# Node RED vs Request Tracker

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

| | Node RED | Request Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 65/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #3 of 9 in Helpdesk |
| GitHub stars | 23 794 ✓ | 1 164 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +109 ✓ | +5 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 ✓ | 2 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | rt-5.0.10 · 1 Jun 2026 |
| Setup | Easy ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Perl |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 65/100 for Request Tracker, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 2 for Request Tracker.

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

Node RED is growing faster right now (+109 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Node RED](https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red.md)
- [Request Tracker](https://selfhost.directory/project/request-tracker) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/request-tracker.md)

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