n8n
Visual AI workflow automation for technical teams who want control.
Watch n8n in Action
Key Takeaways
- What it is
- Visual AI workflow automation for technical teams who want control.
- Pricing
- Freemium · $26.94 per month · $67.34 per month · $897.92 per month
- Best for
- Visual workflow builder
- AI agents and AI nodes
- Human approval for AI tool calls
- Rating
- 4.3/5
What is n8n?
n8n lets technical teams map a process on a visual canvas, connect apps and APIs, then add AI where a task needs judgment. A workflow can, for example, read a support request, check order details, ask an AI model to classify the issue, and route it to the right team. Teams can run n8n in n8n Cloud or host it themselves.
A workflow run counts as one execution no matter how many steps it contains. That makes n8n useful for complex automations where other tools may count each step as a separate billable task.
n8n is best suited to builders who want to see and control how their AI workflows work, including when a person must approve an action. Building more involved flows can take technical knowledge, and self-hosting also means managing your own hosting. Choose n8n when control over the workflow matters as much as the AI result.
Who is Using n8n?
Automation engineer
Complex business processes become visible, testable workflows that connect APIs and internal tools.
AI engineer
AI agents can be placed inside larger processes, with human approval before consequential tool calls.
IT administrator
Projects and access roles help organize workflows and credentials across teams.
Security operations analyst
Alert data can be gathered from connected systems, summarized with AI, and routed for review.
Operations manager
Repeated handoffs, such as checking a request and sending it to the right team, can run as one workflow.
Uncommon Use Cases
Use AI to classify incoming security alerts before routing them; turn a workflow into an MCP server that exposes selected tools to an AI client.
Key Features
Rating Breakdown
Pricing Plans
Community Edition
Free
- Free self-hosted edition
- Hosting is managed by you
Starter
$26.94 per month
- €24/mo, billed monthly
- 2,500 workflow executions per month
- Unlimited workflow steps
- Hosted by n8n
Pro
$67.34 per month
- €60/mo, billed monthly
- 10,000 workflow executions per month
- Unlimited workflow steps
- Hosted by n8n
Business
$897.92 per month
- €800/mo, billed monthly
- 40,000 workflow executions with unlimited steps
- Self-hosted only
- Includes SSO and LDAP
Enterprise
- Custom workflow executions
- Hosted by n8n or self-hosted
- Dedicated support with SLA
Which n8n plan should you pick?
Try the free self-hosted Community Edition if you can manage hosting, or choose n8n Cloud Starter for managed hosting and upgrade when you need more executions or team features.
Community Edition
Good for builders who want a free, self-hosted way to create and run workflows.
Starter
Good for trying n8n Cloud with 2,500 monthly workflow executions.
Pro
Good for solo builders and small teams running automations in production, with 10,000 monthly workflow executions.
Business
Good for companies with fewer than 100 employees that need self-hosted collaboration and scale.
Enterprise
Good for organizations with strict compliance and governance needs that require custom execution allowances and dedicated support.
n8n Use Cases
AI-assisted request routing
A new support or refund request can be checked against order details, classified by AI, and sent down the right path.
Outcome: Requests reach the appropriate team, with approval available before a refund is processed.
Alert investigation
Security events from connected tools can be gathered into a report and summarized before an analyst responds.
Outcome: Analysts get a consolidated report and a clearer next step.
Lead qualification
Incoming messages can be assessed by an AI agent, added to a CRM, and answered through a connected service.
Outcome: Lead records stay updated and replies can be sent from the workflow.
Document question answering
A multi-step agent can retrieve information from connected documents and answer questions that need more than one lookup.
Outcome: Answers can be built from multiple workflow steps, which remain visible on the canvas.
AI workflow testing
Light and metric-based evaluations help teams check how an AI workflow performs as they change it.
Outcome: Teams can evaluate AI workflows before relying on them in production.
Workflow Ideas with n8n
Review refund requests
- 1Start the workflow when a refund request arrives.
- 2Look up the order and have an AI step classify the request against your rules.
- 3Pause for a human decision before issuing a refund or opening a ticket.
Triage security alerts
- 1Trigger the workflow when a security alert arrives.
