Automate workflows between your apps
n8n is a workflow automation platform. Picture a visual canvas where you wire up nodes to move data and trigger actions across hundreds of services — APIs, databases, Slack, email, AI models, you name it. It runs in their cloud if you want, but the real selling point is that you can self-host it on your own server for free.
Free to self-host · paid cloud plans
Folks who want automation with the option to keep data on their own infrastructure.
You can self-host it. A huge deal if you're handling sensitive data or don't want to pay per execution.
It's flexible. Most automation tools lock you into their node library — n8n lets you write JavaScript inline when a built-in node won't cut it.
Hundreds of built-in integrations, plus a generic HTTP node that covers anything else with an API.
Solid for AI workflows. It has dedicated nodes for LLMs, vector stores, and agent-style patterns.
Source-available with a generous free tier on self-host.
Self-hosting takes a little technical comfort — Docker is the easiest path.
The license is 'fair-code,' which is more permissive than proprietary but has some restrictions compared to classic open source.
The UI is powerful but has a learning curve compared to simpler tools like Zapier.
Check it out directly and form your own opinion — the best way to know if a tool works for you is to try it.
Visit n8n