Node-RED

An open-source, browser-based flow editor for wiring together devices, APIs and online services.

Open sourceSelf-hostableAutomation and integration platforms

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Node-RED

Node-RED is a low-code programming tool for event-driven applications, originally built at IBM and now an OpenJS Foundation project. You drag nodes onto a canvas in your browser and wire them together: an MQTT message arrives, a function node transforms it with a bit of JavaScript, and the result is written to a database, sent to an HTTP API or shown on a dashboard. It runs on Node.js, so it fits on anything from a Raspberry Pi to a cloud server or Docker container, and it is a staple in home automation, industrial IoT and quick internal integrations. The community has shared thousands of extra nodes for devices, protocols and services. It is completely free under the Apache 2.0 licence, and companies like FlowFuse sell hosted and managed versions for teams. It is more of a developer tool than Zapier: there are no managed app connections with one-click logins, and you handle hosting, security and updates yourself.

Best for: Tinkerers and engineers wiring up IoT devices, APIs and home automation.

What works

Free and Apache 2.0 licensed
Runs on tiny hardware like a Raspberry Pi
Thousands of community nodes

Why people leave

You host and secure it yourself
No managed one-click app logins
Needs some JavaScript for anything non-trivial

Top Node-RED alternatives

See all 5

1
n8n
More business-app integrations and a polished hosted option.
66.5
2
Huginn
Open-source agents for watching websites and feeds and acting on changes.
62.6
3
Activepieces
Friendlier for non-developers with managed app connections.
59.6
4
IFTTT
Hosted and effortless for simple smart-home rules.
57.2
5
Automatisch
Self-hosted Zapier-style flows for business apps.
55.3

Why people left Node-RED

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Node-RED, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers

Write a review of Node-RED

Your rating of Node-RED

Name

Never shown publicly. A work email helps us verify you.

Title

Your review

What did you use it for, and what was good or bad? At least 40 characters.

Did you switch from another app?

Why did you leave it?

How can we verify you use it? (optional)

A GitHub username, your company domain, or say you can send a screenshot. Verified reviews count more.

I received money, credit or a gift for writing this review. (Incentivized reviews are shown but don't count toward rankings.)

By submitting, you confirm you're at least 16 and agree to our terms. Your name, rating, review and the date are published; your email isn't. See our privacy policy.

Node-RED: common questions

Is Node-RED free?

Yes. Node-RED is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is Node-RED open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at node-red/node-red. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does Node-RED run on?

Node-RED is available for Web, Self-hosted, Windows, macOS and Linux.

What are the best alternatives to Node-RED?

The highest-ranked Node-RED alternatives right now are n8n, Huginn and Activepieces. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Node-RED alternatives

Node-RED facts

4 of 4 verified

License: Apache 2.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026nodered.org(opens source in a new tab); “Node-RED is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license .”
Origin: IBM, now OpenJS Foundation; Checked Oct 25, 2026nodered.org(opens source in a new tab); “originally developed by IBM Emerging Technology Services team and now a part of the OpenJS Foundation .”
Community nodes: 5,000+; Checked Oct 25, 2026nodered.org(opens source in a new tab); “It is easy to extend the range of palette nodes to add new capabilities, with over 5000 nodes already shared by the community.”
Runs on: Local computer, Raspberry Pi, Docker, cloud; Checked Oct 25, 2026nodered.org(opens source in a new tab); “Pick where you want to run Node-RED, whether on your local computer, a device such as a Raspberry Pi or in the cloud and follow the guides below.”