n8n
n8n is a platform for building and deploying AI agents and workflows, with support for custom JavaScript and Python code.
Picked take
n8n suits technical teams that want to build custom and AI-enabled workflows while keeping control of the code and where it runs.
The trade-off is ownership: an independent article reports that self-hosted operators maintain the surrounding stack themselves, and the Sustainable Use License allows providing the software to others only free of charge and non-commercially.
What you can do
Practical jobs it takes on
- 01
Run workflows on infrastructure you control
n8n states that it can be self-hosted on your infrastructure, on premises, or in a private cloud.
- 02
Add human review to multi-step AI processes
n8n advertises human approvals within multi-step AI workflows.
- 03
Connect to supported integrations
n8n says it connects to more than 1,500 integrations.
- 04
Extend workflows with custom code
Add custom JavaScript or Python logic, including npm packages, where visual steps are not enough.
Why choose it
Reasons to consider it
Flexible deployment
n8n supports both cloud and self-hosted operation, including on-premises and private-cloud deployments.
Visual workflows with code escape hatches
n8n combines a visual canvas with custom code, and lists JavaScript, Python, and npm packages for advanced AI workflows.
AI workflows under your control
n8n states that AI workflows and multi-step agents can use your own data, models, and tools.
Integration fallback paths
When no native node is available, an independent source reports that workflows can call an API through an HTTP Request node or use a community node.
Where it falls short
Trade-offs that can change the decision
Licensing limits redistribution
The Sustainable Use License limits use and modification to internal business, personal, or non-commercial purposes, and permits providing the software to others only free of charge for non-commercial use.
Self-hosting adds maintenance work
An independent article reports that self-hosted operators are responsible for patching the surrounding stack as well as n8n and community nodes.
Execution history is not kept indefinitely
n8n states that saved executions are removed once the first applicable limit is reached, which does not stop workflows from running.
AI Assistant is not yet production-ready by default
n8n describes its AI Assistant as Preview, says it may make mistakes, and advises reviewing generated workflows before production use.
Is it right for you?
Choose it if
- Choose n8n if your team needs a middle ground between managed consumer automation tools and governed enterprise iPaaS or RPA platforms.
- Choose it for multi-step AI processes where people need to approve work before it proceeds.
- Choose it when AI workflows need to incorporate your own data, models, and tools.
Skip it if
- Skip n8n if a non-technical team needs the widest library of commodity-SaaS connectors and wants zero infrastructure to manage.
- Skip n8n for large-scale, governed, compliance-heavy automation across the enterprise: one independent article recommends enterprise iPaaS or RPA platforms for that work.
Alternatives
When something else may fit better
Zapier
Consider Zapier when a non-technical team needs broad commodity-SaaS connectors without managing infrastructure.
Pricing
n8n states that its pricing is based on full workflow executions rather than individual steps or users.
Picked could not establish which n8n offering the listed paid plans apply to.
Community Edition
Free
Without a license key, self-hosted n8n runs as the free Community edition.
Starter
listed €20 per month
Billed annually
n8n lists Starter at €20 per month when billed annually, including 2,500 workflow executions.
Pro
listed €50 per month
Billed annually
n8n lists Pro at €50 per month when billed annually, including 10,000 workflow executions and unlimited steps.
Business
listed €667 per month
Billed annually
n8n lists Business at €667 per month when billed annually, including 40,000 workflow executions and unlimited steps; additional 300,000-execution buckets are €4,000.
Enterprise
n8n lists Enterprise with custom workflow-execution quantities and pricing available through sales.
Listed = the vendor’s published figure. Picked has not confirmed which plans it applies to.
Evidence & research
Why this page says what it says
Research updated
Sources reviewed
Tested by Picked
View evidence & research
Technical
- All self-hosted n8n installations use the same core product.
- Its public API can update credentials by ID with PATCH and can partially merge credential-data changes when `isPartialData: true` is used.
- For Kafka connections, the credential configuration supports mutual TLS with a CA certificate, client certificate, and PEM private key.
- Webhook-response offloading requires a non-default binary-data storage mode and storage that every instance can read, which matters when designing multi-instance deployments.
Licensing
- n8n states that source files marked with “.ee.” in their filename or “.ee” in their directory are excluded from the Sustainable Use License and require a valid Enterprise License for access.
- For modified copies, the license requires a prominent modification notice and that recipients receive the license terms.
- n8n states that a license violation terminates the Sustainable Use License automatically, though it can be reinstated retroactively if the violation stops within 30 days of notice.
Maintenance
- n8n states that it ships a new minor version most weeks; its changelog lists 2.37.10 as current stable and 2.38.4 as current beta.
- GitHub Releases lists n8n@2.37.10 as the latest release and n8n@2.38.4 as a pre-release.
- Teams installing through npm should plan for a deployment change before n8n 3.0, where npm installation is deprecated.
Adoption
- n8n reports customer case studies in which Huel saved 1,000 hours of manual work and Vodafone saved £2.2 million; it also reports a 4.7 out of 5 G2 rating and more than 200,000 community members, and its repository displayed approximately 204,000 stars and 60,600 forks.
- For adoption evidence, these are useful signs of interest and reported use, but Picked could not establish independently verified customer or deployment evidence.
Caveats and open questions
- The published paid-plan information does not establish which offering it covers, so buyers should confirm applicability before using it to budget for a hosted subscription or self-hosted deployment.
Behind the facts at a glance
- Best for
- n8n presents itself as an AI workflow automation platform for technical teams and supports both cloud and self-hosted operation.
- Hosting
- n8n can run in the cloud or self-hosted, including on premises or in a private cloud.
- License
- Repository content is available under the Sustainable Use License, except files excluded by stated restrictions.
- API
- n8n provides a public API.
- AI agents
- n8n states that it supports building and operationalizing AI workflows and multi-step agents using users' own data, models, and tools.
Sources cited (8)
Changelog | n8n Docs
Official changelog · docs.n8n.io
Host n8n | Deploy | n8n Docs
Official documentation · docs.n8n.io
GitHub - n8n-io/n8n: Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities. Combine visual building with custom code, self-host or cloud, 400+ integrations. · GitHub
Official repository · github.com
n8n/LICENSE.md at master · n8n-io/n8n · GitHub
Official repository · github.com
Releases · n8n-io/n8n · GitHub
Official release · github.com
AI Workflow Automation Platform - n8n
Official website · n8n.io
n8n Plans and Pricing - n8n.io
Official pricing · n8n.io
n8n Limitations: What It Can't Do (2026 Honest Guide)
Community · peppereffect.com