head to head · open source
n8n vs RustDesk
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars, 60,739 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. RustDesk has 123,854 stars, 19,128 forks, 147 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 65% (204,887 vs 123,854 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; RustDesk is written in Rust under AGPL-3.0. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, RustDesk 15%. 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 | RustDesk | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 124K |
| License | Custom / other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 19K |
| 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 RustDesk if
- You want the RustDesk feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and RustDesk 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 RustDesk
RustDesk is an open source remote desktop application written in Rust, designed for self hosting as a privacy focused alternative to proprietary solutions like TeamViewer. It enables remote control of machines across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS platforms using a peer to peer (P2P) architecture by default, with optional relay and rendezvous servers for NAT traversal. The project lives in the remote access and productivity ecosystem, targeting users who require full control over their infrastructure and data.
read the full RustDesk overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or RustDesk more popular?
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars and RustDesk has 123,854. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and RustDesk free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and RustDesk is licensed under AGPL-3.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and RustDesk?
n8n is written in TypeScript and RustDesk in Rust. 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 RustDesk?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (204,887 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose RustDesk if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.