---
title: "Sim vs Hubzoid: where each fits"
description: Comparing Sim AI alternatives? See how Sim's visual builder and Hubzoid's file-based Hub differ on license, self-hosting, approvals, Slack, access and cost.
canonical_url: https://hubzoid.com/blog/sim-and-hubzoid
published: 2026-10-26
---

# Sim vs Hubzoid: where each fits

Comparing Sim AI alternatives? See how Sim's visual builder and Hubzoid's file-based Hub differ on license, self-hosting, approvals, Slack, access and cost.

Foundations · Published 2026-10-26

Sim and Hubzoid both help teams build AI agents and workflows and run them on their own infrastructure. [Sim](https://www.sim.ai) is a visual workspace with a canvas, a knowledge base and many integrations. Hubzoid is an open-source platform for internal AI agents: your team's knowledge, rules and tools as files in one Hub, used in chat, workflows and the assistants people already use.

> **In short.** Choose Hubzoid when you want your agent's knowledge and rules as files you can review and keep in Git, with per-person access, approvals and audit in the open-source product. Choose Sim when people who prefer not to code should build workflows visually from ready integrations.

## Hubzoid and Sim at a glance

✓ yes · ◐ partly, or paid · ✗ no · ○ not documented

|  | Hubzoid | Sim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Team controls in the open-source product | ✓ Apache 2.0, all of it | ◐ SSO, permission groups and audit logs need an enterprise subscription in production |
| Per-person tool permissions | ✓ Checked in code before a tool runs | ◐ Permission groups are an enterprise feature |
| Knowledge and rules as reviewable files in Git | ✓ | ◐ Workspace knowledge base |
| Self-hosted without a vendor service | ✓ | ◐ Chat uses a key from Sim's service |
| Use your Claude Code login instead of an API key | ✓ On your laptop | ○ |
| Visual builder for non-coders | ◐ A coding assistant writes the files | ✓ |
| Ready integrations | ◐ MCP connectors and Python tools | ✓ A large library |
| Approval before an action | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slack | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP server for your assistant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Traces, usage and cost | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | Free, Apache 2.0 | Free core. Per-user cloud plans. Enterprise subscription for team controls |

Sources: Sim's [repository](https://github.com/simstudioai/sim), [enterprise license](https://github.com/simstudioai/sim/blob/main/apps/sim/ee/LICENSE), [pricing](https://www.sim.ai/pricing), [human in the loop](https://docs.sim.ai/workflows/blocks/human-in-the-loop), [Slack](https://docs.sim.ai/integrations/slack), [logs](https://docs.sim.ai/logs-debugging), [permissions](https://docs.sim.ai/platform/permissions) and [MCP](https://docs.sim.ai/mcp/overview) pages, and Hubzoid's [docs](https://hubzoid.com/docs). Both products change often, so check the current pages before you decide.

## Why teams choose Hubzoid

- **Rules you can read and review.** A [Hub](https://hubzoid.com/docs/concepts/hub) is a folder. A rule change shows as a diff, and every surface uses the new rule.
- **Team controls are open source.** Per-person [grants](https://hubzoid.com/docs/concepts/identity-and-access), approvals and the audit log need no enterprise subscription.
- **Fully self-hosted.** Chat, workflows and Settings all run on your server, with no Hubzoid service in between.
- **Your assistant joins in.** Claude Code [connects over MCP](https://hubzoid.com/docs/guides/connect-an-assistant) as you, with the same knowledge and only the tools you may use.

## Where Sim is stronger

- A polished visual builder that people who do not code can use.
- A large library of ready integrations, plus tables and files in the same workspace.

## One task, built two ways

An operations team wants a weekly stock report, with a person approving any reorder above a set amount.

**In Sim**, someone builds it on the canvas: a schedule, a stock lookup block, an agent block for the summary and a Human block that pauses before the reorder.

**In Hubzoid**, the operations lead writes the stock definitions and the reorder threshold in the Hub, a coding assistant builds the lookup tool and workflow, and the workflow waits for a named approver. Teammates can also ask about stock in chat under their own access.

## Other Sim alternatives

- **n8n**, a self-hostable workflow automation tool with AI nodes.
- **Zapier** and **Make**, hosted automation across many SaaS apps.
- **Activepieces**, an open-source automation tool.

If the work is mostly moving data between apps on a trigger, these may fit. If you need an agent that answers from your own knowledge and acts within each person's access, see [internal AI agents](https://hubzoid.com/docs/concepts/internal-ai-agents).

## Questions

**Is Sim open source?** Its repository is Apache 2.0, except enterprise features such as SSO, permission groups and audit logs, which need a Sim Enterprise subscription for production use. Hubzoid is Apache 2.0 throughout.

**Can I self-host Sim?** Yes, with Docker Compose or Helm. Its chat feature uses a key from Sim's own service even when self-hosted.

## Get started

Build a small Hub in about five minutes with the [quickstart](https://hubzoid.com/docs/getting-started/quickstart), or read the code on [GitHub](https://github.com/hubzoid/hubzoid).