prices verified july 2026 · 3 workflows · monthly billing

n8n vs Node-RED — pricing & features compared

n8n logon8n vs Node-RED logoNode-RED
Both are self-hosted and free to run, so our figures put them at the same cost — your server (see the table). They serve different builders: n8n is a general-purpose automation tool with 572 maintained official nodes, AI/LLM nodes and a visual editor aimed at business workflows, while Node-RED (Apache 2.0) is event-driven and excels at IoT/hardware, wired in a flow editor with Node.js function nodes and extended by 6,000+ community-published npm modules. The two count integrations on different bases — n8n's curated first-party nodes versus Node-RED's community modules — so the numbers aren't a like-for-like comparison. Pick n8n for SaaS automation, Node-RED for devices and events. See the price table below for figures.
Price by volume

What you'd pay per month

Cheapest qualifying plan for each tool, including overage, at four typical volumes.

runs / monthn8nNode-RED
1,000 $8self-hosted* $8self-hosted*
5,000 $8self-hosted* $8self-hosted*
20,000 $25self-hosted* $25self-hosted*
100,000 $45self-hosted* $45self-hosted*

~ = estimated custom-tier pricing (vendor quotes individually; calibrated against public list prices). Assumes 3 workflows, monthly billing, cheapest qualifying plan. Prices verified July 2026 — see the price changelog. * self-hosted = free to run yourself; the figure is the server infrastructure (VPS + DB, not a tool fee), ~$8/mo small to ~$200/mo at high volume — assumes light workflows and excludes your ops time.

n8n vs Node-RED — monthly cost by volume
runs/mon8nNode-RED
1,000$8/mo$8/mo
5,000$8/mo$8/mo
20,000$25/mo$25/mo
100,000$45/mo$45/mo

Get the number for your exact volume.

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Where they differ

Feature differences that matter

Only the rows where n8n and Node-RED actually differ — identical capabilities are left out.

Featuren8nNode-RED
Integrations572+ official nodes6,092+ community modules
Free tierUnlimited* · Unlimited*Unlimited · Unlimited
Execution timeoutNo limit*No limit
Log history7 days (cloud)Full history
AI features✓✗
Multi-user✓✗
LicenseSustainable UseApache 2.0

Same on both: overage model · steps per workflow · eu data residency · self-hosting · api access · webhooks · code steps.

Trade-offs

Pros & cons

n8n logon8n
  • Truly unlimited self-hosted
  • Best AI/LLM nodes
  • Strong community
  • Setup required for self-host
  • Big jump from Pro to Business tier
Node-RED logoNode-RED
  • Apache 2.0 — completely free
  • Node.js code steps
  • Best for IoT/hardware
  • No cloud option
  • Developer-only despite the visual flow editor — non-technical users struggle
  • Limited SaaS integrations
FAQ

Common questions

They come out to the same cost across the volumes we track — both are free to self-host, so the figure is just your server bill (see the table above). Price isn't the deciding factor here; the feature and trade-off sections below cover what separates them.
n8n Cloud counts workflow executions — one run is one execution regardless of step count; self-hosted n8n has no metering at all. Node-RED has no metering — it's open-source software you run on your own hardware.
Yes — both n8n and Node-RED can be self-hosted, which caps the real cost at your server bill.
When you're automating SaaS apps and APIs rather than hardware. n8n's 572 official nodes, native AI nodes and business-oriented editor cover that ground, where Node-RED leans toward IoT, events and low-level wiring.
Taken from official pricing pages and verified July 2026. Values marked ~ are estimates for custom enterprise tiers. Every change we record lands in the price changelog.
Try them

Both have free tiers — test with your real workflow

n8n logon8n

Community Edition is free forever self-hosted; Cloud has a free trial — test a real workflow either way.

Visit n8n →
Node-RED logoNode-RED

Free and open source — install and run in minutes on a Pi or VPS.

Visit Node-RED →

An objective cost comparison from each vendor's public pricing pages (July 2026) — not a recommendation; rankings reflect price only, so verify current pricing before deciding. We currently run no affiliate links — every outbound link here is plain, and affiliate status never affects the comparison. See our affiliate disclosure.

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