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Automation & Workflows comparison

n8n vs Huginn: which should you self-host in 2026?

Pick n8n for a visual workflow editor with hundreds of integrations and AI nodes; pick Huginn for a hackable, MIT-licensed Ruby agent system for web monitoring and scraping.

Both are open source and run on your own server. Below: a side-by-side of license, stack and features, live GitHub activity, and our verdict on who should pick which.

n8n

n8n-io/n8n

207k GitHub starsLast commit Oct 6, 2026

Free node based Workflow Automation Tool. Easily automate tasks across different services.

  • Sustainable Use License
  • TypeScript
  • Docker
  • Actively maintained
n8n detailsDeploy guide

Huginn

huginn/huginn

50k GitHub starsLast commit Oct 4, 2026

Build agents that monitor and act on your behalf.

  • MIT
  • Ruby
  • Actively maintained
Huginn details

Head-to-head

n8n vs Huginn, side by side

Hand-checked differences first, then live numbers from GitHub, refreshed with every catalog update.

n8n compared with Huginn
Aspectn8nHuginn
LicenseSustainable Use License (fair-code); .ee files need an n8n Enterprise LicenseMIT
Language/stackTypeScript on Node.jsRuby on Rails
ArchitectureNode-based workflows with triggers, branches and execution logsAgents that create and consume events along a directed graph
DatabaseSQLite by default, PostgreSQL recommendedMySQL or PostgreSQL
Learning curveModerate, mostly drag-and-dropSteeper: agents are configured with JSON options and Liquid templates
GitHub stars206,73850,023
Commits, last 12 months9,029375
Last commitOct 6, 2026Oct 4, 2026
Latest releasen8n@2.41.7Oct 5, 2026v2026.10.04Oct 4, 2026
Main languageTypeScriptRuby
Official Docker imageYesNo
Repositoryn8n-io/n8nhuginn/huginn

Swipe the table sideways to see both apps. GitHub figures come from the public API. Highlighted values are the higher of the two.

Verdict

n8n is the modern choice for most people: a visual editor, a large integration catalog and active development. Huginn suits developers who want event-driven agents that watch websites, RSS and APIs, and who are comfortable configuring agents in JSON and running a Rails app.

Best for

Choose n8n for

Visual workflow automation across SaaS apps and AI models.

Best for

Choose Huginn for

Developers building web-watching and scraping agents, like a personal IFTTT.

Deploy either in minutes

Not sure yet? Spin up a small VPS or a managed instance, try both for a week, and keep the one that fits.

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FAQ

n8n vs Huginn: FAQ

Still curious? Email info@appsgit.com.

Is Huginn still maintained?

Huginn still receives commits, though at a slower pace than n8n. Check the activity data on this page before committing to it.

Can Huginn monitor websites for changes?

Yes, its Website Agent scrapes pages with CSS or XPath selectors and emits events when content changes, which is its strongest use case.

Which is better as a self-hosted Zapier alternative?

n8n, because it offers a visual editor, built-in OAuth credentials and far more ready-made integrations.

Which is more popular on GitHub, n8n or Huginn?

n8n has 206,738 GitHub stars against 50,023 for Huginn. Over the last twelve months n8n received 9,029 commits and Huginn received 375, so n8n is the more actively developed of the two right now. Stars measure interest, not fit, so weigh them against the differences above.

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