n8n review 2026: workflow automation and AI agent platform pricing, features, self-hosting options, and how it compares to Zapier and Make.
Category
Automation
Pricing
Freemium, from Free (self-hosted); Cloud from EUR20/month billed annually
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2019
Headquarters
Berlin, Germany
Web AppNo-CodeAPIAITemplatesSelf-Hosted
Overview
n8n is a workflow automation and AI agent platform founded by Jan Oberhauser in Berlin, Germany, with the software publicly released in 2019. It blends a visual, node-based workflow builder with the ability to write custom JavaScript or Python inside any node.
The company has raised over 250 million dollars across multiple funding rounds, including a 180 million dollar Series C in October 2025 that valued it at 2.5 billion dollars, with the company's valuation reported near 5.2 billion dollars by mid-2026.
Key Features
Workflows in n8n are built from connected nodes representing triggers, actions, conditionals, and integrations with third-party apps and APIs, with native support for building AI agents that call language models as workflow steps.
n8n can be fully self-hosted for free with unlimited executions, or run as a managed n8n Cloud service, giving technical teams flexibility between infrastructure control and convenience.
Pricing
n8n Cloud is priced on monthly workflow executions rather than per-step actions, starting at 20 euros per month (annual billing) for the Starter plan, scaling through Pro at 50 euros per month and Business at around 667 euros per month, with custom Enterprise pricing for large-scale deployments. The self-hosted Community Edition remains free with unlimited executions.
Key Features
Visual node-based workflow editor — Drag-and-drop canvas for building multi-step automations connecting apps and logic.
Custom code nodes — Embed custom JavaScript or Python directly inside workflow nodes for advanced logic.
AI agent building — Native support for building AI agents that call language models and tools within workflows.
Self-hosting option — Free, self-hostable Community Edition with unlimited workflow executions.
Execution-based billing — Cloud pricing based on completed workflow runs rather than individual steps.
Enterprise access controls — SSO, SAML, and LDAP support on Business and Enterprise tiers.
Version control integration — Git-based version control for workflows on higher tiers.
Broad app integrations — Large library of pre-built integration nodes for popular SaaS apps and APIs.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free, unlimited-execution self-hosted option for technical teams
Combines no-code visual building with full custom code flexibility
Execution-based (not per-step) pricing can be more cost-effective at scale
Strong and growing focus on AI agent workflows
Backed by significant venture funding and rapid company growth
Cons
Source-available fair-code license, not fully OSI-approved open source
Self-hosting requires technical setup and maintenance
Business and Enterprise tiers can be expensive for larger-scale usage
Steeper learning curve than simpler no-code tools like Zapier for non-technical users
Concurrent execution limits on lower tiers can constrain heavy workloads
Pricing
Community Edition (self-hosted) Free N/A
Starter EUR20/month (annual billing) Monthly or annual
Pro EUR50/month (annual billing) Monthly or annual
Business EUR667/month (annual billing) Monthly or annual
Enterprise Custom Annual
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n free?
Yes, n8n offers a free, self-hosted Community Edition with unlimited executions; n8n Cloud plans start at 20 euros per month billed annually.
Who founded n8n?
n8n was founded by Jan Oberhauser in Berlin, Germany, with the software first released publicly in 2019.
Is n8n open source?
n8n is source-available under a fair-code license rather than a traditional OSI-approved open-source license.
How is n8n priced?
n8n Cloud is priced based on the number of completed workflow executions per month, not the number of steps within a workflow.
Can n8n build AI agents?
Yes, n8n natively supports building AI agents that call language models and tools as part of a workflow.
What are n8n's main competitors?
n8n's main competitors include Zapier, Make (Integromat), Microsoft Power Automate, and Workato.