n8nvsopenpencil
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| n8n | openpencil | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 92/100 | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 32 in Workflow Automation | #2 of 7 in Design |
| GitHub stars | 208 978 | 9 424 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +3 087 | +823 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 208 | 14 |
| Latest release | n8n@1.123.90 · 29 Oct 2026 | v0.16.0 · 14 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | No |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
n8n scores 92/100 against 73/100 for openpencil, so it is the safer default.
n8n ships more often: 208 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for openpencil.
If you want the quickest setup, openpencil is easier to run; n8n needs more configuration.
n8n is growing faster right now (+3 087 stars in 30 days).
n8n details →openpencil details →
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