Kestra vs n8n
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Kestra
Declarative orchestration and scheduling platform
VS
n8n
Workflow automation with a node-based editor
| Feature | Kestra | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 97 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Sustainable Use License |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,274 | ★ 205,734 |
| First released | 2021 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Zapier, Make |
What are Kestra and n8n?
Kestra
Kestra is an event-driven orchestration platform for building and scheduling data and automation workflows declared in YAML. It targets data engineers and platform teams. It is deployed via Docker.
- Declarative YAML workflows
- Event-driven and scheduled runs
- Rich plugin ecosystem
- Built-in UI and API
n8n
n8n is a workflow automation tool with a visual node editor that connects apps and APIs, with optional code steps. It targets technical users automating processes across services. It is deployed via Docker.
- Visual node-based workflows
- Hundreds of app integrations
- Code nodes for custom logic
- Self-hostable with no execution caps
Kestra vs n8n: key differences
Kestra is written in Java, while n8n is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Kestra versus Sustainable Use License for n8n. N8n is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Kestra. N8n is the more established project (first released 2019), while Kestra arrived in 2021. N8n has the considerably larger community, at 205,734 GitHub stars versus 28,274.
Why pick each one
Choose Kestra if…
- Strong for data orchestration
- Scalable architecture
- Open-source license
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Heavier resource needs
Choose n8n if…
- Powerful and flexible
- Huge integration library
- Code when you need it
Watch out for
- License is fair-code, not OSI
- Complex workflows get unwieldy
Frequently asked questions
Is Kestra or n8n better?
n8n is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Kestra if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Kestra and n8n free and open-source?
Yes. Kestra is licensed under Apache-2.0 and n8n under Sustainable Use License. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kestra and n8n with Docker?
Kestra: yes. n8n: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kestra or n8n?
n8n has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Kestra. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.