Tool Comparison

Heisenware vs. Node-RED: The pragmatic comparison

Compare the Low-Code/No-Code-Tools Heisenware and Node-RED. Learn about their target groups, use cases, capabllities, features and much more.

Node-RED vs. Heisenware-1

Summary: Heisenware vs. Node-RED

Heisenware is, at its core, a product for building complete, finished shopfloor applications. It's the right choice when process engineers or domain experts need to quickly build a professional user interface (UI) and the underlying logic without code. It is an all-in-one, supported solution, ideal for production data acquisition, finished shopfloor dashboards, or even complete asset-tracking apps.

Node-RED, on the other hand, is a flexible backend tool aimed at developers and technically skilled engineers. Its purpose is the automation of data flows and prototyping, used to connect protocols or move data from A to B.

In short: Even though both tools overlap in some areas, Heisenware is for the domain experts or developers who need a finished application, while Node-RED is the tool for the makers and developers who want to build a data flow in the backend and will handle the installation and maintenance themselves.

Detailed comparison of Heisenware and Node-RED

 

Heisenware

Node-RED

Target Group

  • Manufacturers (SMEs) and machine builder OEMs seeking to create custom IoT or shopfloor apps without relying on internal IT or external developers.

  • Personas: Process engineers, OT experts, manufacturing managers, and "citizen developers" who understand the factory process but do not write code.

  • Companies and integrators with dedicated IT departments and skilled developers needed for IoT projects and data-flow automation.


  • Personas: Developers, engineers, OT professionals, and "makers" with strong technical skills and time for configuration and coding.

Key Use Cases

  • Building complete, custom applications for production monitoring, reporting, and asset tracking.

  • Live machine data acquisition (OPC UA, S7, MQTT).

  • Real-time production & shopfloor dashboards (OEE, status, utilization).

  • RFID-based asset tracking and tool management.

  • Connecting IoT devices and automating data workflows.

  • Implementing connectivity and automation tasks.

  • Prototyping data pipelines and creating basic dashboards for visualization.

Key Capabilities

  • Build complete end-to-end applications—from data acquisition and business logic to the final user interface—all in one platform.

  • Operate custom applications as maintenance-free solutions without IT overhead.

  • Build complex logic and beautiful UIs with a visual, drag-and-drop app builder.

  • Integrate systems instantly with native connectors for OPC UA, MQTT, REST, Siemens S7, Modbus, and more.

  • Manage users and access rights for each app from a central, no-code dashboard.

  • Visually automate workflows using a low-code, drag-and-drop flow editor.

  • Connect logic between devices, data sources, and services.

  • Integrate core IoT protocols like MQTT, Modbus, and OPC UA.

  • Create real-time data pipelines for basic data transformation and routing.

Key Differentiators

  • Speed: Drastically accelerates app development, turning ideas into solutions in hours or days, not months.

  • Accessibility: Empowers your process experts—the people who actually know the problem—to build the solution themselves.

  • All-in-One: A single, supported platform for connectivity, logic, and visualization.

  • Open-Source: A powerful, flexible platform with a large, active community.

  • Free: Free to download, use, and self-host.

Integrations & Connectors

  • Industrial PLCs & Interfaces: Siemens S7, Modbus, Heidenhain, Allen-Bradley, RS-232/485.

  • Industrial & IoT Protocols: OPC UA (Client & Server), MQTT, HTTP / REST, GraphQL.

  • Databases: Timeseries Database, Relational Database, File I/O.

  • Enterprise Systems: SAP, Hydra MIP.

  • Hardware: Zebra RFID, Kuando Busylight, Label Printers.

  • System: Email, Operating System (OS) access.

  • Local Connection: A secure, downloadable on-premise Agent bridges your private factory network to the cloud for seamless, secure data transfer.

  • A vast, community-contributed library ("nodes") for thousands of protocols and services, with varying levels of quality and support.

Setup & Onboarding

  • Instant Start: Get started in minutes. Heisenware is a browser-based platform with a free trial. Sign up online and start building immediately.

  • One-Click Deploy: Deploy apps to any device (desktop, tablet, smartphone) with a single click.

  • Requires Technical Expertise: Users must manually download, install, and configure the open-source package on a local machine or server.

