Node RED
Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions.
Node RED vs Tasmota
Two self-hosted Internet of Things (IoT) apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Node RED | Tasmota | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions. | Firmware for ESP devices. Total local control with quick setup and updates. Control using MQTT, Web UI, HTTP or serial. Automate using timers, rules or scripts. Integration with home automation solutions. |
| GitHub stars | 23,816 | 24,965 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 781 | 811 |
| Last activity | 2026-10-26 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | 5.0.9 (2026-10-21) | v16.0.0 (2026-10-16) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Nodejs, Docker | C, C++ |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $5/mo | $3.5/mo |
| Categories | Internet of Things (IoT) | Internet of Things (IoT) |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Node RED and Tasmota have a similar number of GitHub stars (23.8k vs 25k).
- Node RED published a release more recently (5.0.9 on 2026-10-21; Tasmota's latest is v16.0.0 on 2026-10-16).
- Node RED is licensed under Apache-2.0, Tasmota under GPL-3.0. Node RED's license is permissive; Tasmota's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- Node RED is written in Nodejs; Tasmota in C, C++.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Node RED: Docker; Tasmota: none listed.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for Tasmota (~512 MB server) than Node RED (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: On the numbers we track, Node RED and Tasmota are evenly matched. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Node RED or Tasmota more popular?
They are close: Node RED has 23,816 GitHub stars and Tasmota has 24,965 (as of 2026-11-05).
Which is more actively maintained, Node RED or Tasmota?
Commits in the last 12 months: Node RED 781, Tasmota 811. The last recorded activity was 2026-10-26 for Node RED and 2026-11-04 for Tasmota. Our health labels: Node RED is “Active”, Tasmota is “Active”.
What licenses do Node RED and Tasmota use?
Node RED: Apache-2.0. Tasmota: GPL-3.0. Node RED's license is permissive; Tasmota's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run Node RED and Tasmota with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Node RED. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Tasmota
Firmware for ESP devices. Total local control with quick setup and updates. Control using MQTT, Web UI, HTTP or serial. Automate using timers, rules or scripts. Integration with home automation solutions.
Browse all self-hosted Internet of Things (IoT) apps.