# actions-runner-controller vs n8n

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | actions-runner-controller | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 92/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #7 of 28 in CI/CD | #1 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 6 610 | 208 889 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +93 | +3 080 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 205 ✓ |
| Latest release | gha-runner-scale-set-0.15.1 · 23 Oct 2026 | n8n@3.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Go | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

n8n scores 92/100 against 71/100 for actions-runner-controller, so it is the safer default.

n8n ships more often: 205 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for actions-runner-controller.

If you want the quickest setup, n8n is easier to run; actions-runner-controller needs more configuration.

n8n is growing faster right now (+3 080 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [actions-runner-controller](https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller.md)
- [n8n](https://selfhost.directory/project/n8n) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/n8n.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/actions-runner-controller-vs-n8n