A fair-code, node-based workflow automation tool that can be self-hosted or used in the cloud.
n8n is a workflow automation platform, founded in 2019 by Jan Oberhauser and based in Berlin, Germany. It combines a visual drag-and-drop canvas with the ability to write actual code, JavaScript or Python, directly inside any step.
The platform has leaned hard into AI over the past two years. You can build multi-step AI agents inside n8n, connect them to your own data through RAG, and watch every reasoning step on the canvas as it runs. It's also "fair-code" licensed, not fully open source, but the Community Edition is genuinely free to self-host with no execution limits.
The most common use case is connecting apps and data sources that don't talk to each other by default, then automating what happens between them. n8n supports over 500 integrations, plus custom API and HTTP requests for anything it doesn't cover natively.
A technical solo founder builds an automation that pulls new leads from a form, enriches them with company data, and drops a summary into Slack, all without hiring a developer. Someone building an AI-powered support tool uses n8n's AI agent builder to connect a language model to their internal knowledge base with full visibility into what the agent decided and why.
n8n is also used for backend prototyping, letting a non-developer founder stand up a working API-driven process without writing a full application from scratch. That said, "without writing" is optimistic. Most real workflows eventually need a code step.
Build with drag-and-drop nodes, then write JavaScript or Python directly inside any step when the visual tools run out. This is the core differentiator versus fully no-code tools like Zapier.
You're billed per full workflow run, not per step. A workflow with 20 steps that would cost 20 "tasks" in Zapier counts as one execution in n8n.
Connect any AI model, cloud or self-hosted, and build multi-agent systems with visible, traceable reasoning steps. Supports MCP (Model Context Protocol) for connecting to tools like Claude.
Run n8n entirely on your own infrastructure for free, with full control over where your data lives. This matters if you're processing client data and privacy is a real concern.
Pre-built connections to common apps, and raw HTTP/API requests for anything else. There's very little n8n genuinely can't connect to, if you're willing to configure it yourself.
Technically comfortable solo founders and indie developers who want deep, custom control over automations and don't mind writing a little code when needed. Small technical teams building AI agents with real oversight, not a black box.
A solo founder who has never used an API or written code and just wants their invoice reminders automated. That person will get moving faster, and with less frustration, on Zapier or Make.
Visual editor, 500+ pre-built integrations, workflow templates (10,000+), data tables, streaming and bulk operations
JavaScript and Python code steps, custom API/HTTP requests, webhook and queue triggers, CLI and API control, global variables, custom nodes (self-hosted)
AI agent building, RAG support, MCP support, multiple model connections (cloud or offline), AI Assistant (in preview, credit-metered)
Automatic retries, execution logging, error workflows, in-editor debugging, search executions by data, audit logging
Encrypted secrets store, SSO/SAML/LDAP (Business and up), enforced 2FA, external secret store integration, on-prem deployment option
Unlimited users on every plan, shared projects, role-based access (admin, editor, viewer), version control with Git (Business and up)
Free Plan: The self-hosted Community Edition is free and unlimited: unlimited executions, unlimited workflows, run on your own server. You install and maintain it yourself using Docker.
Cloud Starter — $24/month (monthly) / $20/month (billed annually): 2,500 workflow executions per month, 5 concurrent executions, 1 shared project, unlimited users, roughly 2,300 AI credits per month, forum support.
Cloud Pro — $60/month (monthly) / $50/month (billed annually): 10,000 executions per month, 20 concurrent executions, 3 shared projects, up to 13,700 AI credits, admin roles, workflow history, 7 days of insights.
Business (self-hosted, licensed) — $800/month (monthly) / $667/month (billed annually): 40,000 executions per month, SSO/SAML/LDAP, 6 shared projects, Git version control, 30 days of insights. Companies under 20 employees can apply for 50% off through n8n's Startup plan.
Enterprise: Custom pricing, unlimited executions and shared projects, dedicated support with SLA.
Annual vs. Monthly: Annual billing saves roughly 17% on every cloud and Business tier.
If You Cancel: Monthly plans end at the close of the current billing cycle. Annual plans run through the full term with no pro-rata refunds. On the self-hosted Community Edition, your data was never on n8n's servers to begin with.
⚠️ Worth knowing: executions add up faster than they sound. A single workflow triggered every 5 minutes generates roughly 8,600-8,900 executions a month on its own, which blows past the entire Starter plan allowance in about 9 days. Estimate your real trigger frequency before picking a plan, not just your ideal one.
Prices last verified August 2026. Check n8n's pricing page for current rates before subscribing.
If you're currently using Zapier or Make for automation, n8n is a direct alternative, and a meaningfully cheaper one at scale. n8n charges per workflow execution, not per individual step or task, so a 10-step workflow costs the same as a 1-step one.
It can also replace hiring a developer for simple backend automations, custom integrations, or internal tools.
If you want automation without a learning curve, look at Zapier or Make first, and come back to n8n once you've outgrown them.
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