  • Self-Driven Onboarding: Relies on extensive technical documentation and community-driven tutorials. No formal onboarding provided.

Hosting Options

  • Standard (SaaS): Fully hosted and managed by Heisenware on secure EU servers.

  • Optional (On-Premise): Self-host as a Docker application or on a standard Industrial PC (IPC).

  • Must be Self-Hosted: The user is 100% responsible for hosting, maintenance, security, and updates.

  • (Commercial hosting and support are available from third-party providers, not from Node-RED itself).

Support & Community

  • Professional Support: Dedicated service and support packages available directly from Heisenware.

  • Partner Network: A growing network of certified system integrator partners for implementation and project support.

  • No Professional Support: There is no official support entity from Node-RED.

  • Community-Only: Support relies entirely on the extensive global open-source community, forums, and user-contributed examples.

Business Model

  • Subscription (SaaS): Flexible subscription pricing .

  • Value-Based Tiers: Packages are based on the number of applications and the required service level—not confusing per-user or per-connector fees.

  • Open-Source (Free): Free for self-hosting.

  • Commercial support and cloud plans are offered only by third-party vendors and partners.
FAQ

Questions and answers about how Heisenware is comparing with Node-RED

How do Heisenware and Node-RED compare in terms of ease of use?

Heisenware is designed as an all-in-one platform for rapid application development, even for users without coding skills. It offers an "Instant Start" from a browser, a visual drag-and-drop builder for both logic and UI, and a "one-click deploy" system. Its target audience is process engineers and "citizen developers" who understand factory processes but are not software developers.

Node-RED requires more technical expertise. Users must manually download, install, and configure it on a server. While it has a visual, flow-based editor, users often need strong technical skills and time to manage the setup, configuration, and potential coding (like JavaScript) required.

Which tool is better suited for production data acquisition – Heisenware or Node-RED?

Heisenware is specifically built for building complete, production-grade applications. Its main use cases include live machine data acquisition (OPC UA, S7) and creating real-time production dashboards (OEE, status). It provides a single, supported platform to build, operate, and maintain these applications.

Node-RED is very capable of connecting to production data sources like MQTT, Modbus, and OPC UA. However, it is more of a tool for prototyping and automating data flows in the backend. It does not provide the same integrated environment for building complete, front-end user applications or the professional support required for a production-critical dashboard.

How well do Heisenware and Node-RED connect to ERP systems?

Heisenware is designed to be a "universal translator" between the shopfloor and IT systems. It lists specific, high-level connectors for enterprise systems like SAP and Hydra MIP.

Node-RED does not list specific, pre-built ERP connectors in the provided text. It can connect to systems using general protocols like HTTP/REST APIs or direct database connections, but this requires a developer to build and maintain these integrations manually.

How easy is it to connect data from different sensors and IoT devices with Heisenware and Node-RED?

Node-RED is extremely strong in this area. It has a vast, community-contributed library of thousands of "nodes" that allow it to connect to a massive array of IoT devices and protocols. It is a go-to tool for integrating diverse hardware.

Heisenware also has strong IoT capabilities, but with a more curated approach. It lists specific, pre-built integrations for industrial hardware like Zebra RFID, Kuando Busylight, and label printers, focusing on complete solutions for use cases like asset tracking.

Which requires less technical knowledge to build applications: Heisenware or Node-RED?

Heisenware requires significantly less technical knowledge. It is targeted at "citizen developers" and process engineers who do not write code. It provides a complete, no-code environment from data connection to the final user interface.

Node-RED is aimed at developers, technically skilled engineers, and "makers." It requires users to handle manual installation, server configuration, and often coding to build a complete solution.

In which situations should I choose Heisenware or Node-RED?

Choose Heisenware when: You need to build a complete, professional application (like a dashboard, reporting tool, or asset tracker) that will be used by managers or operators. Your goal is speed, and you want to empower your process experts (who are not coders) to build and maintain solutions with professional support.

Choose Node-RED when: Your task is to automate a data flow in the backend or create a quick prototype. You have technically skilled developers or IT staff who can handle the setup, hosting, and maintenance. It is ideal for connecting diverse IoT devices and "gluing" different services together where a custom UI is not the main priority.