1 Best Open-Source Alternatives to n8n in 2026
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
Compared: open-source alternatives to n8n
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8nreference | technical teams that want to mix visual workflow building with custom code, either self-hosted for full control or on cloud paying per execution instead of per step | Billing by full workflow execution rather than by individual step or task, so complex multi-node automations don't multiply cost the way per-task pricing does on competitors. | Cloud pricing is listed in euros, not dollars, and jumps sharply from Pro (€50/month) to Business (€667/month), leaving a wide gap for teams that outgrow Pro's execution limits but don't need Business's SSO and compliance features. | Moderate | Free |
| Activepieces | engineering-adjacent teams that want Zapier-style automation but need self-hosting, SOC 2/GDPR compliance, or freedom from per-task pricing | MIT-licensed Community Edition can be self-hosted for free with unlimited flows and runs, with no artificial cap on automation volume the way per-task pricing on closed competitors imposes. | The free self-hosted Community Edition excludes AI agents, chat-to-automation, API access, and admin controls like SSO and audit logs, so teams that want those features are pushed to a paid Cloud plan or commercial license despite the open-source branding. | Moderate | Free tier · paid from $16/mo |
n8n
Activepieces1.Activepieces — best n8n alternative for engineering-adjacent teams that want Zapier-style automation but need self-hosting, SOC 2/GDPR compliance, or freedom from per-task pricing
Activepieces is the best n8n alternative for teams that want Zapier-style automation with genuine self-hosting under a fully permissive open-source license, MIT rather than n8n's fair-code Sustainable Use License, which is not OSI-approved. Activepieces' Community Edition is free to self-host via Docker or Helm with unlimited flows, runs, and users, matching the scope of n8n's own free self-hosted core, and its GitHub repository has 23,900 stars with 60% of its integration "pieces" community-contributed. Activepieces' hosted cloud starts free with daily credits, then Plus costs $16/month billed yearly for up to 5 users, a lower and clearer entry price than n8n's Starter cloud at €20/month. Activepieces holds a 5.0/5 rating from 7 Product Hunt reviews. n8n is still the better choice for teams that need AI agents, chat-to-automation, or API access on the free self-hosted tier: Activepieces' free Community Edition excludes AI agents, chat automation, tables, MCP connectivity, and API access, reserving those for paid Cloud tiers or a commercial license, whereas n8n's free self-hosted Community edition includes the same core automation engine as its paid cloud tiers, without withholding AI workflow support.
Compared to n8n: MIT-licensed (OSI-approved) self-hosted core vs n8n's non-OSI-approved fair-code Sustainable Use License, a lower cloud entry price ($16/month Plus vs n8n's €20/month Starter), 60% of integrations community-contributed
Wins:MIT-licensed Community Edition is genuinely free to self-host with unlimited flows, runs, and users, under an OSI-approved license unlike n8n's fair-code Sustainable Use License · Cloud Plus starts at $16/month, a lower and clearer entry price than n8n's €20/month Starter · SOC 2 Type II and GDPR-compliant cloud hosting available without self-hosting
Loses:Free self-hosted Community Edition excludes AI agents, chat-to-automation, and API access, unlike n8n's free core which includes the same automation engine as its paid tiers · Team plan jumps to $166/month for 25 users, a steep step up from the $16/month Plus tier's 5-user cap · Younger project with a smaller integration library (700+ apps) than n8n's 500+ nodes plus custom-code extensibility
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.
Pricing: Free tier · paid from $16/mo — Free (self-hosted or cloud with daily credits), then $16/month Plus, vs n8n's free self-hosted Community edition or Starter cloud from €20/month (verified undefined NaN, NaN)