# Node RED vs Thumbor

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

| | Node RED | Thumbor |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 72/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 26 in Automation | #2 of 13 in Image Processing |
| GitHub stars | 23 791 ✓ | 10 528 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +109 ✓ | +7 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 21 ✓ | 1 |
| Latest release | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ | 7.8.0 · 30 May 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Node RED scores 81/100 against 72/100 for Thumbor, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 1 for Thumbor.

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)
- [Thumbor](https://selfhost.directory/project/thumbor) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/thumbor.md)

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