n8n

Source-available workflow automation you can self-host, with strong AI agent support.

AI Agents Automation Free plan API

Pricing: Self-hosted community edition free; Cloud Starter from €20/mo (annual); Pro from €50/mo

Best for
Technical teams who want control, self-hosting or data residency
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
Yes
API
Yes
Integrations
400+ nodes, HTTP request node, custom code steps
Facts checked
28 August 2026
Website
n8n.io

What is n8n?

n8n is a workflow automation tool you can run on your own server or use as a hosted service. It has become a common choice for building AI agents because the LLM steps are first-class rather than bolted on.

What it does well

Automations that must keep data inside your own infrastructure, and agent-style workflows where a model decides which tool to call next.

Who should use it

Teams with someone technical, agencies building automations for clients, and businesses with data residency requirements.

Who should not use it

A small business with no technical support. The self-hosted saving is not a saving if nobody can maintain it.

Pros and cons

Strengths

  • Self-hosting removes per-task cost and data residency concerns
  • Genuinely good for building AI agents rather than just calling an API
  • Code steps mean you are never blocked by a missing feature

Limitations

  • Self-hosting is real infrastructure work — someone must maintain it
  • Less approachable for non-technical staff
  • Cloud pricing is quoted in euros and priced by executions

How we evaluated this tool

Not tested hands-on by us. This entry is based on the vendor’s public documentation and pricing pages as of the date shown above. We label untested tools rather than implying testing we did not do. Read our review method.

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