n8n vs Restate
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
Restate
Durable execution engine for resilient applications
| Feature | n8n | Restate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Sustainable Use License | BUSL-1.1 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 199,764 | ★ 4,263 |
| First released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Temporal |
Why pick each one
Choose Restate if…
- Released under the BUSL-1.1 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Restate 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 Restate free and open-source?
Yes. n8n is licensed under Sustainable Use License and Restate under BUSL-1.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run n8n and Restate with Docker?
n8n: yes. Restate: yes.