Activepieces vs n8n

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool

Activepieces

Automation & Workflows

Activepieces review: open-source visual workflows, AI agents, tables, chat, MCP connections, TypeScript steps, and 760+ app integrations.

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Starting Price

$0
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n8n

🟡Low Code

AI workflow automation

n8n review covering visual automation, AI workflows, self-hosting, verified execution pricing, advantages, drawbacks, and practical integration use cases.

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Starting Price

Free
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Feature Comparison

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FeatureActivepiecesn8n
CategoryAutomation & WorkflowsAI workflow automation
Pricing Plans4 listed plans5 listed plans
Starting Price$0Free
Key Features
  • • AI agents with custom instructions and tools
  • • Visual drag-and-drop flow builder
  • • 689+ native integrations
  • • Visual AI-agent canvas with traceable steps
  • • 500+ integrations and 10,000 workflow templates
  • • JavaScript, Python, HTTP, webhook, API, and CLI escape hatches

💡 Our Take

Choose Activepieces if you prefer a cleaner UI/UX — a sentiment echoed repeatedly in r/selfhosted reviews — plus out-of-the-box AI agent templates and enterprise SSO without extra configuration. Choose n8n if you want a more code-first, developer-oriented automation tool with a larger community and longer track record in self-hosted deployments.

Activepieces - Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓One ordinary flow run costs one credit regardless of step count
  • ✓Free tier and transparent annual pricing
  • ✓Open-source integrations and self-hosting reduce lock-in
  • ✓Visual builder retains a TypeScript escape hatch
  • ✓Native MCP direction fits agent workflows

Cons

  • ✗AI model steps and agent actions consume extra credits
  • ✗Self-hosting shifts upgrades, security, and reliability to the operator
  • ✗Connector breadth is smaller than Zapier's ecosystem
  • ✗Community pieces require code and permission review

n8n - Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓Combines a visual builder with JavaScript and Python steps
  • ✓Offers managed cloud and self-hosting
  • ✓Bills cloud plans by complete workflow executions
  • ✓Supports agents, retrieval, webhooks, and conventional automation

Cons

  • ✗Complex workflows require debugging and ownership
  • ✗Execution, concurrency, and retention limits vary
  • ✗Self-hosting transfers upgrades and security to the customer
  • ✗Credential-rich automations can create broad blast radius

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🔒 Security & Compliance Comparison

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Security FeatureActivepiecesn8n
SOC2——
GDPR——
HIPAA——
SSO—✅ Yes
Self-Hosted—🔀 Hybrid
On-Prem—✅ Yes
RBAC—✅ Yes
Audit Log—✅ Yes
Open Source—❌ No
API Key Auth—✅ Yes
Encryption at Rest—✅ Yes
Encryption in Transit—✅ Yes
Data Residency—EU
Data Retention—configurable
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Review ActivepiecesReview n8n