Skyvern vs StackStorm
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Skyvern | StackStorm |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,058 | ★ 6,539 |
| First released | 2024 | 2014 |
| Replaces | UiPath, Zapier | Zapier, AWS Systems Manager |
What are Skyvern and StackStorm?
Skyvern
Skyvern automates browser-based workflows by combining large language models with computer vision, allowing it to operate on websites it has never seen before. It runs as a self-hosted service with an API.
- LLM-driven browser automation
- Works on unseen sites
- Vision-based interaction
- Workflow API
StackStorm
StackStorm is an event-driven automation platform that connects triggers to actions through rules and workflows. It is commonly used for auto-remediation, security responses and continuous deployment.
- Event-driven rules and triggers
- Large pack ecosystem for integrations
- Workflow engine for complex automation
- ChatOps integration
Skyvern vs StackStorm: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Skyvern versus Apache-2.0 for StackStorm. StackStorm is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for Skyvern. StackStorm is the more established project (first released 2014), while Skyvern arrived in 2024. Skyvern has the considerably larger community, at 23,058 GitHub stars versus 6,539.
Why pick each one
Choose Skyvern if…
- Handles unseen websites
- Vision-based automation
- API-first design
Watch out for
- LLM costs add up
- Postgres required
Choose StackStorm if…
- Powerful for ops automation
- Extensive integration packs
Watch out for
- Heavy multi-component install
Frequently asked questions
Is Skyvern or StackStorm better?
Skyvern is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider StackStorm if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Skyvern and StackStorm free and open-source?
Yes. Skyvern is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and StackStorm under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Skyvern and StackStorm with Docker?
Skyvern: yes. StackStorm: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Skyvern or StackStorm?
StackStorm has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for Skyvern. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.