Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Node-RED VS ToolJet

Compare Node-RED VS ToolJet and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Node-RED logo Node-RED

Node-RED is a programming tool for wiring together hardware devices, APIs and online services in new and interesting ways.

ToolJet logo ToolJet

Open-source alternative for Retool
  • Node-RED Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-23
  • ToolJet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-07

Node-RED features and specs

  • Visual Programming
    Node-RED offers a flow-based development interface which allows users to create applications by wiring together pre-built nodes, making it intuitive and easier to understand, especially for non-programmers.
  • Extensibility
    The platform is highly extensible with a large library of pre-built nodes available and support for creating custom nodes. This makes it adaptable to a wide range of use cases.
  • Event-Driven
    Node-RED is designed around an event-driven architecture, which is beneficial for handling asynchronous events and real-time data.
  • Cross-Platform
    Node-RED is based on Node.js and runs on various platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, and even low-resource devices like Raspberry Pi.
  • Integrations
    It offers extensive integration capabilities with various protocols (like MQTT, HTTP, and WebSockets) and a wide variety of services (like databases, cloud services, and IoT platforms).

Possible disadvantages of Node-RED

  • Performance
    Being a higher-level tool built on Node.js, it may not match the performance of systems built directly using lower-level languages and tools, particularly for very resource-intensive applications.
  • Complexity with Large Flows
    As the number of nodes and flows increases, the visual representation can become cluttered and harder to manage. This might make debugging and maintenance more difficult.
  • Scalability
    While suitable for small to medium-sized projects, Node-RED may face challenges in scaling to very large, enterprise-level applications without significant architectural adjustments.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although it simplifies basic tasks, there can be a steep learning curve to unlock its full potential, particularly when dealing with sophisticated integrations or custom node development.
  • Security
    The out-of-the-box security features may not be sufficient for all applications. Additional measures such as authentication, encryption, and network security must be implemented for deployment in sensitive environments.

ToolJet features and specs

  • Open-source
    ToolJet is an open-source platform, which means you can customize the tool to fit your specific needs while also benefiting from community contributions and transparency.
  • No-code/Low-code
    ToolJet allows users to build powerful applications with minimal to no coding, making it accessible to non-developers and reducing the time required to develop applications.
  • Integration
    ToolJet offers integrations with various databases, APIs, and third-party services, enabling seamless data flow and interaction with other tools.
  • Extensibility
    The platform can be extended with custom widgets and functionalities, allowing developers to add specific features not available out-of-the-box.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source tool, ToolJet has a growing community of users and developers who contribute to its development and provide support through forums and repositories.

Possible disadvantages of ToolJet

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its no-code nature, there might be a learning curve for non-developers unfamiliar with the concepts of application building and data management.
  • Documentation
    As with many open-source projects, documentation quality can vary and may not be as comprehensive as that of commercial alternatives.
  • Scalability
    Depending on deployment and usage, scaling applications might require additional infrastructure management and technical know-how.
  • Support
    While community support is available, it might lack the immediate and guaranteed assistance found in commercial products with dedicated support teams.
  • Feature Gaps
    Being a relatively newer and open-source tool, ToolJet may lack some advanced features found in more mature or commercial platforms.

Analysis of Node-RED

Overall verdict

  • Node-RED is generally considered a good tool, particularly for non-programmers and those looking to quickly prototype and deploy IoT solutions. Its visual interface simplifies the development process and can handle a wide variety of integration tasks.

Why this product is good

  • Node-RED is an open-source flow-based programming tool primarily intended for wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services as part of the Internet of Things (IoT). It is visually driven, allowing users to create and deploy complex workflows and automation processes with minimal programming knowledge. Its extensive library of pre-built nodes and its active community contribute to its flexibility and ease of use.

Recommended for

  • IoT enthusiasts
  • Quick prototyping of automation flows
  • Integrating various APIs and services
  • Users who prefer a visual programming interface
  • Educational purposes for teaching programming and IoT concepts

Analysis of ToolJet

Overall verdict

  • Overall, ToolJet is considered a reliable and efficient tool for building applications fast, especially suited for teams looking to reduce development time and costs while maintaining flexibility and control over their projects.

Why this product is good

  • ToolJet is a low-code platform that allows developers and teams to build and deploy applications quickly without extensive coding. It includes a variety of built-in features such as integrations with databases and APIs, drag-and-drop interface components, and collaborative tools that facilitate teamwork. Its open-source nature also allows users to customize and extend its functionalities as needed.

