n8n-installvsOlares
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| n8n-install | Olares | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 58/100 | 65/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 10 in AI Automation | #4 of 22 in Home Server |
| GitHub stars | 962 | 5 359 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +9 | +54 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 | 149 |
| Latest release | v1.18.2 · 27 Oct 2026 | 1.12.9-20261112 · 12 Nov 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Shell | Go |
Which one should you pick?
Olares scores 65/100 against 58/100 for n8n-install, so it is the safer default.
Olares ships more often: 149 stable releases in the past year, against 21 for n8n-install.
If you want the quickest setup, n8n-install is easier to run; Olares needs more configuration.
Olares is growing faster right now (+54 stars in 30 days).
Key differences
- License: n8n-install is Apache-2.0, Olares is AGPL-3.0.
- Language: n8n-install is written mainly in Shell, Olares in Go.
- Only Olares ships an official Docker image.
- Features only n8n-install lists: AI agents and RAG, Automatic HTTPS, Built-in monitoring, ChatGPT-style web interface and 11 more.
- Features only Olares lists: Application sandboxing, Backup and Restore, Browser-based desktop access, Built-in system apps and 11 more.
n8n-install details →Olares details →