Apache-2.0 alternative to n8n for agentic workflow automation. 27K stars in ~4 months, 240 HN points with 61 comments ('Apache-2.0 n8n alternative'). $7M Series A. License differentiator vs n8n's 'fair-code' Sustainable Use License.
Where it wins
27K GitHub stars in ~4 months — strong growth
240 HN points, 61 comments — genuine developer traction
Apache-2.0 license — true open-source vs n8n's 'fair-code' license
$7M Series A funding
Where to be skeptical
Revenue and enterprise evidence is thin — too early to challenge n8n
~4 months old — execution risk remains high
No named enterprise customers
Editorial verdict
The only credible open-source alternative to n8n for workflow automation. Apache-2.0 license is a genuine differentiator for teams that need true open-source. Revenue and enterprise evidence is thin — too early to challenge n8n's 3,000+ enterprise customers, but the trajectory is promising.
Source
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Public evidence
Positioned explicitly as 'Apache-2.0 n8n alternative' on HN. License differentiator resonated — n8n's 'fair-code' license is a known pain point for self-hosters.
Early-stage funding provides runway but does not yet validate enterprise adoption.
Raw GitHub source
Constrained peek so you can sanity-check the source material without leaving the site.
npx sim-setup
Open http://localhost:3000
<p align="center"> <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/simstudioai/sim/main/apps/sim/public/static/readme-platform.png" alt="The Sim platform — chat on the left, the visual workflow builder on the right" width="100%"/> </p>Requirements: Node.js 20+ and Docker.
npx sim-setup is an interactive wizard that creates a small sim/ deployment directory, provisions the database, generates secrets, writes .env, connects a Chat API key, and starts the published Sim images with Docker Compose. It does not clone the repository.
When it finishes, open http://localhost:3000.
Inside a cloned Sim repository, run bun run sim-setup to unlock the source-only local development and Kubernetes modes.
Reconfigure an optional capability without rerunning the full wizard:
npx sim-setup config
npx sim-setup add email
npx sim-setup add storage
npx sim-setup add sandbox
npx sim-setup add jobs
npx sim-setup add cache
npx sim-setup add knowledge
npx sim-setup add chat
npx sim-setup add llm
npx sim-setup add integration slack
npx sim-setup config detects the effective local-dev, Docker Compose, or current-context
Helm configuration and reports configured, missing, or invalid capabilities and OAuth
integrations without printing credential values. This is separate from npx sim-setup status,
which reports whether installed services are running and healthy.
Manage your install from its directory:
npx sim-setup start | stop | restart # bring your install up / down / cycle
npx sim-setup update # pull and apply Compose images
npx sim-setup status # what's installed and healthy
npx sim-setup logs # follow logs
npx sim-setup doctor # diagnose configuration problems
npx sim-setup down # remove containers (data kept)
npx sim-setup reset # archive .env and wipe managed data
The setup package detects how you're running and acts accordingly. Use --dir <path> to create or manage a deployment somewhere other than ./sim.
Sim also supports local models via Ollama and vLLM. See the self-hosting docs for details.
Chat is a Sim-managed service. npx sim-setup connects a Chat API key for you — sign in when it opens your browser and the key is stored automatically. To view, create, or revoke keys later, go to sim.ai/selfhost/settings/chat-keys.
See the environment variables reference for the full list, or apps/sim/.env.example for defaults.