# Node RED vs Rocket.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.

## Details

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

## Related comparisons

- [Discourse vs Rocket.Chat](https://selfhost.directory/compare/discourse-vs-rocketchat)
- [Rocket.Chat vs Zulip](https://selfhost.directory/compare/rocketchat-vs-zulip)

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