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Automation Integration · head to head

Automation Anywhere vs Node-RED

Automation Anywhere logo

Automation Anywhere

Automation Integration

Enterprise automation software

From
$200/month
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

  • Only Node-RED has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Automation Anywhere no enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing; 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: Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA, Node-RED covers Visual Editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Automation Anywhere and Node-RED actually diverge.

Attributes where Automation Anywhere and Node-RED differ
AttributeAutomation AnywhereNode-RED
Starting price$200/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsDesktop, WebNode.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices
CategoryAutomation IntegrationSmart Home
Founded20032013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Automation Anywhere

  • Desktop RPA
  • Cloud RPA
  • No-code automation
  • Intelligent process automation
  • Analytics
  • Monitoring
  • Scalability
  • 500+ connectors

Only in Node-RED

  • Visual Editor
  • Flow-Based Programming
  • Extensible
  • HTTP Integration
  • MQTT
  • REST API
  • WebSocket
  • Database

What people use each for

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

Automation Anywhere

  • Workflow Automationnot Node-RED
  • Data Integrationnot Node-RED
  • Process Automationnot Node-RED
  • App Integrationnot Node-RED
  • API Connectivitynot Node-RED

Node-RED

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

Where each one falls short

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

Automation Anywhere

  • No enterprise pricing tiers published; contact sales required for commercial deployment pricing
  • Cloud Community Edition is free but limited compared to enterprise offerings

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

Automation Anywhere

$200/month
  • CommunityFree
    • Community version
    • Limited use
  • Enterprise$200/month
    • Full RPA capabilities
  • Premium$500/month
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support

Node-RED

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Automation Anywhere if

  • You need desktop rpa.
  • You work on Desktop, Web.
  • You also want cloud rpa.
Automation Anywhere 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 Automation Anywhere or Node-RED better?
Neither clearly leads. Automation Anywhere starts at $200/month and Node-RED at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Automation Anywhere or Node-RED?
Node-RED has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $200/month for Automation Anywhere and Free for Node-RED.
Does Automation Anywhere or Node-RED run on more platforms?
Automation Anywhere runs on Desktop, Web. Node-RED runs on Node.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices.
Can I use Node-RED for free?
Yes. Node-RED has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Automation Anywhere starts at $200/month.
What is Automation Anywhere best used for?
Automation Anywhere is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration. Of those, workflow automation and data integration are not what Node-RED is typically brought in for.
What can Automation Anywhere do that Node-RED cannot?
Automation Anywhere covers Desktop RPA, Cloud RPA, No-code automation, Intelligent process automation. Node-RED covers Visual Editor, Flow-Based Programming, Extensible, HTTP Integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Automation Anywhere: How much does Automation Anywhere cost?

Automation Anywhere provides a Cloud Community Edition available free with full-featured automation access. Enterprise and commercial deployment pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires contact with the sales team for a custom quote.

Source
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
Automation Anywhere: Does Automation Anywhere offer a free version?

Yes, Automation Anywhere offers the Cloud Community Edition as a free option with full-featured automation access for learning and development purposes. Commercial and enterprise use requires different licensing arrangements.

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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