-source license
Windmill
Windmill is a developer platform that turns scripts into workflows, APIs, and internal apps with scheduling and approvals. It targets engineers automating internal tooling. It is deployed via Docker with PostgreSQL.
- Scripts in Python, TypeScript and more
- Auto-generated UIs for scripts
- Flows with branching and retries
- Fast Rust execution engine
Automatisch vs Windmill: key differences
Automatisch is written in JavaScript, while Windmill is built with Rust. Automatisch is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Windmill.
Why pick each one
Choose Automatisch if…
- Privacy-friendly
- Simple workflow builder
- Open source
Watch out for
- Smaller integration set
- Still maturing
Choose Windmill if…
- Great for developer automation
- Fast and scalable
- Code-first approach
Watch out for
- More technical than no-code tools
- Requires Postgres
Frequently asked questions
Is Automatisch or Windmill better?
Neither is universally better. Windmill has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Automatisch and Windmill free and open-source?
Yes. Automatisch is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Windmill under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Automatisch and Windmill with Docker?
Automatisch: yes. Windmill: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Automatisch or Windmill?
Automatisch has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Windmill. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.