n8n vs Node-RED
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?
n8n
Workflow automation with a node-based editor
VS
Node-RED
Flow-based programming for event-driven apps
| Feature | n8n | Node-RED |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Sustainable Use License | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 199,764 | ★ 23,501 |
| First released | 2019 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Zapier |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Node-RED better?
Neither is universally better. n8n has the larger community, while Node-RED is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are n8n and Node-RED free and open-source?
Yes. n8n is licensed under Sustainable Use License and Node-RED under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run n8n and Node-RED with Docker?
n8n: yes. Node-RED: yes.