Our verdict
Being tested. An editor is using n8n hands-on; the verdict and score appear here once they sign it off.
What it does
n8n is a visual tool for building automations: you link steps on a canvas to move data between apps, run AI models and build AI agents. It has more than a thousand ready-made integrations, and you can add your own JavaScript or Python where you need to.
You can use n8n’s cloud service, or run it on your own server free of charge for your own business or personal use, which suits organisations that want to keep data in-house.
Why use it
- The self-hosted Community Edition is free for your own business or personal use.
- Hosting it yourself keeps your workflows and data on a server you control.
- AI agent steps can use models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or open-source models.
- You can add JavaScript or Python when a ready-made step won’t do the job.
- Thousands of shared workflow templates give you a starting point.
How it works
- Start a free trial of n8n Cloud, or install the free Community Edition with Docker.
- Pick a trigger, such as a new email, a form entry or a schedule.
- Add steps that connect your apps, change the data or call an AI model.
- Test the workflow with real data and fix any step that fails.
- Switch it on, and check its run history now and then.
How hard is it to use?
Advanced Made for people at home with technical tools, or ready to learn them.
The canvas is visual, but most workflows need you to understand data formats and how apps connect, and self-hosting means running and securing a server, so we rate it Advanced.
What it costs
Free to self-host; paid plans. The Community Edition is free if you host it yourself, and a free registration unlocks a few extra features. n8n Cloud has a free trial, then paid plans; paid self-hosted Business and Enterprise plans add features such as single sign-on and version control.
Prices change often, so check n8n’s own site before you pay.
Watch out for
- If you host it yourself, you are responsible for updates, backups and security.
- The free licence covers your own internal or personal use; offering n8n to others as a paid service needs a commercial agreement.
- AI steps send data to the AI service you choose, so check what each workflow shares.
Your data
If you host n8n yourself, your workflows and data stay on your own server, and you can switch off the anonymous usage data it sends to n8n. n8n says its AI Assistant doesn’t send credential values or workflow output data to AI services, and that data isn’t used to train their models.
We haven’t confirmed that n8n can keep your data in the UK, so check where it keeps your data before you share anything private or about other people.