The Node-RED Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Node-RED in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Node-RED
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Node-RED’s own pages.
Made by OpenJS Foundation · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Node-RED’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Node-RED’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 38 of the 40 other automation tools we grade
Node-RED is an open-source, flow-based programming tool, first developed at IBM and now part of the OpenJS Foundation. Flows are wired together from nodes in a browser-based editor and deployed to a lightweight Node.js runtime that can run on a local computer, on a Raspberry Pi, in Docker or in the cloud. It is released under the Apache 2.0 license, and you install and host it yourself.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Node-RED, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Custom logic means writing JavaScript, flows need git to be versioned, and Android support is described as a bit experimental.
- 1
Best for home and device automation on a Raspberry Pi
There's no hosted service from the project, so you install and run it with Node.js or Docker yourself.
- 2
It is free
Node-RED has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license; the project sells no paid edition. You install and run it yourself, and hosted services come from third parties such as FlowFuse.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Browser-based flow editor
Flows are built by wiring together nodes from a palette in the browser, then deployed to the runtime in a single click.
- 5
Function nodes
JavaScript functions can be written inside the editor in a rich text editor, and a built-in library saves functions, templates and flows for reuse.
- 6
Community nodes and flow library
The palette can be extended with new nodes, and the project says the community has shared more than 5,000 nodes and flows. An online flow library hosts them.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 38 of 40
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Node-RED is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Node-RED at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- OpenJS Foundation, since 2013
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for home and device automation on a Raspberry Pi
Node-RED is free and open source: you wire nodes together in a browser and deploy with one click, on anything from a Raspberry Pi to the cloud. There's no hosted service from the project, so you install and run it with Node.js or Docker yourself. Custom logic means writing JavaScript, flows need git to be versioned, and Android support is described as a bit experimental.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no paid edition at all, where tools in this category start around $15 a month. You pay for whatever it runs on, and that can be a Raspberry Pi. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole project is free, with nothing metered and no account to make: the runtime, the browser editor and the community's nodes and flows. Hosted versions come from third parties such as FlowFuse, if you'd rather not run it. |
| Features | B | A browser editor that deploys to the runtime in one click, JavaScript function nodes, a palette you extend from more than 5,000 community nodes and flows, flows saved as JSON and put under git, an admin API, and module APIs for embedding it in your own app. That covers the job. |
| Ease of use | D | There's no hosted service from the project: you install Node.js or Docker and run it yourself. The project calls it low-code, which in practice means custom logic goes in JavaScript function nodes, and git is needed before flows can be versioned. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | The editor runs in a browser and the runtime runs almost anywhere: Windows, Linux, Docker, a Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone, AWS or Azure, with Android through Termux described as a bit experimental. MQTT, an admin HTTP API and the module APIs do the connecting. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Node-RED is for
- Fits if you're automating a home or a bench full of devices from a Raspberry Pi
- Works for developers who are happy running a Node.js service themselves
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to sign up and go, because you install and host it yourself
- Not for you if you can't write a little JavaScript, as custom logic lives in function nodes
- Watch out: hosted versions come only from third parties such as FlowFuse, not the project
- Tight if you want it on a phone, as running on Android through Termux is described as a bit experimental
- Watch out: flows are saved as JSON, and you need git set up before they can be versioned
Good to know
Good for
- Home automation and device projects on hardware such as a Raspberry Pi
- Industrial teams collecting and transforming operational data
- Developers who are comfortable running a Node.js service themselves
Worth knowing
- Node-RED is software you install and run yourself; the project offers no hosted service of its own, though third parties such as FlowFuse do.
- The machine that runs it needs a supported version of Node.js, or Docker.
- The project calls it low-code: custom logic is written as JavaScript in function nodes.
- Running on Android through Termux is described in the docs as a bit experimental.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Node-RED is free to use.
You pay for whatever it runs on, and that can be a Raspberry Pi.
Node-RED
$0
The whole project under the Apache 2.0 license: the runtime, the browser-based editor and access to the community's nodes and flows.