- 2Collect related details from connected security tools and summarize them with AI.
- 3Route the report to the appropriate person or team.
Qualify incoming leads
- 1Start when a new message or lead arrives.
- 2Have an AI step assess the message and prepare a response.
- 3Update the CRM and send the reply through a connected service.
How n8n fits into your stack
App and API connections
n8n connects 500+ apps through built-in nodes and can make custom API requests when a service is not covered by a built-in action.
AI in business processes
AI agents and AI nodes handle tasks such as classifying or summarizing data inside a larger workflow, with human approval available for tool calls.
Developer tools
Workflows can include JavaScript or Python code steps, webhooks, and control through n8n's public API.
Hosting and data control
Run workflows through n8n Cloud or host n8n yourself. Self-hosting gives you control of the environment, while making you responsible for its operation.
Team operations
Shared projects and roles help teams work on workflows and manage access to connected credentials.
Pros
- +Execution-based pricing: A workflow run counts once regardless of how many steps it contains.
- +Visible AI decisions: Workflow steps and past runs make it easier to inspect what an agent did.
- +Flexible deployment: Choose managed n8n Cloud or host the Community Edition yourself.
- +Human review: AI tool calls can wait for approval before taking action.
Cons
- −Technical setup: More complex workflows can require comfort with APIs, data, or code.
- −Self-hosting upkeep: Running your own instance means taking responsibility for its hosting and maintenance.
- −Execution limits: Cloud plans cap monthly workflow executions, even though the number of steps per run is unlimited.
Limitations & when to consider alternatives
Known limitations
- Cloud execution duration. The pricing comparison lists a maximum workflow execution duration of 5 minutes for Starter and 40 minutes for Pro.
- Cloud execution history. Saved executions, storage, and log retention have plan limits; reaching those limits affects retained history, not whether workflows continue running.
- Community Edition hosting. The Community Edition is self-hosted, so it does not include n8n-managed Cloud hosting.
- Business plan hosting. The Business plan is currently listed as self-hosted only.
Look elsewhere when
- You need a native mobile app or desktop application for building workflows.
- You want an AI tool that generates or edits code as its primary function.
- Your workflow requires cloud runs longer than the limit listed for your plan.
- You need managed hosting but require Business plan features.
How to Use n8n
- 1
Choose where to run n8n
Start with n8n Cloud if you want n8n to host the service, or choose the Community Edition if you plan to self-host.
- 2
Pick a workflow template
Browse n8n's templates for a starting point, or describe an automation to n8n's AI workflow creation feature.
- 3
Connect a trigger and services
Choose what starts the workflow, such as a webhook or an app event, then connect the services it needs.
- 4
Add AI where it helps
Add an AI Agent node or another AI node for a task such as classifying a request, and configure its connected tools.
- 5
Test and inspect the run
Run the workflow with test data, inspect each step's inputs and outputs, and fix errors before activating it.
- 6
Set a human approval point
Add an approval step before actions that should not happen automatically, such as issuing a refund.
Who is n8n For?
Technical teams
The visual builder, API connections, and code steps suit teams that need to shape detailed automations.
AI builders
AI agents, model connections, and approval steps help builders move AI tasks into real workflows.
Solo builders and small teams
n8n Cloud offers a managed way to run automations without maintaining a server.
Companies with strict data controls
Self-hosting lets organizations choose where their n8n instance runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n free?
The Community Edition is free and self-hosted. n8n Cloud has paid plans and offers a free trial.
How does n8n charge for workflow use?
Paid plans are based on monthly workflow executions. One complete workflow run counts as one execution, regardless of how many steps it contains.
Can n8n connect to my apps?
Yes. n8n lists 500+ app connections, and its HTTP and GraphQL options can connect to services through their APIs.
Can a person review an AI action before it happens?
Yes. n8n supports human approval for AI tool calls, so an agent can pause and wait for a person before proceeding.
Can I host n8n myself?
Yes. The Community Edition is self-hosted, and n8n also lists self-hosted paid plans. n8n Cloud is the managed hosting option.
Does n8n support team collaboration?
Yes. Shared projects and workflow roles let multiple users work with workflows, with availability depending on the plan.
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