EMQXvsn8n
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| EMQX | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 | 92/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #1 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 16 868 | 208 914 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +114 | +3 105 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 205 |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 | n8n@3.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Other |
| Main language | Erlang | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
n8n scores 92/100 against 78/100 for EMQX, so it is the safer default.
n8n ships more often: 205 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for EMQX.
If you want the quickest setup, n8n is easier to run; EMQX needs more configuration.
n8n is growing faster right now (+3 105 stars in 30 days).