Cup 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?
Cup
Fast checker for available Docker image updates
VS
Novu
Open-source notification infrastructure for developers
| Feature | Cup | Novu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,337 | ★ 39,466 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Watchtower | Courier, Knock |
Why pick each one
Choose Cup if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
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 Cup or Novu better?
Neither is universally better. Novu has the larger community, while Cup is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Cup and Novu free and open-source?
Yes. Cup is licensed under MIT and Novu under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cup and Novu with Docker?
Cup: yes. Novu: yes.