head to head · open source
n8n vs Kestra
n8n has 205,086 GitHub stars, 60,753 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped today. Kestra has 28,148 stars, 2,999 forks, 713 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 629% (205,086 vs 28,148 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Kestra is written in Java under Apache-2.0. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, Kestra 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.
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Side by side
| n8n | Kestra | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 28K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 3.0K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick n8n if
- You weight community size — 205K 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 Kestra if
- You want the Kestra feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and Kestra fits your workflow better
About n8n
n8n is a visual workflow automation platform built in TypeScript that combines a drag and drop editor with custom code execution. It lives in the integration and automation ecosystem, positioned as an open alternative to proprietary services like Zapier. Users design multi step workflows—called “n8n flows”—that connect apps, services, and custom logic to automate repetitive tasks.
About Kestra
Kestra is an open source, event driven orchestration platform for data, AI, and infrastructure workflows. It operates in the Java based ecosystem and is licensed under Apache 2.0. The project provides a unified interface for both scheduled and real time automation, supporting declarative workflow definitions in YAML while also offering visual and AI assisted authoring.
read the full Kestra overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Kestra more popular?
n8n has 205,086 GitHub stars and Kestra has 28,148. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and Kestra free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and Kestra is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and Kestra?
n8n is written in TypeScript and Kestra in Java. 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 Kestra?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (205,086 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Kestra if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.