n8n vs Node-RED (2026)
By Noahlast updated
n8n
n8nA fair-code workflow automation platform that combines visual building with custom JavaScript/Python, self-hosted or cloud.
- Pricing
- Free
- License
- Open core
Best for technical teams that want to mix visual workflow building with custom code, either self-hosted for full control or on cloud paying per execution instead of per step
Node-RED
Node-REDA free, open-source, low-code visual programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services into event-driven flows, maintained by the OpenJS Foundation.
- Pricing
- Free
- License
- Open source
Best for hobbyists and engineers who need a free, visual way to wire together IoT devices, APIs, and data pipelines without writing a full application from scratch
Which should you choose?
Choose n8n if…
wins 3/6 use cases
- You connect business SaaS apps and want 500+ pre-built integrations in one catalog
- You build multi-agent AI workflows with human-in-the-loop approval steps
- You want an official managed cloud billed per full workflow execution, not per step, from €20/month billed annually
- You want to drop into custom JavaScript or Python inside any node
- You need SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control from the vendor, on Business at €667/month billed annually
Choose Node-RED if…
wins 3/6 use cases
- You build home automation or industrial IoT flows with MQTT and hardware like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, or Arduino
- You want an Apache 2.0 open-source license rather than n8n's fair-code Sustainable Use License
- You want everything free, with no paid tier and no features held back for a commercial license
- You need to deploy on edge devices, including Android, as well as Docker, AWS, or Azure
n8n vs Node-RED: feature comparison
| Feature | n8n | Node-RED |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Yesfree self-hosted Community; cloud from €20/mo, billed annually (Starter) | Yesfree, no paid tier |
| Pricing basis | Yescloud billed per full workflow execution, not per step | Yesno license cost |
| Official managed cloud | YesStarter, Pro, Business, and Enterprise tiers | Nothird parties such as FlowFuse sell hosting |
| License | Partialfair-code Sustainable Use License, not OSI-approved | Yesopen source, Apache 2.0 |
| Platforms and deployment | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, Linux; self-host via Docker | Yesweb, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android; Docker, Raspberry Pi, AWS, Azure |
| Integrations | Yes500+ pre-built app integrations | Yes5,000+ community-built nodes on npm |
| Custom code | YesJavaScript or Python in any node | YesJavaScript in function nodes |
| IoT and hardware | Unknown | YesMQTT, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, Arduino |
| AI agent workflows | Yesmulti-agent AI with human-in-the-loop; 2,300 AI credits/mo on Starter | Unknown |
| Git version control | Yesfrom €667/mo, billed annually (Business) | Partiallarge flows are hard to version-control |
| Built-in testing | Unknown | Nono first-class testing or CI framework |
| SSO | YesSSO/SAML/LDAP from €667/mo, billed annually (Business) | Unknown |
| Self-hosting upkeep | PartialDocker infrastructure, updates, and scaling are on you | Partialauth, HTTPS, and updates are on you unless managed by FlowFuse |
| Support | Yesforum (Starter) up to dedicated support with SLA (Enterprise) | Unknown |
| Learning curve | Partialmoderate | Partialmoderate |
| External rating | Yes4.6/5 from 48 reviews (Capterra) | Yes5.0/5 from 1 review (Product Hunt) |
n8n vs Node-RED: pricing
Every tier both tools publish, as we last checked them — not just the entry price.
n8n
- Starter€20/month billed annually; 2,500 workflow executions/month, 5 concurrent executions, 1 shared project, 2,300 AI credits/month, unlimited users and workflows, forum support.Custom
- Pro€50/month billed annually; 10,000 workflow executions/month, 20 concurrent executions, 3 shared projects, up to 13,700 AI credits/month, admin roles, global variables, workflow history, 7 days of insights.Custom
- Business€667/month billed annually; 40,000 workflow executions/month, self-hosted option, 6 shared projects, 30 days of insights, SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control. 50% startup discount available for companies under 20 employees.Custom
- EnterpriseCustom pricing; custom execution volumes, unlimited shared projects, 200+ concurrent executions, 365 days of insights, dedicated support with SLA, invoice billing.Custom
- Self-hosted CommunityFree, self-hosted via Docker under the Sustainable Use License; same core automation engine as cloud, without cloud-tier collaboration and enterprise features.Free
Node-RED
- Open sourceFree and open source under Apache 2.0; self-host on your own hardware, Docker container, or cloud VM.Free
n8n vs Node-RED pricing: which costs less?
Node-RED costs less because it is free under Apache 2.0 with no paid tier, while n8n is free to self-host but charges from €20/month billed annually for its managed cloud and gates enterprise features behind a commercial license.
n8n's cloud tiers are Starter at €20/month for 2,500 executions, Pro at €50/month for 10,000 executions, Business at €667/month for 40,000 executions with SSO and Git version control, and custom-priced Enterprise, all billed annually. Business is 50% off for companies under 20 employees, but nothing sits between Pro and Business. Node-RED has no official cloud; teams that want hosting buy it from third parties such as FlowFuse. Both tools are free to self-host, with the server work left to you.
Which is better for IoT and hardware, n8n or Node-RED?
Node-RED is better for IoT and hardware, with community nodes for MQTT, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, and Arduino and deployment targets ranging from edge devices to AWS and Azure.
