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Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 vs Zigbee2MQTT

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?
NO Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 Modern data-driven dashboard for Node-RED flows VS ZI Zigbee2MQTT Bridge Zigbee devices to MQTT without vendor hubs
FeatureNode-RED Dashboard 2.0Zigbee2MQTT
CategoryHome AutomationHome Automation
LicenseApache-2.0GPL-3.0
LanguageHTMLTypeScript
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metaldocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 351★ 15,477
First released20232018
ReplacesHome Assistant LovelaceSmartThings

Why pick each one

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

Choose Zigbee2MQTT if…

  • Frees devices from vendor hubs
  • Wide device support
  • Local control
Zigbee2MQTT details

Frequently asked questions

Is Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 or Zigbee2MQTT better?

Neither is universally better. Zigbee2MQTT has the larger community, while Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 and Zigbee2MQTT free and open-source?

Yes. Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Zigbee2MQTT under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Node-RED Dashboard 2.0 and Zigbee2MQTT with Docker?

Node-RED Dashboard 2.0: yes. Zigbee2MQTT: yes.

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