Node REDvsRocket.Chat
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Node RED | Rocket.Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #1 of 13 in Instant Messaging |
| GitHub stars | 23 791 | 46 349 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +109 | +188 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 | 36 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 | 8.5.4 · 16 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Rocket.Chat scores 82/100 against 81/100 for Node RED, so it is the safer default.
Rocket.Chat ships more often: 36 stable releases in the past year, against 21 for Node RED.
If you want the quickest setup, Node RED is easier to run; Rocket.Chat needs more configuration.
Node RED details →Rocket.Chat details →
Swap a project
Keep Node RED, compare it with
Keep Rocket.Chat, compare it with