head to head · open source
n8n vs Automa
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars, 61,361 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Automa has 21,705 stars, 2,344 forks, 377 open issues and last shipped 8 months ago. n8n leads on adoption by 865% (209,375 vs 21,705 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Automa is written in Vue under a custom or non-standard licence. n8n has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, Automa 11%. n8n was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (automation), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| n8n | Automa | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 209K | ★ 22K |
| License | Custom / other | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Vue |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-03-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 2.3K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick n8n if
- You weight community size — 209K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Automa if
- You want the Automa feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Vue
- You evaluated both and Automa fits your workflow better
About n8n
n8n – The Platform for AI Agents and Workflow Automation Fair code platform to build and deploy AI agents and workflows. Combine a visual canvas with custom code, run it self hosted or in the cloud, and connect to 1500+ integrations. AI automation you can trust with real work, from prototype to production. Key Capabilities AI Native Automation Platform : Build and operationalize AI workflows and multi step agents using your own data, models, and tools Model Flexibility, No Lock In : Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or open source models and switch providers without changing your architecture From Prototype…
About Automa
Automa An extension for automating your browser by connecting blocks. Auto fill forms, do a repetitive task, take a screenshot, or scrape website data — the choice is yours. You can even schedule when the automation will execute! Downloads Chrome Web Store Firefox Add ons Marketplace Browse the Automa marketplace where you can share and download workflows with others. Go to the marketplace & 187; Automa Chrome Extension Builder Automa Chrome Extension Builder (Automa CEB for short) allows you to generate a standalone chrome extension based on Automa workflows. Go to the documentation & 187; Project setup Before…
read the full Automa overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Automation projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Automation field.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Automa more popular?
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars and Automa has 21,705. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and Automa free?
Neither n8n nor Automa declares a licence in this registry, so check each project's own repository before relying on either for a commercial use. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and Automa?
n8n is written in TypeScript and Automa in Vue. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, n8n or Automa?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (209,375 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Automa if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.