head to head · open source
n8n vs synology-api
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars, 61,361 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. synology-api has 608 stars, 168 forks, 7 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. n8n leads on adoption by 34,337% (209,375 vs 608 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; synology-api is written in Python under MIT. n8n has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, synology-api 28%. 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 | synology-api | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 209K | ★ 608 |
| License | Custom / other | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 168 |
| 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 synology-api if
- You want the synology-api feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and synology-api 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 synology-api
Synology Wrapper If you find yourself here, most probably you are trying to develop something for your NAS, this wrapper might come to your help to build your script. I would like to specify that I do this for hobby as is my passion and in my little free time. Said this, there is no warranties chained and this library is provided "As Is", you will find many things can be simplified, and I slowly will but feel free to Contribute. Premise I've tried this wrapper only with python3 . I do not know if it actually runs with previous versions Before opening an issue make sure you do your own research, if you are not…
read the full synology-api overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or synology-api more popular?
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars and synology-api has 608. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and synology-api free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and synology-api is licensed under MIT. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and synology-api?
n8n is written in TypeScript and synology-api in Python. 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 synology-api?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (209,375 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose synology-api if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.