n8n

by n8n GmbH

n8n is an open-source, self-hostable workflow automation platform with native AI agent capabilities. It uses execution-based billing (one execution = one complete workflow run, regardless of node count) rather than per-step pricing, making it significantly more cost-effective than Zapier or Make.com for complex multi-step automations. The Community Edition is free and self-hosted with unlimited executions.

Business & Automation

Proprietary

Primary Use Cases

Complex multi-step business process automation
AI agent orchestration with LLM integration
Data pipeline automation with custom code steps
Enterprise workflow automation with compliance requirements
Self-hosted automation for data-sensitive environments

✅ Strengths

Execution-based pricing is 2-5x cheaper than per-step competitors for complex workflows
Free self-hosted Community Edition with unlimited executions
Native AI agent capabilities with 15+ LLM providers
Hybrid visual + code approach handles complex data transformations
Git integration and workflow diffs for team collaboration

⚠️ Limitations

Self-hosting requires server infrastructure management (Docker/Kubernetes)
Polling triggers consume executions rapidly on lower-tier plans
Business plan overage charges: €4,000 per 300K additional executions
Unused executions do not roll over
Steeper learning curve than Zapier for non-technical users

Technical Specifications

Developer

n8n GmbH

Trust & Privacy

Health Status

🟢 Active

Trains on User Data

✅ Does not train

Certifications

None listed

Ecosystem & Integrations

API Access

✅ Available

Chrome Extension

❌ No

Mobile App

❌ No

Pricing Model

💎 Freemium

Free Tier

✅ Available

Pricing Breakdown

Community (Self-Hosted)

Free, unlimited executions, full integration catalog

Cloud Pro

10,000 executions/mo, 20 concurrent runs, 150 AI credits

Monthly$60/mo

Business

40,000 executions/mo, SSO, Git integration, multi-environment

Monthly$800/mo