n8n 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?
n8n
Workflow automation with a node-based editor
VS
Novu
Open-source notification infrastructure for developers
| Feature | n8n | Novu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Sustainable Use License | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 199,764 | ★ 39,466 |
| First released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Courier, Knock |
Why pick each one
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 n8n or Novu better?
Neither is universally better. n8n has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are n8n and Novu free and open-source?
Yes. n8n is licensed under Sustainable Use License and Novu under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run n8n and Novu with Docker?
n8n: yes. Novu: yes.