# Activepieces API + MCP vs Node-RED (slim)

> Node-RED scores 61 (C) to Activepieces's 57.5 (C) for workflow automation. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-node-red.md (~2,500 tokens) · this version ~780 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-node-red.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-node-red
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-09

Node-RED scores 61 (C) on agent readiness against Activepieces API + MCP's 57.5 (C), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. Activepieces API + MCP leads on schema & documentation, agent ergonomics, security & auth and transparency & trust. Both do workflow automation.

- Activepieces API + MCP: C 57.5, rank #605 of 950 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/activepieces.min.md
- Node-RED: C 61, rank #486 of 950 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/node-red.min.md
- Activepieces API + MCP, good for A team that wants an MIT-licensed builder it can self-host or embed, with an agent that builds flows through MCP. Ahead on Schema & documentation, 80 against 41; Agent ergonomics, 65 against 44; Security & auth, 64 against 51; Transparency & trust, 73 against 65. Also A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install; Free to start without a card.
- Node-RED, good for Owners who want event-driven flows on their own machine or device, with a large library of community nodes, and an agent that deploys or edits flows as JSON. Ahead on Reliability, 90 against 55; Payments & pricing, 60 against 35. Also No incidents deducted, where Activepieces API + MCP loses 6 points for them.

| Category | Activepieces API + MCP | Node-RED |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 55 | 90 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 80 | 41 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 65 | 44 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 64 | 51 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 35 | 60 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 80 | 81 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 73 | 65 |

| Fact (where they differ) | Activepieces API + MCP | Node-RED |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vendor | Activepieces | OpenJS Foundation |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://cloud.activepieces.com/api/v1` | no (local only) |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
| Licence | MIT (core), commercial licence for enterprise-only parts | Apache-2.0 |
| Tools exposed | 45 | none |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-09-30 | 2026-10-08 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read |  |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read |  |
| Popularity | 25k stars, 452k npm/wk | 24k stars, 55k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | 3/5 (2) | none |