# HiClaw vs Node RED

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

| | HiClaw | Node RED |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 67/100 | 81/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #31 of 209 in AI Agents | #1 of 26 in Automation |
| GitHub stars | 5 889 | 23 791 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +220 ✓ | +106 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 21 ✓ |
| Latest release | v1.2.5 · 16 Oct 2026 | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 67/100 for HiClaw, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for HiClaw.

HiClaw is growing faster right now (+220 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [HiClaw](https://selfhost.directory/project/hiclaw) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/hiclaw.md)
- [Node RED](https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/hiclaw-vs-node-red