Last updated: 2026-07-10
n8n is n8n GmbH's fair-code workflow automation platform founded in 2019, offering 500+ integrations, self-hosting option, and cloud at €20/month for technical teams.
About n8n
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform that combines visual building with custom code capabilities, enabling technical teams to automate complex business processes without being locked into rigid templates. Founded in 2019, n8n has grown into a leading solution trusted by enterprises like Vodafone, Delivery Hero, and Musixmatch, with over 179.4k GitHub stars and a community of 200k+ members. The platform offers both cloud-hosted and self-hosted deployment options, supporting 400+ pre-built integrations while allowing custom code in JavaScript or Python for advanced scenarios. Unlike competitors that charge per-task or per-step, n8n's execution-based billing model ensures predictable costs—a single workflow execution counts as one transaction regardless of complexity, saving teams 40-90% compared to task-based platforms. With native AI capabilities including LangChain integration, AI Agent nodes, and RAG support, n8n has positioned itself at the intersection of automation and artificial intelligence, with 75% of customer workflows now incorporating AI functionality.
Pricing
Community Edition (self-hosted) is free with unlimited executions. Cloud Starter €20/month billed annually (€24 billed monthly) for 2,500 executions plus 2,300 AI credits/month; Pro €50/month billed annually (€60 billed monthly) for 10,000 executions plus up to 13,700 AI credits/month; Business €800/month (self-hosted Enterprise Edition, 40,000 executions, SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control). Startup plan at 50% off Business for qualified startups (<20 employees, <$5M funding). Enterprise pricing custom. Annual billing offers 17% savings across all cloud tiers.
Key Features
- Hybrid Visual + Code Builder: Drag-and-drop interface combined with native JavaScript and Python support, giving developers flexibility to build simple automations visually or inject custom logic for complex transformations.
- 500+ Pre-Built Integrations: Native nodes for popular apps like Slack, GitHub, Salesforce, Airtable, Google Workspace, OpenAI, Anthropic, and others, with HTTP Request node supporting unlimited custom API integrations.
- AI-Native Architecture with MCP Support: Built-in AI Agent nodes, LangChain integration, RAG pipeline support, native Model Context Protocol (MCP) connections, and native support for OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, and other LLMs for building intelligent autonomous workflows.
- Execution-Based Billing: Fair pricing model where a complete workflow run counts as one execution, regardless of steps or complexity, enabling cost-effective scaling compared to per-task billing.
- Enterprise Security & Governance: SOC 2 Type 2 aligned with annual independent audits, supports SSO/SAML/LDAP, encrypted secret stores, RBAC permissions, audit logs, Git-based version control, and on-premises deployment options for compliance-heavy industries.
- Real-Time Execution Visibility: See inputs and outputs at each workflow step instantly during design and testing, with visual debugging that eliminates tedious trial-and-error and saves hours of troubleshooting.
- Draft & Published Workflow States (n8n 2.0): n8n 2.0 (stable since December 2025) separates Draft from Published workflow versions so teams can safely iterate without disrupting production, adds a hardware-accelerated canvas for 100+ node workflows, and isolates Code node executions in task runners by default.
Pros
- Superior cost efficiency for high-volume automations due to execution-based pricing vs task-based competitors
- True code flexibility without sacrificing visual builder simplicity—developers can write JavaScript/Python anywhere in workflows
- Complete data control with self-hosting option on your own infrastructure (Community Edition free forever)
- Active open-source community with 179.4k GitHub stars, extensive template marketplace, and 200k+ community members
- Enterprise-grade security with SOC 2 Type 2 certification, GDPR compliance, encrypted credentials, and audit logging
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than pure no-code tools like Zapier—requires familiarity with APIs and basic programming concepts
- Self-hosting requires significant DevOps expertise and infrastructure management (server setup, maintenance, database, scaling)
- Limited support on lower-tier plans; community forums are primary resource for Starter/Pro tiers
- Business plan ($800+/month) expensive for SMBs despite fair-code model; execution limits on cloud plans may require monitoring
Frequently Asked Questions
What is n8n?
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform founded in 2019 that combines visual workflow building with custom code capabilities in JavaScript or Python. It offers both cloud-hosted and self-hosted deployment with 500+ pre-built integrations, native MCP support since n8n 2.0 (December 2025), has 179.4k GitHub stars, and is used by enterprises including Vodafone, Delivery Hero, and Musixmatch.
How much does n8n cost?
n8n offers a free self-hosted option for unlimited workflows on your own infrastructure. Cloud plans start with a free trial and scale based on workflow executions, with n8n's execution-based billing counting one workflow run as one transaction regardless of complexity — saving teams 40-90% versus task-based competitors. Starter and Pro cloud plans also include monthly AI credits (2,300 on Starter, up to 13,700 on Pro) for AI-powered nodes.
What are the main features of n8n?
n8n's core features include 500+ pre-built integrations, visual workflow building combined with custom JavaScript/Python code nodes, native AI capabilities including LangChain integration, MCP connections, and AI Agent nodes with RAG support, execution-based billing where one workflow run counts as one transaction regardless of how many steps it contains, and (since n8n 2.0) Draft/Published workflow states with a hardware-accelerated canvas.
Is n8n free to use?
Yes, n8n's self-hosted version is free and open-source (fair-code license) for unlimited workflows on your own servers. The cloud-hosted version offers a free trial before moving to execution-based paid plans.
Who is n8n best for?
n8n is best for technical teams and developers who need complex automation with custom code flexibility, self-hosting for data privacy, or cost predictability at scale — 75% of customer workflows now incorporate AI functionality. Non-technical users wanting a purely visual, no-code experience may find Zapier more approachable.
How does n8n compare to Zapier?
n8n's execution-based billing (one workflow run = one transaction) is typically 40-90% cheaper than Zapier's per-task pricing for complex multi-step workflows, and n8n supports self-hosting plus custom code nodes, while Zapier is fully cloud-hosted with a larger library of pre-built app integrations and a gentler learning curve for non-developers.
Does n8n support AI workflows?
Yes, n8n includes native LangChain integration, AI Agent nodes, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) support, with 75% of customer workflows on the platform now incorporating AI functionality as of 2026.
Is n8n open source?
Yes, n8n is released under a fair-code license, allowing free self-hosting and source code access while restricting certain commercial redistribution use cases — it has accumulated 179.4k GitHub stars and a community of 200,000+ members.
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