# Node RED vs NodeLink

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

| | Node RED | NodeLink |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 50/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #7 of 14 in Audio Streaming |
| GitHub stars | 23 793 ✓ | 162 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +108 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | v3.9.0 · 14 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 50/100 for NodeLink, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for NodeLink.

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

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

## Details

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

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