IoT & Smart Home · head to head
Node-RED vs Blynk
Node-RED
IoT & Smart Home
Flow-based programming tool for IoT and home automation
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Blynk
IoT & Smart Home
IoT cloud platform with mobile app builder for connected devices
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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; Blynk the free tier covers 5 devices, 1 user, 100,000 messages and one week of data retention
- They diverge on capability: Node-RED covers Visual Editor, Blynk covers Mobile App Builder.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Node-RED and Blynk actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (IoT & 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 Node-RED
- Visual Editor
- Flow-Based Programming
- Extensible
- HTTP Integration
- MQTT
- WebSocket
- Database
- Social services
Only in Blynk
- Mobile App Builder
- No-Code Interface
- Real-Time Control
- Cloud Storage
- WebHooks
- Mobile app
- Cloud platform
- IOS support
Both cover
- REST API
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Node-RED
- Wiring together devices, APIs and online services with a visual flow editornot Blynk
- Building home and industrial automation logic on a local servernot Blynk
- Prototyping MQTT and HTTP integrations without writing full applicationsnot Blynk
Blynk
- Connecting IoT hardware to a hosted dashboard and mobile appnot Node-RED
- Over-the-air firmware updates to fleets of devicesnot Node-RED
- Automations triggered by device datanot Node-RED
- White-label device apps for a hardware productnot Node-RED
- Prototyping connected devices before committing to infrastructurenot Node-RED
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Blynk
- The free tier covers 5 devices, 1 user, 100,000 messages and one week of data retention
- Data retention is tiered all the way up, reaching 12 months only on Enterprise
- Automations and webhooks are rationed, from 5 scenarios and 1 webhook on free to 100 or more on Production
- Over-the-air update campaigns are capped by tier, at 2 shipments on free and Starter
- Production plans run from $199 to $1,099 a month depending on device count
Pricing, plan by plan
Node-RED
Free- Community EditionFree
- Visual editor
- Extensible
- REST API
Blynk
Free- FreeFree
- 5 devices
- Basic widgets
- Cloud sync
- Premium$5/month
- Unlimited devices
- Advanced widgets
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Blynk if
- You need mobile app builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web, Any IoT device.
- You also want no-code interface.
Questions people ask
- Is Node-RED or Blynk better?
- Neither clearly leads. Node-RED starts at Free and Blynk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Node-RED or Blynk?
- Node-RED starts at Free and Blynk at Free.
- Does Node-RED or Blynk run on more platforms?
- Node-RED runs on Node.js, Docker, Cloud, Edge devices. Blynk runs on IOS, Android, Web, Any IoT device.
- Can I use Node-RED for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Node-RED best used for?
- Node-RED is most often used for wiring together devices, apis and online services with a visual flow editor, building home and industrial automation logic on a local server, prototyping mqtt and http integrations without writing full applications. Of those, wiring together devices, apis and online services with a visual flow editor and building home and industrial automation logic on a local server are not what Blynk is typically brought in for.
- What can Node-RED do that Blynk cannot?
- Node-RED covers Visual Editor, Flow-Based Programming, Extensible, HTTP Integration. Blynk covers Mobile App Builder, No-Code Interface, Real-Time Control, Cloud Storage. Both handle REST API.