Should I use Activepieces or Pipedream?

Use Activepieces if you want a free MIT-licensed self-hosted edition or flat cloud pricing from $16/month billed yearly. Use Pipedream if you want to write Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go inside workflow steps across 3,000+ connected apps.

Is Activepieces cheaper than Pipedream?

Activepieces is the easier one to budget, because only Activepieces publishes its paid prices: $16/month for Plus and $166/month for Team, billed yearly. Pipedream's paid plans are credit-based, and the credit cost per execution varies by step complexity. Both have a free cloud plan, and Activepieces can also be self-hosted for free.

Can Pipedream replace Activepieces?

Yes for cloud-hosted automation, since Pipedream connects 3,000+ apps, supports code steps, and lists SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. Pipedream is not a fit if you need a free self-hosted deployment, which the Activepieces Community Edition provides under the MIT license.

Is Activepieces really open source?

Partly: the Activepieces Community Edition is MIT-licensed and free to self-host, but AI agents, chat-to-automation, API access, SSO, and audit logs sit in paid Cloud plans or a commercial license. The Activepieces GitHub repo has 23.9k stars, and 60% of its integration pieces are community-contributed.

Which has more integrations, Activepieces or Pipedream?

Pipedream has more, connecting 3,000+ apps against Activepieces' 700+ integration pieces. A Pipedream code step can usually cover what a pre-built connector cannot.

Activepieces vs Pipedream (2026)

By Noahlast updated October 23, 2026

Verdict: Choose Activepieces if you want workflow automation you can self-host for free under the MIT license, or flat cloud pricing you can check in advance, from $16/month billed yearly. Choose Pipedream if your team writes code and wants Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go inside any workflow step, across 3,000+ connected apps. The deciding factor is hosting and price transparency versus code depth: Activepieces publishes its prices and offers a free self-hosted edition, while Pipedream's credit-based pricing is hard to estimate before you build.

Activepieces

An open-source, AI-first workflow automation platform with 700+ integrations, free self-hosting under MIT, and cloud plans from $16/month.

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $16/mo
License: Open core

Best for engineering-adjacent teams that want Zapier-style automation but need self-hosting, SOC 2/GDPR compliance, or freedom from per-task pricing

5/5 on Product Hunt (7 reviews)

Visit activepieces.com Read our review

Pipedream

Code-first workflow automation and AI agent platform connecting 3,000+ APIs, mixing no-code steps with actual Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go.

Pricing: Free
License: Freemium

Best for developers who want code-level control (Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go) inside no-code-style workflow automation, and teams building AI agents against thousands of APIs

5/5 on Capterra (6 reviews)

Visit pipedream.com Read our review

Which should you choose?

Choose Activepieces if…

wins 3/6 use cases

You need to keep automation on your own servers and want the MIT-licensed Community Edition with unlimited flows, runs, and users at no cost
You want published flat pricing: $16/month billed yearly for up to 5 users (Plus) or $166/month for 25 users (Team)
Non-technical staff will build flows, and you want chat-to-automation to turn plain-English requests into working flows
You need enterprise governance such as SCIM, custom roles, audit logs, Git Sync, and secrets managers on one Ultimate contract
You want AI agents, tables, MCP, and API access included on a free cloud plan with no card required

Choose Pipedream if…

wins 3/6 use cases

Your workflows need custom logic, and you want Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go in any step next to no-code connectors
You connect niche services and want 3,000+ connected apps rather than Activepieces' 700+ integration pieces
You handle regulated health data and need HIPAA listed alongside SOC 2 Type II and GDPR
You are building backend workflows that need built-in queues, data stores, and private networks
You are building AI agents and want MCP servers that expose 10,000+ tools

