n8n - Open-Source Workflow Automation for Developers
Powerful open-source workflow automation tool with 400+ integrations, self-hosting support, and unlimited workflows.
💡 Click for exclusive access. Affiliate link - learn more here.
n8n
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform that allows you to connect anything to everything. Unlike proprietary tools like Zapier or Make.com, n8n is open-source and can be self-hosted, giving you complete control over your data and automations.
With over 400 integrations, a powerful node-based editor, and the ability to write custom code in Python or JavaScript, n8n has become the go-to automation tool for developers and technical teams.
In 2025, n8n removed workflow limits from all plans and introduced execution-based pricing, making it one of the most cost-effective automation platforms on the market.
Details
Category: Automation Tools
Pricing: Freemium
Type of Pricing: Monthly
Best For: Developers and technical teams
Last Edited: January 30, 2025
Key Features
400+ App Integrations
n8n connects to over 400 popular apps and services, from CRMs and databases to AI tools and custom APIs. Every integration is built as a “node” that you can drag and drop into your workflow.
- Popular integrations: Google Sheets, Airtable, Slack, Gmail, Notion, PostgreSQL, OpenAI
- API nodes: HTTP Request node for any REST API
- Webhook support: Trigger workflows from external events
- Database connectors: Direct connections to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis
Free Self-Hosted Option
Unlike most automation platforms, n8n can be deployed on your own infrastructure completely free. This is perfect for teams with strict data privacy requirements or those who want to avoid recurring costs.
- Docker deployment: Deploy with a single command
- Kubernetes support: Enterprise-ready scaling
- No usage limits: Unlimited workflows, executions, and users
- Full feature access: Self-hosted version has all features unlocked
Unlimited Workflows on All Plans
As of 2025, n8n removed workflow limits from all plans. You can build as many workflows as you need without worrying about artificial restrictions.
- No active workflow limits: Run unlimited workflows simultaneously
- Execution-based pricing: Pay only when workflows execute
- Free development: Build and test for free, pay only in production
- No per-step charges: Unlike Zapier, n8n charges per execution, not per step
Code Node & Advanced Customization
n8n gives you the power to write custom code directly in your workflows when pre-built nodes aren’t enough. This makes it possible to handle complex logic and data transformations.
- Python & JavaScript: Execute custom code in workflows
- npm packages: Import and use any npm package
- Data transformation: Advanced filtering, mapping, and formatting
- API customization: Build complex API interactions beyond standard HTTP requests
Use Cases
Developer & Technical Team Automation
n8n is ideal for developers who need to automate internal processes, integrate multiple APIs, or build custom workflows that proprietary tools can’t handle.
Example workflow:
- Receive webhook from GitHub when PR is created
- Run automated tests via API
- Post results to Slack
- Update Notion dashboard
- Send summary email if tests fail
Data-Sensitive Workflows
Companies in healthcare, finance, or highly regulated industries can self-host n8n to ensure data never leaves their infrastructure.
Example use case:
- Process patient data through internal systems without third-party cloud services
- Comply with GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC2 requirements
- Keep API keys and credentials on your own servers
Multi-System Integration
n8n excels at connecting disparate systems that don’t have native integrations. Perfect for agencies and businesses with complex tech stacks.
Example scenarios:
- Sync data between CRM, project management, and accounting systems
- Aggregate data from multiple sources into centralized dashboards
- Automate client reporting with data from 5+ different platforms
AI & Machine Learning Workflows
With direct integrations to OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, HuggingFace, and more, n8n is perfect for building AI-powered automation workflows.
Example workflows:
- Auto-generate social media posts from blog content using GPT-4
- Classify customer support tickets using Claude AI
- Extract data from documents with OCR and AI processing
- Build custom AI agents that interact with your business systems
Pros
- Open-source & self-hostable: Complete control over your data and infrastructure
- Free tier: Generous free self-hosted version with no feature limitations
- Developer-friendly: Code nodes, version control integration, API-first design
- No workflow limits: Build unlimited workflows on all plans (as of 2025)
- Execution-based pricing: More cost-effective than per-step pricing (Zapier charges per action)
- Visual workflow builder: Intuitive node-based interface that’s easy to understand
- Active community: 40,000+ community members and 1,500+ ready-made templates
- Regular updates: New integrations and features added monthly
Cons
- Steeper learning curve: More technical than Zapier, requires some coding knowledge for advanced use cases
- UI polish: Interface is less polished than competitors like Make.com or Zapier
- Self-hosting complexity: Setting up and maintaining self-hosted instance requires DevOps knowledge
- Integration depth: Some integrations have fewer features than Zapier’s mature connectors
- Documentation gaps: Some advanced features lack comprehensive documentation
Pricing and Plans
| Plan | Price | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community (Self-Hosted) | Free | Unlimited workflows, executions, users, All integrations | Developers, startups, privacy-focused teams |
| Starter Cloud | $20/mo | 2,500 executions, Unlimited workflows & users, 1 shared project | Solo developers and small teams |
| Pro Cloud | $50/mo | Higher execution limits, Multiple projects, Hosted infrastructure | Professional users and growing teams |
| Business Cloud | $667/mo | Advanced security, SSO/LDAP, Git version control, Dev/Prod environments | Mid-size companies and technical teams |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom execution limits, On-premise deployment, Dedicated support, SLA | Large organizations with compliance needs |
Free trial: 14 days on cloud plans (no credit card required)
Self-hosted: Always free with all features unlocked
Startup discount: 50% off Business plan for qualifying startups ($333/mo)
Conclusion
Bottom line: n8n is the best automation platform for developers and technical teams who need flexibility, control, and cost-effectiveness. While it has a steeper learning curve than Zapier, the ability to self-host for free and write custom code makes it unbeatable for complex workflows.
n8n is worth it if:
- You have technical knowledge or a development team
- You need to self-host for data privacy or compliance reasons
- You want unlimited workflows without artificial pricing limits
- You’re building complex, multi-step automations that would be expensive on Zapier
- You need to integrate custom APIs or write custom logic
Skip it if:
- You’re completely non-technical and want the simplest possible solution (try Zapier)
- You need highly polished UI and extensive hand-holding
- You require 7,000+ integrations out of the box
- You prefer paying more for a fully managed, zero-maintenance solution
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is n8n really free?
A: Yes! The self-hosted version is completely free with no limits on workflows, executions, or users. You only pay for cloud hosting if you choose n8n Cloud instead of self-hosting.
Q: How does n8n compare to Zapier?
A: n8n is more developer-friendly and cost-effective, especially for complex workflows. Zapier is simpler for non-technical users and has more pre-built integrations (7,000+ vs 400+). n8n charges per execution, Zapier charges per step, which can be 5-10x more expensive.
Q: Do I need coding knowledge to use n8n?
A: For basic workflows, no. You can build automations with drag-and-drop nodes just like Zapier. However, for advanced use cases (complex data transformations, custom API calls), JavaScript or Python knowledge is helpful.
Q: Can I migrate from Zapier to n8n?
A: Yes, but there’s no automated migration tool. You’ll need to rebuild workflows manually. n8n has templates for common use cases that can speed up the process.
Q: Is n8n suitable for non-technical teams?
A: It depends. For simple workflows (e.g., “New Gmail email → Create Notion page”), yes. For complex multi-step automations, you’ll likely need someone with basic coding knowledge on your team.
⚠️ Affiliate Disclosure
This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up for n8n through my link, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). I use and test this tool, and all recommendations are honest and based on personal experience. Thank you for your support!