Browserless vs n8n
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?
Browserless
Headless browser automation as a self-hosted service
VS
n8n
Workflow automation with a node-based editor
| Feature | Browserless | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | SSPL-1.0 | Sustainable Use License |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,562 | ★ 199,764 |
| First released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Browserbase | Zapier, Make |
Why pick each one
Choose Browserless if…
- Released under the SSPL-1.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 13.6k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Browserless or n8n better?
Neither is universally better. n8n has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Browserless and n8n free and open-source?
Yes. Browserless is licensed under SSPL-1.0 and n8n under Sustainable Use License. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Browserless and n8n with Docker?
Browserless: yes. n8n: yes.