Activepieces vs Pipedream: feature comparison

Feature	Activepieces	Pipedream
Free tier	YesCloud Free with unlimited flows and daily credits, no card required	Yesdaily execution credit limit, limited active workflows
Cheapest paid tier	Yes$16/mo (Plus, billed yearly, up to 5 users)	Unknown
Pricing model	Yesflat plans with credits and pay-as-you-go overage	Partialcredit-based; cost per execution varies by step complexity
Platforms	Yesweb	Yesweb
License	Yesopen core; Community Edition is MIT-licensed	Partialfreemium; core workflow engine is open source
Free self-hosting	YesCommunity Edition via Docker or Helm, unlimited flows, runs, and users	Unknown
Integrations	Yes700+ pieces, 60% community-contributed	Yes3,000+ apps, 1,000+ pre-built integrations
Custom code in workflow steps	Unknown	YesPython, Node.js, Bash, or Go in any step
AI agents and natural-language flow building	Yesagents and chat-to-automation on Cloud plans including Free; not in Community Edition	PartialAI agent builder; chat-to-automation not listed
MCP for AI agents	YesCloud plans including Free; not in Community Edition	YesMCP servers expose 10,000+ tools
Queues, data stores, private networks	Partialtables on Cloud plans; queues and private networks not listed	Yesall three built in
SSO and admin controls	YesSSO from $166/mo (Team); SCIM, custom roles, audit logs on Ultimate (custom pricing)	Unknown
Compliance	YesSOC 2 Type II and GDPR (Cloud)	YesSOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR
Support	Yesemail from $166/mo (Team); dedicated support on Ultimate	Partialcommunity support on Free; support level rises on paid plans
Learning curve	Partialmoderate	Partialmoderate; code steps assume basic programming
External rating	Yes5.0/5 from 7 reviews (Product Hunt)	Yes5.0/5 from 6 reviews (Capterra)

Activepieces vs Pipedream: pricing

Every tier both tools publish, as we last checked them — not just the entry price.

Activepieces

FreeCloud-hosted; unlimited flows, daily credits, chat-to-automation, agents, tables, MCP, and API access. No card required.Free
PlusBilled yearly; up to 5 users, 3x the credits of Free, pay-as-you-go overage, bring-your-own AI keys.$16/mo
TeamBilled yearly; 25 included users ($25/user/month beyond that), unlimited separate projects, SSO, standard roles, email support.$166/mo
UltimateCustom pricing; adds Git Sync, releases, SCIM, custom roles, audit logs, secrets managers, dedicated workers and support.Custom

Verified September 14, 2026Latest pricing

Pipedream

FreeDaily execution credit limit, limited active workflows and connected accounts, Connect in development mode, community support.Free
Paid plansCredit-based paid tiers scale execution credits, active workflows, connected accounts, and support level above the free plan; Pipedream's public pricing page renders pricing client-side with no static fallback, so exact current dollar amounts weren't confirmed — see pipedream.com/pricing directly.Custom

Not yet verifiedLatest pricing

Activepieces vs Pipedream pricing: which costs less?

Activepieces is the safer budget choice because its prices are published, at $16/month for Plus and $166/month for Team billed yearly plus a free self-hosted edition, while Pipedream's credit-based paid plans have no static published prices to compare.

Both products have a free cloud plan. Activepieces Free includes unlimited flows with daily credits, plus agents, tables, MCP, and API access. Pipedream Free has a daily execution credit limit and caps active workflows and connected accounts. Activepieces Plus covers up to 5 users with 3x the Free credits, and Team covers 25 users, with extra users at $25/user/month. Pipedream charges in credits, and the credit cost of each execution varies by step complexity, so monthly spend is hard to predict before building. Teams that self-host the Activepieces Community Edition pay nothing for flows, runs, or users.

Which is better for developers, Activepieces or Pipedream?

Pipedream is better for developers, because any Pipedream workflow step can run Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go next to no-code connectors, with built-in queues, data stores, and private networks for backend work.

Pipedream's code steps cover cases a pre-built connector cannot handle, and its 3,000+ connected apps reduce how often that happens. The tradeoff is that code steps assume at least basic programming ability. Activepieces is built around a drag-and-drop builder aimed at sales, marketing, support, finance, HR, and IT staff as well as engineers. The Activepieces chat-to-automation feature turns a plain-English request into a working flow. The Activepieces listing does not document code steps, so developers who expect to script inside workflows should test that first.

Can you self-host Activepieces or Pipedream?

Activepieces can be self-hosted for free through its MIT-licensed Community Edition on Docker or Helm, while Pipedream's listing names no self-hosted edition, although Pipedream's core workflow engine is open source on GitHub.

The Activepieces Community Edition has no cap on flows, runs, or users. The Community Edition does exclude AI agents, chat-to-automation, tables, MCP connectivity, API access, SSO, and audit logs. Those features require a paid Activepieces Cloud plan or a commercial license for self-hosted enterprise deployments. Teams that self-host for data residency and also need SSO or audit logs should budget for that commercial license from the start.

Is Pipedream more compliant than Activepieces?

Pipedream lists the wider compliance set, SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR, while Activepieces Cloud lists SOC 2 Type II and GDPR and adds the option to self-host for data residency.

