n8n review
8.5/10★★★★★Open, self-hostable workflow automation with AI agent nodes, code steps and MCP
- Best for
- Technical teams who want full control over AI agents, data and hosting
- Price
- Freemium · from €20/month
Free: Community Edition is free to self-host, with no execution limits - Platforms
- Web, Self-hosted
- Made by
- n8n GmbH, Berlin, Germany · since 2019
What it is
n8n is a visual workflow builder that also lets you drop into JavaScript or Python, with native AI agent nodes, MCP support and human-in-the-loop controls. You can use n8n Cloud or self-host the free Community Edition with Docker and bring your own model keys.
Latest: n8n raised $180M at a $2.5B valuation in a Series C led by Accel in October 2025.
What the AI does
- AI Agent node with tools and memory
- MCP server and client support
- Local models via Ollama when self-hosted
- Human-in-the-loop approvals for agent actions
- AI Assistant for building workflows
Pros and cons
- Free to self-host, so data stays on your own servers
- Most flexible agent building here, with code wherever you need it
- Charges per workflow run, not per step, which is cheap for long workflows
- Huge community (200,000+ members, 200K+ GitHub stars)
- Steepest learning curve of the mainstream tools
- Fewer pre-built integrations (500+) than Zapier or Make
- Self-hosting means you handle updates and maintenance
How it scores
The most capable AI agent builder in the group and great value self-hosted; harder to learn than Zapier or Make.
Feature checklist · 7 of 9
- AI agents that decide their own steps (yes)
- Builds workflows or agents from a plain-English description (yes)
- 1,000+ app integrations (no)
- Branching, loops and data transformation (yes)
- Custom code steps (yes)
- Self-hosted or private-cloud deployment (yes)
- Choice of AI models or bring your own keys (yes)
- MCP support for connecting AI assistants (yes)
- Browser, desktop or computer-use automation (no)
Alternatives
See all n8n alternatives, ranked →
- Make 8.4/10Teams who want complex, visual workflows at a much lower price than Zapier
- Zapier 8.2/10Non-technical teams who want the widest app coverage and the fastest setup
- Activepieces 7.9/10Teams who want n8n-style control and self-hosting with a simpler, Zapier-like builder
- Lindy 7.4/10Founders and busy professionals who want an assistant to run email, calendar and admin
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