# Node RED vs octelium

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

| | Node RED | octelium |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 59/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #22 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 23 791 ✓ | 4 134 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +106 ✓ | +64 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 | 21 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 | v0.47.0 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 59/100 for octelium, so it is the safer default.

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

## Details

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

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