Node-RED was built for event-driven flows that collect, transform, and visualize real-time data, and it is used from home-automation setups to industrial control systems and edge-computing pipelines on resource-constrained hardware. n8n is built for business app integration, connecting 500+ applications and running AI agent workflows, and runs on web, Windows, macOS, and Linux or self-hosted via Docker.
Which is better for business app automation, n8n or Node-RED?
n8n is better for business app automation, with 500+ pre-built app integrations, AI agent workflows with human-in-the-loop steps, and team features like admin roles, workflow history, SSO, and Git version control on paid tiers.
n8n competes with Zapier and Make, and its per-execution billing counts a multi-step workflow once rather than per step. Every n8n node can be extended or replaced with custom JavaScript or Python. Node-RED can call REST APIs through community nodes, but large Node-RED flows become hard to read, review, and version-control, and Node-RED has no built-in first-class testing or CI framework.
Can Node-RED replace n8n?
Yes for technical teams willing to self-host and build integrations from community nodes, but the Node-RED project offers no managed cloud or paid enterprise tier, while n8n sells both.
Moving from n8n to Node-RED removes license costs and swaps the Sustainable Use License for Apache 2.0. In exchange, teams give up n8n's catalog of 500+ pre-built app integrations, its AI agent tooling with human-in-the-loop steps, and paid-tier features like SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control. Hosting, authentication, HTTPS, and updates for Node-RED fall to you unless you pay a third party such as FlowFuse.
Strengths and weaknesses
n8n
Pros
- Bills per full workflow execution, not per step, which can be cheaper than per-task pricing for complex automations.
- Free, fully-featured self-hosted Community edition via Docker with the complete automation engine.
- Every node can be extended or replaced with custom JavaScript or Python code.
- 500+ pre-built app integrations plus native support for building multi-agent AI workflows with human-in-the-loop steps.
Cons
- Large price jump between Pro (€50/month) and Business (€667/month) cloud tiers, with nothing in between.
- Sustainable Use License is not OSI-approved open source; enterprise features require a separate commercial license even for self-hosted use.
- Self-hosting requires managing your own Docker infrastructure, updates, and scaling, unlike a fully managed cloud automation tool.
- Visual canvas can get cluttered on large workflows with many branches and custom code nodes.
Node-RED
Pros
- Free and open source under Apache 2.0, maintained by the OpenJS Foundation with no licensing cost.
- Visual flow editor lowers the barrier to building event-driven integrations compared to writing full application code.
- Runs on everything from a Raspberry Pi to cloud platforms like AWS and Azure.
- Ecosystem of over 5,000 community-built nodes covers most common hardware and API integrations out of the box.
Cons
- Large flows become hard to read, review, and version-control compared to conventional code.
- No built-in first-class testing or CI framework for flows, making regression testing manual.
- Function nodes let users embed raw JavaScript, which can undermine the low-code readability the tool is chosen for.
- Self-hosting and securing a Node-RED instance (auth, HTTPS, updates) is left to the user unless a managed provider like FlowFuse is used.
Which fits your use case?
| Use case | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home automation hobbyist running flows on a Raspberry Pi | Node-RED | Node-RED is free, runs on Raspberry Pi, and has community nodes for MQTT and smart-home hardware. |
| Operations team connecting SaaS business apps | n8n | n8n offers 500+ pre-built app integrations and bills cloud usage per full workflow execution rather than per step. |
| Industrial engineer building edge-computing data pipelines | Node-RED | Node-RED is used for industrial control and edge computing on resource-constrained hardware such as BeagleBone Black and Arduino. |
| Team building AI agent workflows with human approval steps | n8n | n8n natively supports multi-agent AI workflows with human-in-the-loop approval, with AI credits included on cloud plans. |
| Startup under 20 employees that needs SSO and Git version control | n8n | n8n Business includes SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control, with a 50% startup discount off €667/month for companies under 20 employees. |
| Developer who requires an OSI-approved open-source license | Node-RED | Node-RED is Apache 2.0, while n8n's Sustainable Use License is fair-code and not OSI-approved. |
Neither a match?
Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.
Popular comparisons
n8n vs Node-RED: migration FAQ
Should I use n8n or Node-RED?
- Use n8n if you automate business apps and want 500+ integrations, AI agent workflows, and an official managed cloud; use Node-RED if you build IoT, MQTT, or real-time data flows on hardware like Raspberry Pi and want a fully free Apache 2.0 tool. Both carry a moderate learning curve.
Is n8n cheaper than Node-RED?
- No, Node-RED is entirely free under Apache 2.0, while n8n is free only when self-hosted and its cloud starts at €20/month billed annually. n8n's enterprise features, such as SSO, need a commercial license even when self-hosted.
Can Node-RED replace n8n?
- Yes for technical teams that self-host and can build integrations from Node-RED's 5,000+ community nodes. Teams that rely on n8n's managed cloud, 500+ pre-built app integrations, AI agent tooling, or SSO would give those up.
Is n8n open source?
- Not by the OSI definition: n8n uses a fair-code model, with its Sustainable Use License covering free self-hosted use and a commercial license required for enterprise features. Node-RED, by contrast, is open source under Apache 2.0.
Does Node-RED have a cloud version?
- Not from the Node-RED project itself, which has no paid tier; third-party vendors such as FlowFuse sell hosted and managed Node-RED. n8n runs its own managed cloud from €20/month, billed annually.