# Node RED vs Photon

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

| | Node RED | Photon |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 54/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #16 of 85 in Feed Reader |
| GitHub stars | 23 791 ✓ | 557 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +106 ✓ | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 ✓ | 9 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2.4.3 · 30 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Svelte |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 54/100 for Photon, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for Photon.

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

Node RED is growing faster right now (+106 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Node RED](https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red.md)
- [Photon](https://selfhost.directory/project/photon-2) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/photon-2.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/node-red-vs-photon-2