n8nvsShlink
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| n8n | Shlink | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 92/100 | 70/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 32 in Workflow Automation | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 208 940 | 5 380 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +3 049 | +77 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 205 | 13 |
| Latest release | n8n@3.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | PHP |
Which one should you pick?
n8n scores 92/100 against 70/100 for Shlink, so it is the safer default.
n8n ships more often: 205 stable releases in the past year, against 13 for Shlink.
If you want the quickest setup, Shlink is easier to run; n8n needs more configuration.
n8n is growing faster right now (+3 049 stars in 30 days).
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