# mqttui vs Node RED

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

| | mqttui | Node RED |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 48/100 | 81/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #8 of 10 in IoT | #1 of 26 in Automation |
| GitHub stars | 224 | 23 790 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +108 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 2 | 21 ✓ |
| Latest release | v2.0.2 · 25 Mar 2026 | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Python | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 48/100 for mqttui, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 2 for mqttui.

If you want the quickest setup, Node RED is easier to run; mqttui needs more configuration.

Node RED is growing faster right now (+108 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [mqttui](https://selfhost.directory/project/mqttui) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/mqttui.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/mqttui-vs-node-red