Activepieces
Focus: automation, ai agents and open source. Shares zapier alternative with Node-RED. Freemium (Node-RED: Free). Adds Web. Rated 4.5 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFree planWeb, Cross-Platform
4.5Visit
Automation Tool
Node-RED
Free, open-source low-code tool for wiring together devices, APIs and online services.
Rating
4.6 / 5
Pricing
Free
Difficulty
Advanced
Works on
Cross-Platform, Linux, Windows
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is Node-RED?
Node-RED is a low-code, flow-based programming tool for event-driven applications: you connect nodes in a browser editor to collect, transform and act on data, from home automation to industrial control. It is a free, open-source OpenJS Foundation project under the Apache 2.0 licence, built on Node.js. It runs locally, in Docker, on low-cost hardware such as the Raspberry Pi, or in the cloud.
Pros: what Node-RED does well
- Completely free and open source (Apache 2.0)
- Runs anywhere, even on a Raspberry Pi
- Huge library of community nodes
Cons: where it falls short
- You install and host it yourself
- More technical than Zapier-style tools
Who Node-RED is for
Tinkerers and developers automating devices, APIs and home setups.
Who can skip it
People who want a hosted, point-and-click service.
Node-RED alternatives
Not sold on Node-RED? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Pipedream
Focus: automation, api and workflows. Shares zapier alternative with Node-RED. Freemium (Node-RED: Free). Adds Web. Rated 4.4 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFree planWeb
4.4Visit
Huginn
Focus: self-hosted, agents and web monitoring. Shares zapier alternative with Node-RED. Rated 4.3 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFreeCross-Platform, Linux
4.3Visit
IFTTT
Focus: automation, applets and smart home. Shares zapier alternative with Node-RED. Freemium (Node-RED: Free). Adds Web, iOS and Android. Rated 4.2 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFree planWeb, iOS
4.2Visit
FFmpeg Skill
Focus: ffmpeg, video editing and ai agent skill. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Rated 4.7 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFreemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
Home Assistant
Focus: smart home and open source. Shares home automation and iot with Node-RED. Adds iOS and Android. Rated 4.7 (Node-RED: 4.6).
OtherFreeCross-Platform, iOS
4.7Visit
Free alternatives to Node-RED
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
Apprise
Focus: notifications, alerts and command line. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Same 4.6 rating.
Automation ToolFreeCross-Platform
4.6Visit
Kestra
Focus: workflow automation, orchestration and scheduling. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Adds Web. Same 4.6 rating.
Automation ToolFreeWeb
4.6Visit
Windmill
Focus: workflows, internal tools and cron jobs. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Adds Web. Same 4.6 rating.
Automation ToolFreeWeb
4.6Visit
Gotify
Focus: push notifications, self-hosted and alerts. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Adds Web and Android. Rated 4.5 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFreeWeb, Android
4.5Visit
Self-Media Compliance Review
Focus: compliance, content moderation and social media. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Rated 4.5 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFreeCross-Platform, macOS
4.5Visit
Watchexec
Focus: file watcher, automation and command line. Also in Automation and Workflows, like Node-RED. Rated 4.5 (Node-RED: 4.6).
Automation ToolFreeCross-Platform
4.5Visit
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