EMQX vs Node-RED Dashboard 2.0
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | EMQX | Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Erlang | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,599 | ★ 351 |
| First released | 2026 | 2023 |
| Replaces | — | Home Assistant Lovelace |
Why pick each one
Choose EMQX if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 16.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Erlang
Choose Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in HTML
Frequently asked questions
Is EMQX or Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 better?
Neither is universally better. EMQX has the larger community, while Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are EMQX and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 free and open-source?
Yes. EMQX is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EMQX and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 with Docker?
EMQX: yes. Node-RED Dashboard 2.0: yes.