head to head · open source
n8n vs Pearcleaner
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars, 61,361 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Pearcleaner has 15,029 stars, 401 forks, 84 open issues and last shipped 4 months ago. n8n leads on adoption by 1,293% (209,375 vs 15,029 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Pearcleaner is written in Swift under a custom or non-standard licence. n8n has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, Pearcleaner 3%. 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 | Pearcleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 209K | ★ 15K |
| License | Custom / other | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Swift |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-06-22 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 401 |
| 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 Pearcleaner if
- You want the Pearcleaner feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Swift
- You evaluated both and Pearcleaner 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 Pearcleaner
Pearcleaner Website The only legitimate website owned by me is Anything else offering Pearcleaner downloads is either a scam or not affiliated with me. More details HERE. Project Status: On Hold As you may have noticed, development on the app has basically stopped since end of 2025, so I wanted to provide some context. Between a new job, joining a friend who is building a SaaS company, and other life priorities, I no longer have the time needed to actively maintain or continue development on the project. Another major reason is that I previously relied on my work MacBook for development. After changing jobs, I…
read the full Pearcleaner overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or Pearcleaner more popular?
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars and Pearcleaner has 15,029. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and Pearcleaner free?
Neither n8n nor Pearcleaner 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 Pearcleaner?
n8n is written in TypeScript and Pearcleaner in Swift. 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 Pearcleaner?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (209,375 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Pearcleaner if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.