head to head · open source
n8n vs Ethora
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars, 61,361 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Ethora has 552 stars, 112 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 37,830% (209,375 vs 552 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Ethora is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0. n8n has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, Ethora 20%. n8n was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (low-code, mcp), 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.
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Side by side
| n8n | Ethora | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 209K | ★ 552 |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 112 |
| 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 Ethora if
- You want the Ethora feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and Ethora 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 Ethora
Ethora — SDK Monorepo Chat, AI and messaging SDK platform. Add real time messaging, AI bots, and backend services to your app in minutes. This repository serves as the SDK monorepo — a single place to discover, clone, and navigate all Ethora SDKs, tools, and sample apps. Each component lives in its own focused repository, linked here as git submodules. Ecosystem Feature coverage across SDKs Quick glance at what each SDK supports. Full matrix with evidence: features/ · Source: features/features.yaml Legend: ✅ Present · 🟡 Partial · 🛠 Roadmap · — Absent Coverage (present + partial×0.5) / 44 features: React.js 77%…
read the full Ethora overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Ethora more popular?
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars and Ethora has 552. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and Ethora free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and Ethora is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and Ethora?
n8n is written in TypeScript and Ethora in JavaScript. 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 Ethora?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (209,375 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Ethora if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.