What Is n8n?
n8n is a workflow automation tool in which users link trigger and action nodes on a visual canvas and switch to JavaScript or Python in the Code node when a built-in node falls short. Its AI tooling includes agent nodes that work with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models, along with memory, vector stores, custom tools, evaluations and one-click MCP server connections, all modeled on LangChain concepts. Teams can run it on n8n Cloud or host it themselves. The self-hosted Community Edition is free on GitHub, and the Starter and Pro cloud plans come with a trial. Cloud plans are metered by monthly workflow executions and concurrent runs, while active workflows and users are unlimited. Business and Enterprise add SSO and LDAP, Git-based version control, queue mode and longer execution data retention, and Enterprise adds external secret stores and log streaming. Ready-made nodes cover services such as Slack, Google Sheets and HubSpot, and community nodes extend the catalog further.
Best for: Technical operations and marketing ops teams that want code-level control over automations and the option to keep workflow data on their own servers.
n8n uses node-based workflows but allows developers to drop into code, call arbitrary APIs, and control deployment more directly than many no-code tools. It can run in n8n Cloud or self-hosted environments, which is useful when data residency, network access, or custom infrastructure matters alongside workflow and AI-agent orchestration.