For workflows that touch health data, Pipedream is the one of the two with HIPAA listed. Activepieces handles data residency differently: the Community Edition runs on your own infrastructure, so workflow data stays out of a vendor cloud. Activepieces also lists governance features on its custom-priced Ultimate plan, including SCIM, custom roles, audit logs, Git Sync, and secrets-manager support, with SSO from the $166/month Team plan. Pipedream's listing does not detail SSO or audit logs.

Strengths and weaknesses

Activepieces

Pros

MIT-licensed Community Edition is genuinely free to self-host with unlimited flows, runs, and users.
700+ integrations including Gmail, Slack, HubSpot, and OpenAI, with 60% of pieces community-contributed.
SOC 2 Type II and GDPR-compliant cloud hosting for teams that need it without self-hosting.
AI agent builder and chat-to-automation for turning natural-language requests into flows.

Cons

AI agents, chat automation, and API access are withheld from the free self-hosted edition.
Team plan jumps to $166/month for 25 users, a steep step up from the $16/month Plus tier's 5-user cap.
Enterprise features (SCIM, custom roles, audit logs) require contacting sales for custom Ultimate pricing.
Younger project than Zapier or Make, so its integration library, while growing fast, is smaller than established competitors.

Pipedream

Pros

Mixes no-code app connectors with real code (Python, Node.js, Bash, Go) in the same workflow step.
1,000+ pre-built integrations and managed authentication across connected services.
MCP servers expose 10,000+ tools for AI agent workflows out of the box.
Core workflow engine is open source, and the platform is SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant.

Cons

Credit-based paid pricing is hard to estimate before building, since the pricing page isn't published as static, comparable numbers.
Free plan's daily execution credit cap limits it to light usage or evaluation, not production workloads.
Writing custom code steps assumes at least basic programming ability, a steeper ask than pure no-code tools for non-technical users.

Which fits your use case?

Use case	Pick	Why
Team that must keep automation data on its own servers with no software budget	Activepieces	Activepieces' MIT-licensed Community Edition self-hosts for free via Docker or Helm with unlimited flows, runs, and users; Pipedream's listing names no self-hosted edition.
Developer who needs custom Python or Node.js logic inside a workflow	Pipedream	Pipedream runs Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go in any step alongside no-code connectors; the Activepieces listing does not document code steps.
Small team of up to 5 that wants a fixed monthly bill	Activepieces	Activepieces Plus costs $16/month billed yearly for up to 5 users, while Pipedream's credit costs vary by step complexity and its paid prices are not published as static figures.
Healthcare team automating workflows that touch HIPAA-regulated data	Pipedream	Pipedream lists HIPAA alongside SOC 2 Type II and GDPR; Activepieces lists SOC 2 Type II and GDPR with no HIPAA mention.
Non-technical operations staff building flows from plain-English requests	Activepieces	Activepieces' chat-to-automation turns a natural-language request into a flow on the free Cloud plan, while Pipedream's code steps assume basic programming ability.
AI agent project that needs access to thousands of tools	Pipedream	Pipedream's MCP servers expose 10,000+ tools to AI agents and connect 3,000+ apps, against Activepieces' 700+ integration pieces.

Neither a match?

Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.

5 alternatives to Activepieces 5 alternatives to Pipedream

Popular comparisons

Activepieces vs Pipedream: migration FAQ

Should I use Activepieces or Pipedream?: Use Activepieces if you want a free MIT-licensed self-hosted edition or flat cloud pricing from $16/month billed yearly. Use Pipedream if you want to write Python, Node.js, Bash, or Go inside workflow steps across 3,000+ connected apps.
Is Activepieces cheaper than Pipedream?: Activepieces is the easier one to budget, because only Activepieces publishes its paid prices: $16/month for Plus and $166/month for Team, billed yearly. Pipedream's paid plans are credit-based, and the credit cost per execution varies by step complexity. Both have a free cloud plan, and Activepieces can also be self-hosted for free.
Can Pipedream replace Activepieces?: Yes for cloud-hosted automation, since Pipedream connects 3,000+ apps, supports code steps, and lists SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. Pipedream is not a fit if you need a free self-hosted deployment, which the Activepieces Community Edition provides under the MIT license.
Is Activepieces really open source?: Partly: the Activepieces Community Edition is MIT-licensed and free to self-host, but AI agents, chat-to-automation, API access, SSO, and audit logs sit in paid Cloud plans or a commercial license. The Activepieces GitHub repo has 23.9k stars, and 60% of its integration pieces are community-contributed.
Which has more integrations, Activepieces or Pipedream?: Pipedream has more, connecting 3,000+ apps against Activepieces' 700+ integration pieces. A Pipedream code step can usually cover what a pre-built connector cannot.