SHSelfHostIndex

WLED 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?
WL WLED Firmware for controlling addressable LED strips VS NO Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 Modern data-driven dashboard for Node-RED flows
FeatureWLEDNode-RED Dashboard 2.0
CategoryHome AutomationHome Automation
LicenseMITApache-2.0
LanguageC++HTML
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM16 MB256 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcedocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 18,518★ 351
First released20162023
ReplacesPhilips HueHome Assistant Lovelace

Why pick each one

Choose WLED if…

  • Easy to flash and use
  • Vibrant effects
WLED details

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
Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 details

Frequently asked questions

Is WLED or Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 better?

Neither is universally better. WLED has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are WLED and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 free and open-source?

Yes. WLED is licensed under MIT and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run WLED and Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 with Docker?

WLED: check the project docs for container support. Node-RED Dashboard 2.0: yes.

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