Recommended for

  • Startups looking to prototype quickly
  • Developers seeking to reduce coding time
  • Teams requiring a collaborative development environment
  • Organizations wanting to build internal tools efficiently
  • Non-developers needing to create applications with minimal coding

Node-RED videos

Intro to Node-RED: Part 1 Fundamentals

ToolJet videos

ToolJet - Introduction

More videos:

  • Review - FOSS Meetup - July 2021 | AdonisJS | Cloud Native chaos | ToolJet | FOSS United

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Node-RED and ToolJet)
Automation
100 100%
0% 0
No Code
0 0%
100% 100
DevOps Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Node-RED and ToolJet

Node-RED Reviews

10 n8n.io Alternatives
Node-RED is a flow-based development and programming tool for visual programming presented in the market by IBM for wiring together online services and hardware devices as part of the internet of things. Web browser-based flow editor is available over this software to create JavaScript functions, and elements of apps can be saved or shared for using reprocess. Back in 2016,...
Open Source Internet of Things (IoT) Platforms
Node-RED is a visual tool for lining the Internet of Things, i.e., wiring together hardware devices, APIs, and online services in new ways. Built on Node.js, Node-RED describes itself as “a visual means for wiring the Internet of Things.”
9 Home Automation Open-Source Platforms for Your projects
If you would like to know how to build your own home automation system with Node-RED, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266 and Arduino, I’ve just released a new course on this subject: Build an Home Automation System for $100.

ToolJet Reviews

Top 9 Low-Code Tools for 2023 for low-code development
Tooljet is a low-code development platform that empowers users to build web and mobile applications without extensive coding knowledge. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, pre-built templates, and a range of components for rapid application development. Tooljet supports integrations with popular databases and external services, allowing users to create dynamic and...
Appsmith vs. Tooljet: Which Low-Code Platform is Better for You?
In this blog post, we will compare two popular LCDPs for building internal tools: Appsmith and Tooljet. We will also introduce ILLA Cloud, a new and innovative LCDP that offers a viable alternative to Appsmith and Tooljet.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Node-RED should be more popular than ToolJet. It has been mentiond 127 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Node-RED mentions (127)

  • Erlang-Red: Node-Red with an Erlang Back End
    Ahh, you didn't create Node-RED editor. That's an external project. https://nodered.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 days ago
  • Hardware Metrics Collection with IOT Devices
    Node Red is a unique application that provides a graphical programming environment. With this, you can define input to output transformation with any level of complexity, including reading, parsing, formatting, and output with optional conditionals. For example, here is a flow definition that parses MQTT JSON messages that communicate if a node is alive, and then store this information in InfluxDB:. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Home Assistant and ESP Home: How to use MQTT Integration for Dynamic Device Configuration
    For a simple test, I created this Node Red flow that listens to homeassistant/status messages. HA itself will send messages that communicate when its started or when it is about to shutdown. These messages, and a custom message I send from within HA, could be seen:. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Data Visualization on the e-RT3 using Node-RED, InfluxDB Cloud, and Grafana
    Node-RED (e-RT3) Flow-based, low code development tool. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Top 15 Open-Source Low-Code Projects with the Most GitHub Stars
    GitHub Https://github.com/node-red/node-red GitHub Stars 19.1k Most Recent Update on GitHub 2 weeks ago Open Source License Apache 2.0 Number of Active Contributors This Year 13 Acceptance of External PRs Yes Official Website Https://nodered.org/ Documentation Https://nodered.org/docs/. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
View more

ToolJet mentions (13)

  • Building an intelligent CRM using ChatGPT, PostgreSQL, and ToolJet
    You can also download its JSON file and import it into a ToolJet app, but you'll need to provide your Sendinblue credentials and OpenAI API key. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Adding ability to import packages using Micropip to our low-code web framework - ToolJet
    You can quickly try out this feature on ToolJet Cloud (https://tooljet.com) or on your local machine (https://docs.tooljet.com/docs/setup/try-tooljet). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Building Recruitment Management App using Appwrite and ToolJet (Part 1)
    ToolJet (https://github.com/ToolJet/ToolJet): A free and open-source low-code platform that allows you to quickly build applications. Sign up here. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • Build a coupon code manager app in 30 minutes
    This tutorial will guide you to build a CRUD app that will let you create new coupons, edit or delete existing coupons. We will be using ToolJet to build this application and will use Google Sheets as the data source. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • Best (Free) Web-based Front-end Form for an SQL Database
    Checkout https://retool.com/ or https://tooljet.com/. Built for exactly this purpose. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Node-RED and ToolJet, you can also consider the following products

n8n.io - Free and open fair-code licensed node based Workflow Automation Tool. Easily automate tasks across different services.

Retool - Build custom internal tools in minutes.

Zapier - Connect the apps you use everyday to automate your work and be more productive. 1000+ apps and easy integrations - get started in minutes.

Budibase - What Wordpress is to websites, Budibase is to web apps. Budibase is a free and open source web app builder for creating, launching and growing web applications. Budibase eliminates repetition and dramatically reduces development time. Check it out.

ifttt - IFTTT puts the internet to work for you. Create simple connections between the products you use every day.

Appsmith - Appsmith is an open source web framework for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, and workflows.