prices verified july 2026 · 3 workflows · monthly billing

Activepieces vs Node-RED — pricing & features compared

Activepieces logoActivepieces vs Node-RED logoNode-RED
Both are open-source and self-hostable, aimed at different builders. Activepieces offers a Zapier-like no-code UI, 756 pieces and an MIT license; Node-RED (Apache 2.0) is a developer/IoT tool wired in a flow editor with Node.js function nodes. Both self-host for just your server cost (~$8/mo VPS), so pick by fit, not price — Activepieces for no-code SaaS automation, Node-RED for hardware and events. See the price table below for figures.
Price by volume

What you'd pay per month

Cheapest qualifying plan for each tool, including overage, at four typical volumes.

runs / monthActivepiecesNode-RED
1,000 $8self-hosted* $8self-hosted*
5,000 $8self-hosted* $8self-hosted*
20,000 $25self-hosted* $25self-hosted*
100,000 $45self-hosted* $45self-hosted*

~ = estimated custom-tier pricing (vendor quotes individually; calibrated against public list prices). Assumes 3 workflows, monthly billing, cheapest qualifying plan. Prices verified July 2026 — see the price changelog. * self-hosted = free to run yourself; the figure is the server infrastructure (VPS + DB, not a tool fee), ~$8/mo small to ~$200/mo at high volume — assumes light workflows and excludes your ops time.

Activepieces vs Node-RED — monthly cost by volume
runs/moActivepiecesNode-RED
1,000$8/mo$8/mo
5,000$8/mo$8/mo
20,000$25/mo$25/mo
100,000$45/mo$45/mo

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Where they differ

Feature differences that matter

Only the rows where Activepieces and Node-RED actually differ — identical capabilities are left out.

FeatureActivepiecesNode-RED
Integrations756+ pieces6,142+ community modules
Free tierUnlimited runs (self-host) · Unlimited (self-host)Unlimited · Unlimited
Execution timeoutNo limit*No limit
Log historyYour DB (self-host)Full history
AI features✓✗
Multi-user✓✗
LicenseMITApache 2.0

Same on both: overage model · steps per workflow · eu data residency · self-hosting · api access · webhooks · code steps.

Trade-offs

Pros & cons

Activepieces logoActivepieces
  • MIT-licensed core (open-core)
  • No-code UI like Zapier
  • Self-hostable
  • Fewer integrations than Zapier (756 pieces vs 9,839)
  • Smaller community than n8n
  • Code-step sandbox breaks on some self-host setups (EasyPanel, Docker Swarm)
Node-RED logoNode-RED
  • Apache 2.0 — completely free
  • Node.js code steps
  • Best for IoT/hardware
  • No cloud option
  • Developer-only despite the visual flow editor — non-technical users struggle
  • Limited SaaS integrations
FAQ

Common questions

They come out to the same cost across the volumes we track — both are free to self-host, so the figure is just your server bill (see the table above). Price isn't the deciding factor here; the feature and trade-off sections below cover what separates them.
Activepieces is open-source and self-hostable — on your own instance there's no per-run or per-task metering, you pay only server cost. Node-RED has no metering — it's open-source software you run on your own hardware.
Yes — both Activepieces and Node-RED can be self-hosted, which caps the real cost at your server bill.
When you're working with IoT, hardware or event-driven flows. Node-RED's flow editor, Node.js function nodes and Apache 2.0 license make it the natural fit for device and on-prem automation, where Activepieces focuses on SaaS apps and a no-code UI.
Taken from official pricing pages and verified July 2026. Values marked ~ are estimates for custom enterprise tiers. Every change we record lands in the price changelog.
Try them

Both have free tiers — test with your real workflow

Activepieces logoActivepieces

Open-source and self-hostable — spin it up on a cheap VPS and a pilot costs only server time.

Visit Activepieces →
Node-RED logoNode-RED

Free and open source — install and run in minutes on a Pi or VPS.

Visit Node-RED →

An objective cost comparison from each vendor's public pricing pages (July 2026) — not a recommendation; rankings reflect price only, so verify current pricing before deciding. We currently run no affiliate links — every outbound link here is plain, and affiliate status never affects the comparison. See our affiliate disclosure.

Keep digging
Activepieces pricing in detail Node-RED pricing in detail Activepieces alternatives Node-RED alternatives Compare all tools Plan limits & run caps n8n vs Activepieces Zapier vs Activepieces