The free plan
Free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license; the project sells no paid edition. You install and run it yourself, and hosted services come from third parties such as FlowFuse.
Read from github.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, Windows and Linux
Open-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation.
MQTT, an admin HTTP API and the module APIs do the connecting.
- Browser-based flow editor
- Flows are built by wiring together nodes from a palette in the browser, then deployed to the runtime in a single click.
- Function nodes
- JavaScript functions can be written inside the editor in a rich text editor, and a built-in library saves functions, templates and flows for reuse.
- Community nodes and flow library
- The palette can be extended with new nodes, and the project says the community has shared more than 5,000 nodes and flows. An online flow library hosts them.
- Runs from edge devices to the cloud
- The Node.js runtime is light enough for low-cost hardware such as the Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone, and guides also cover Docker, Windows, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
- Flows stored as JSON
- Flows are saved as JSON, which can be imported and exported to share with others. A Projects feature, which needs git, puts flows under version control.
- APIs and embedding
- An Admin HTTP API administers the runtime remotely, and module APIs let developers embed Node-RED in an existing Node.js application.
Where it runs
- Web
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- MQTT
- Raspberry Pi
- Arduino
- Docker
- FlowFuse
- Amazon Web Services
- Microsoft Azure
Node-RED is made by OpenJS Foundation, and has been around since 2013.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
38/40
Other automation tools it is graded above
Node-RED's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 38 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 37 of 40) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Node-RED has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 41 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Node-RED’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 27 of 40
- AFree plan and trialAbove 37 of 40
- BFeaturesAbove 17 of 40
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 40
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 40
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 automation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Node-RED is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Node-RED is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 38 of the 40 other automation tools we grade.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A real app for Windows and Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Node-RED’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
n8n, Huginn, Activepieces and Windmill
The 4 tools Node-RED is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
n8n
Free plan · from €20/mo
Workflow automation and AI agents you can self-host.
- Only Node-RED lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Node-RED is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Huginn
Free
Open-source agents that watch the web and act, on your own server.
- Only Node-RED lists a Windows app.
- 2.8GPA
Activepieces
Free plan · from $16/mo
Open-source automation with flows, AI agents and tables.
- Only Node-RED lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Activepieces also covers databases and AI agents.
- 2.6GPA
Windmill
Free plan · from $10/mo
Open-source platform for scripts, workflows and internal apps.
- Only Node-RED lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Windmill also covers AI agents and app builder.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Node-RED free?
Yes. Node-RED is free to use.
How much does Node-RED cost?
Node-RED lists one plan. Node-RED: $0.
What platforms does Node-RED work on?
Node-RED is available on Web, Windows and Linux.
Does Node-RED have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Node-RED is listed for Web, Windows and Linux.
Does Node-RED have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Node-RED is listed for Web, Windows and Linux.
Is Node-RED open source?
Yes. Node-RED is open source, according to its own site.
Does Node-RED have an API?
Yes. Node-RED offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Node-RED integrate with?
Node-RED's listing names MQTT, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Docker, FlowFuse, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
Who makes Node-RED?
Node-RED is made by OpenJS Foundation. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to Node-RED?
The closest alternatives to Node-RED in our directory are n8n, Huginn, Activepieces and Windmill.
How does Node-RED compare with other automation tools?
Node-RED's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 38 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 2.
Is Node-RED good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Node-RED A for value for money. Node-RED has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Node-RED?
Node-RED is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Node-RED’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Node-RED's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-09.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by OpenJS Foundation. Prices change, so check nodered.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Node-RED, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/node-red
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Node-RED: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/node-red
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/node-red/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Node-RED, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 41 automation tools we grade, compared
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Ui.Vision Insider's GuideOpen-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision3.0 GPA
- Activepieces Insider's GuideOpen-source automation with flows, AI agents and tables2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Node-RED’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Node-RED is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by OpenJS Foundation. Prices and plans change: check nodered.org before you buy.