--- title: "loonflow vs selfhost-ai" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/blackholll-loonflow-vs-kossakovsky-selfhost-ai" tools: ["blackholll-loonflow", "kossakovsky-selfhost-ai"] --- # loonflow vs selfhost-ai *GraphCanon updated Jul 15, 2026* ## Verdict Pick loonflow if loonflow is an intelligent and visual process automation system that supports ticketing systems and MCP through workflow management capabilities. It operates with TypeScript under the AGPL-3.0 license; pick selfhost-ai if selfhost-ai offers a self-contained suite for deploying multiple AI tools with automated HTTPS setup and one-command deployment, acting as an open alternative to cloud-based services like Zapier. [loonflow](https://github.com/blackholll/loonflow) reports 2.1k GitHub stars, 706 forks, and 20 open issues, last pushed May 25, 2026. [selfhost-ai](https://github.com/kossakovsky/selfhost-ai#readme) has 897 stars, 228 forks, and 0 open issues, last pushed Jul 9, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [loonflow's repository](https://github.com/blackholll/loonflow) and [selfhost-ai's repository](https://github.com/kossakovsky/selfhost-ai). | | [loonflow](/tools/blackholll-loonflow.md) | [selfhost-ai](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | An intelligent and visual process automation system. | Self-hosted AI automation platform | | Stars | 2,084 | 897 | | Forks | 706 | 228 | | Open issues | 20 | 0 | | Language | TypeScript | Shell | | Adopt for | Loonflow is an intelligent and visual process automation system that supports ticketing systems and MCP through workflow management capabilities. It operates with TypeScript under the AGPL-3.0 license. | selfhost-ai offers a self-contained suite for deploying multiple AI tools with automated HTTPS setup and one-command deployment, acting as an open alternative to cloud-based services like Zapier. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | Developer Tools | AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training, Vector Databases | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [loonflow](/tools/blackholll-loonflow.md) | [selfhost-ai](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Steady (60%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 50d | 1d | | Open issues (now) | 20 | 0 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/blackholll-loonflow/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: loonflow - **Adopt for:** Loonflow is an intelligent and visual process automation system that supports ticketing systems and MCP through workflow management capabilities. It operates with TypeScript under the AGPL-3.0 license. ## Decision facts: selfhost-ai - **Adopt for:** selfhost-ai offers a self-contained suite for deploying multiple AI tools with automated HTTPS setup and one-command deployment, acting as an open alternative to cloud-based services like Zapier. ## Choose when ### Choose loonflow if… - loonflow is primarily TypeScript; selfhost-ai is Shell. - License: loonflow is AGPL-3.0, selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to loonflow: devops, django, mcp, python. - You need a fully open-source solution for your internal process automation, as Loonflow requires you to share modifications if used in a SaaS service publically. ### Choose selfhost-ai if… - selfhost-ai is primarily Shell; loonflow is TypeScript. - License: selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0, loonflow is AGPL-3.0. - Tags unique to selfhost-ai: ai-agents, automation, chatgpt-alternative, docker. - Also covers AI Agents, Model Training, Vector Databases. - selfhost-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - Self-hosted deployments aiming for centralized AI automation that includes n8n, Ollama, Flowise, RAG, Supabase, and other tools with a single command. ## When NOT to use loonflow - You seek closed-source solutions for proprietary reasons as Loonflow's AGPLv3 requirement mandates openness in SaaS settings. - When deployment flexibility is essential since the tool relies on Docker for installation, which may not align with all IT environments. ## When NOT to use selfhost-ai - Organizations seeking fully managed AI automation solutions where setup and maintenance are handled by the service provider. - Businesses preferring to avoid the overhead of managing self-hosted environments, including hardware requirements and system updates. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between loonflow and selfhost-ai? loonflow: An intelligent and visual process automation system.. selfhost-ai: Self-hosted AI automation platform. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose loonflow over selfhost-ai? Choose loonflow over selfhost-ai when loonflow is primarily TypeScript; selfhost-ai is Shell; License: loonflow is AGPL-3.0, selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to loonflow: devops, django, mcp, python; You need a fully open-source solution for your internal process automation, as Loonflow requires you to share modifications if used in a SaaS service publically. ### When should I choose selfhost-ai over loonflow? Choose selfhost-ai over loonflow when selfhost-ai is primarily Shell; loonflow is TypeScript; License: selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0, loonflow is AGPL-3.0; Tags unique to selfhost-ai: ai-agents, automation, chatgpt-alternative, docker; Also covers AI Agents, Model Training, Vector Databases; selfhost-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; Self-hosted deployments aiming for centralized AI automation that includes n8n, Ollama, Flowise, RAG, Supabase, and other tools with a single command. ### When should I avoid loonflow? You seek closed-source solutions for proprietary reasons as Loonflow's AGPLv3 requirement mandates openness in SaaS settings. When deployment flexibility is essential since the tool relies on Docker for installation, which may not align with all IT environments. ### When should I avoid selfhost-ai? Organizations seeking fully managed AI automation solutions where setup and maintenance are handled by the service provider. Businesses preferring to avoid the overhead of managing self-hosted environments, including hardware requirements and system updates. ### Is loonflow or selfhost-ai more popular on GitHub? loonflow has more GitHub stars (2,084 vs 897). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are loonflow and selfhost-ai open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (loonflow: AGPL-3.0, selfhost-ai: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to loonflow or selfhost-ai? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [loonflow alternatives](/tools/blackholll-loonflow/alternatives) and [selfhost-ai alternatives](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai/alternatives) ([loonflow markdown twin](/tools/blackholll-loonflow/alternatives.md), [selfhost-ai markdown twin](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/blackholll-loonflow-vs-kossakovsky-selfhost-ai.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, loonflow or selfhost-ai? loonflow: Steady. selfhost-ai: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for loonflow and selfhost-ai? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [loonflow trust report](/tools/blackholll-loonflow/trust); [selfhost-ai trust report](/tools/kossakovsky-selfhost-ai/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=blackholll-loonflow`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=blackholll-loonflow) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_