Alternatives to n8n
Fair-code workflow automation with code steps
n8n ranks #2 of 8 in Workflow automation, with an Alt Score of 93. It is licensed under Sustainable Use License, open source with paid hosting from €20/month (Starter, billed annually) and available on the web. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Technical teams and developers — IT ops, DevOps, and engineers — who want to automate workflows and build AI agents without being boxed in by rigid no-code tools.
A visual, node-based canvas with over 500 pre-built integrations plus the ability to write custom JavaScript or Python at any step. It supports building AI agents with multiple LLM connections, RAG, and human-in-the-loop approvals, with full visibility into each step's inputs and outputs. Being source-available, it can be self-hosted for full data and infrastructure control.
A trigger (webhook, schedule, or event) starts a workflow, which then runs through a chain of connected nodes that move, transform, and act on data. Each node's output can be inspected individually, and code nodes let you drop in custom logic anywhere in the chain.
Why people leave n8n
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Workflow automation checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Workflow automation checklist | n8n | Windmill | Activepieces | Make | Node-RED | Pipedream |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Visual builder | ||||||
| Integrations count | ||||||
| Self-hostable | ||||||
| Code steps (JS/Python) | ||||||
| Webhooks & API triggers | ||||||
| Task limits (free) | ||||||
| Error handling & retries | ||||||
| Version control of workflows | ||||||
| AI steps built in | ||||||
| On-prem / EU hosting | ||||||
| Open source | ||||||
| Sub-flows / reusability |
Every fact and feature listed for n8n is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License Sustainable Use License verified 2026-07-10
Sustainable Use License" as defined below. ## Sustainable Use License Version 1.0" — Fair-code / source-available, not OSI open source.
Content outside of the above mentioned files or restrictions is available under the
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/n8n-io/n8n/master/LICENSE.md -
Pricing model OSS + paid hosting verified 2026-07-10
n8n is [fair-code](https://faircode.io) distributed under the [Sustainable Use License](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/LICENSE.md) and [n8n Enterprise License](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/README.md -
Starts at €20/month (Starter, billed annually) verified 2026-07-10
20€/mo, billed annually
https://n8n.io/pricing/ -
Platforms Web verified 2026-07-10
n8n Cloud is a managed hosting solution provided by n8n
https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/install-options/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-10
[email protected]
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/releases -
Visual builder Yes verified 2026-07-10
Combine a visual canvas with custom code, run it self-hosted or in the [cloud]
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/README.md -
Integrations count Yes verified 2026-07-10
1938 integrations
https://n8n.io/integrations/ -
Self-hostable Yes verified 2026-07-10
run it self-hosted or in the [cloud](https://app.n8n.cloud/login)
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/README.md -
Code steps (JS/Python) Yes verified 2026-07-10
Combine visual building with JavaScript, Python, and npm packages for advanced AI workflows
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/README.md -
Webhooks & API triggers Yes verified 2026-07-10
Use the Webhook node to create webhooks, which can receive data from apps and services when an event occurs.
https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.webhook/ -
Task limits (free) Partial verified 2026-07-10
Self-hosted is unlimited; cloud Starter is metered.
Starter plan limits: 5 concurrent executions, 320MiB RAM, 10 millicore burstable CPU, and 2,500 executions
https://n8n.io/pricing/ -
Error handling & retries Yes verified 2026-07-10
For each workflow, you can set an error workflow in Workflow Settings. It runs if an execution fails.
https://docs.n8n.io/build/flow-logic/handle-errors-gracefully/ -
Version control of workflows Yes verified 2026-07-10
n8n uses Git-based source control to support environments.
https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/configure-n8n/basic-configuration/use-environment-variables/source-control/ -
AI steps built in Yes verified 2026-07-10
AI & LangChain Guide
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/README.md -
On-prem / EU hosting Yes verified 2026-07-10
The physical hardware powering n8n, and the data stored by the platform, is currently hosted in the European Union.
https://n8n.io/legal/security/ -
Open source Partial verified 2026-07-10
Sustainable Use License" as defined below." — Fair-code / source-available, not OSI open source.
Content outside of the above mentioned files or restrictions is available under the
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/n8n-io/n8n/master/LICENSE.md -
Sub-flows / reusability Yes verified 2026-07-10
You can call one workflow from another workflow. This allows you to build modular, microservice-like workflows.
https://docs.n8n.io/build/flow-logic/break-workflows-into-smaller-parts/
FAQ
Yes. Make, Node-RED and Pipedream have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Windmill, Activepieces and Node-RED — every license claim links its source.