Restate 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?
Restate
Durable execution engine for resilient applications
VS
ToolJet
Low-code platform for building and automating business tools
| Feature | Restate | ToolJet |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | BUSL-1.1 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,263 | ★ 38,306 |
| First released | 2023 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Temporal | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps |
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 Restate or ToolJet better?
Neither is universally better. ToolJet has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Restate and ToolJet free and open-source?
Yes. Restate is licensed under BUSL-1.1 and ToolJet under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Restate and ToolJet with Docker?
Restate: yes. ToolJet: yes.