# Node RED vs Pterodactyl

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

| | Node RED | Pterodactyl |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 75/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #5 of 62 in Game Servers |
| GitHub stars | 23 791 ✓ | 9 437 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +109 | +183 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 ✓ | 11 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 | v1.15.2 · 21 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | JavaScript | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 75/100 for Pterodactyl, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 11 for Pterodactyl.

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

## Details

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

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