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Arduino Cloud vs Node-RED

Arduino Cloud logo

Arduino Cloud

Smart Home

Cloud platform for Arduino IoT devices and applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Node-RED logo

Node-RED

Smart Home

Flow-based programming tool for IoT and home automation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arduino Cloud the free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention; Node-RED the Node-RED editor ships unsecured: anyone who can reach its IP address can open the editor and deploy changes until adminAuth is configured
  • They diverge on capability: Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Node-RED covers Visual Editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arduino Cloud and Node-RED actually diverge.

Attributes where Arduino Cloud and Node-RED differ
AttributeArduino CloudNode-RED
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
PlatformsArduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboardNode.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices
Founded20052013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arduino Cloud

  • Device Connectivity
  • Cloud Storage
  • Real-Time Sync
  • Security
  • Arduino IDE
  • Mobile app
  • Integration services
  • Arduino devices support

Only in Node-RED

  • Visual Editor
  • Flow-Based Programming
  • Extensible
  • HTTP Integration
  • MQTT
  • WebSocket
  • Database
  • Social services

Both cover

  • REST API
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arduino Cloud

  • Connecting Arduino boards to a cloud dashboardnot Node-RED
  • Over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devicesnot Node-RED
  • Logging sensor data and charting it over timenot Node-RED
  • Triggering notifications from device thresholdsnot Node-RED
  • Classroom IoT projects on the School plannot Node-RED

Node-RED

  • Low-code event-driven application developmentnot Arduino Cloud
  • IoT and device integration workflowsnot Arduino Cloud
  • Visual programming for server-side integrationsnot Arduino Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arduino Cloud

  • The free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention
  • Free accounts are limited to 25 compilations a day and 10 trigger notifications a day
  • The Maker plan at $72 a year lifts devices to 25 and retention to 3 months, still for a single user
  • Team pricing jumps to $1,000 a year
  • Two years of data retention and unlimited ingestion require Enterprise

Node-RED

  • The Node-RED editor ships unsecured: anyone who can reach its IP address can open the editor and deploy changes until adminAuth is configured
  • HTTPS is off by default and must be enabled through the https setting
  • HTTP endpoints and dashboards exposed by flows are unauthenticated unless httpNodeAuth is configured separately
  • All three security layers are optional additions the administrator must implement by editing the settings file

Pricing, plan by plan

Arduino Cloud

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 2 devices
    • Basic features
    • Cloud access
  • Maker Plus$7/month
    • Up to 10 devices
    • Advanced features
    • Better storage

Node-RED

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Visual editor
    • Extensible
    • REST API

Which should you pick?

Choose Arduino Cloud if

  • You need device connectivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Arduino Cloud review

Choose Node-RED if

  • You need visual editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices.
  • You also want flow-based programming.
Node-RED review

Questions people ask

Is Arduino Cloud or Node-RED better?
Neither clearly leads. Arduino Cloud starts at Free and Node-RED at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arduino Cloud or Node-RED?
Arduino Cloud starts at Free and Node-RED at Free.
Does Arduino Cloud or Node-RED run on more platforms?
Arduino Cloud runs on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard. Node-RED runs on Node.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices.
Can I use Arduino Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Arduino Cloud best used for?
Arduino Cloud is most often used for connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard, over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices, logging sensor data and charting it over time, triggering notifications from device thresholds. Of those, connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard and over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices are not what Node-RED is typically brought in for.
What can Arduino Cloud do that Node-RED cannot?
Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Cloud Storage, Real-Time Sync, Security. Node-RED covers Visual Editor, Flow-Based Programming, Extensible, HTTP Integration. Both handle REST API, Cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Node-RED: Is Node-RED free?

Yes, Node-RED is completely free and open source. It is available under the MIT License through GitHub and npm package manager. The project is maintained by the OpenJS Foundation.

Source
Node-RED: Does Node-RED offer commercial support?

Node-RED itself is free and community-supported. FlowFuse, Inc. was founded in 2021 as a separate commercial entity offering enterprise support and a professional platform for Node-RED deployment, but FlowFuse is not Node-RED.

Source
Node-RED: What is Node-RED pricing model?

Node-RED has no pricing model. It is completely free open source software. Commercial support and hosting options may be available separately through third-party providers like FlowFuse, but the core software is not sold.

Source
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