5.0
Self-hosting was worth the setup
Two days of setup, then zero per-task fees and no customer data leaving our VPC. The AI agent nodes are genuinely capable.
— Kwame A.
n8n
Source-available automation you can self-host
4.5(391) ratingsFree tierBy n8n · since 2019
Visit n8n
Updated 6 Aug 2026
What n8n does
n8n is a workflow automation tool with AI agent nodes that can be self-hosted for full data control.
Our review of n8n
n8n is the choice for teams who want automation without sending data through a third party. Self-hosting removes per-task pricing entirely and the AI agent nodes make it a credible platform for building internal LLM workflows. It expects more technical comfort than Zapier, and you own the hosting and upgrades.
Pros
- Self-hostable, source available
- No per-task cost when self-hosted
- Strong AI agent nodes
- Code steps when you need them
Cons
- Requires technical setup
- You own maintenance
- Cloud tier less cheap than self-hosting
Pricing
Free when self-hosted; cloud plans from around €20/month.
Use cases
Internal AI pipelinesData syncSelf-hosted automation
Integrations
OpenAIPostgresSlackHTTP APIs
n8n alternatives
Closest competitors we have tested against n8n.