Node-RED vs ToolJet
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?
Node-RED
Flow-based programming for event-driven apps
VS
ToolJet
Low-code platform for building and automating business tools
| Feature | Node-RED | ToolJet |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,501 | ★ 38,306 |
| First released | 2013 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Zapier | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Node-RED or ToolJet better?
Neither is universally better. ToolJet 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 Node-RED and ToolJet free and open-source?
Yes. Node-RED is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ToolJet under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Node-RED and ToolJet with Docker?
Node-RED: yes. ToolJet: yes.