head to head · open source
n8n vs lowdefy
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars, 60,739 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. lowdefy has 3,007 stars, 185 forks, 71 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 6,714% (204,887 vs 3,007 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; lowdefy is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, lowdefy 6%. n8n was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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 | lowdefy | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 3.0K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 185 |
| 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 lowdefy if
- You want the lowdefy 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 lowdefy 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 lowdefy
Lowdefy is an Apache 2.0 JavaScript framework that builds full stack web apps — internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, and CRUD apps — from schema validated YAML config instead of hand written React, for teams that want AI to generate the app while humans review and maintain it.
read the full lowdefy overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or lowdefy more popular?
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars and lowdefy has 3,007. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and lowdefy free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and lowdefy is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and lowdefy?
n8n is written in TypeScript and lowdefy 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 lowdefy?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (204,887 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose lowdefy if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.