n8n

Published by Dusan Belic on June 23, 2025

n8n

An open-source automation tool that helps you connect different apps and services

n8n

n8n is an open-source automation tool that helps you connect different apps and services to make your work easier. In a way, it acts as a digital assistant that handles repetitive tasks for you — so you can focus on more important things. With n8n, you can create workflows that link your favorite apps — like Gmail, Slack, and Google Sheets — without writing complex code.

n8n is both flexible and user-friendly. You can use its visual editor to drag and drop different steps in your workflow, making it easy to see how everything connects. If you have some coding knowledge, you can also add custom scripts to make your workflows even more powerful. It is this combination of simplicity and depth that attracts both beginners and experienced developers to use n8n.

n8n has more than 100,000 users on GitHub and a vibrant forum where you can find support, share ideas, and discover new ways to use the tool. People have built workflows for everything from automating marketing tasks to managing IT systems. For instance, one company used n8n to implement IT workflows in just 30 minutes, saving them days of work.

n8n also offers flexibility in how you use it. You can choose to host it yourself, giving you full control over your data and privacy, or use their cloud service. This means you can tailor the setup to fit your needs, whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a large organization that is extra careful about the security and privacy of its data.

While n8n is powerful, we should add that it might have a steeper learning curve compared to some other automation platforms like Zapier or Make. However, the extra effort can pay off with greater flexibility and control over your workflows. So, if you’re willing to invest the time to learn, n8n can become an invaluable part of your toolkit, helping you automate tasks and streamline your work like never before.

To sum it up, n8n offers a powerful and flexible automation platform suitable for many users and use cases. While it may require a steeper learning curve, especially for non-technical users, the benefits of customization, cost-effectiveness, and community support make it a great choice for those looking to automate and optimize their workflows.

n8n Homepage

Categories Productivity

Video Overview ▶️

What are the key features? ⭐

Visual workflow editor: n8n provides an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface that allows you to design complex workflows without writing code.
Extensive integrations: With over 500 integrations, n8n can connect to a range of apps and services, including popular tools like Gmail, Slack, and Google Sheets.
Customizable nodes: For advanced users, n8n allows the creation of custom nodes using JavaScript or Python, providing the flexibility to tailor workflows to specific needs.
Self-hosting option: n8n can be self-hosted, giving you complete control over your data and infrastructure, which can be particularly beneficial for organizations with strict security or compliance requirements.
Community support: A vibrant community of users contributes to a growing library of workflow templates and offers support through forums and discussions.

Who is it for? 🤔

n8n is designed for a diverse audience, including IT professionals, developers, and business owners seeking to streamline their operations through automation. Its flexibility caters to both technical users who want to customize workflows deeply and non-technical users who prefer a visual interface. In other words, organizations of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises, can leverage n8n to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Examples of what you can use it for 💭

Keep your CRM and email marketing tools in sync by automatically updating contact information across platforms
Schedule and post content across multiple social media channels simultaneously
Automatically create support tickets from incoming emails and assign them to the appropriate team members
Integrate your online store with shipping and inventory systems to automate order fulfillment and stock updates
Set up workflows to monitor website uptime or system performance and receive instant alerts if issues are detected

Pros & Cons ⚖️

Offers a free tier and affordable pricing plans
Supports custom scripting and node creation
Self-hosting capability
It's open-source!

May be challenging for beginners without technical backgrounds

FAQs 💬

What is n8n, and how does it differ from tools like Zapier or Make?

n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform that lets technical teams build multi-step AI agents and connect apps using a visual drag-and-drop interface or custom code like JavaScript and Python. Unlike Zapier, which focuses on simple, no-code zaps for beginners and gets pricey with high-volume tasks, n8n offers self-hosting for full data control and unlimited executions without per-task fees. Make sits in the middle with strong visual logic but lacks n8n's open-source flexibility for deep AI customizations. I think n8n shines for teams wanting precision without vendor lock-in, though it might feel more hands-on at first.

Is n8n suitable for beginners, or does it require coding experience?

n8n balances no-code ease with code flexibility, so beginners can start with its drag-and-drop nodes and 1,700+ templates to automate basics like email summaries or data syncing. That said, complex AI workflows often need some JavaScript tweaks, which can create a steeper learning curve than Zapier's plug-and-play style. Recent user feedback on G2 suggests non-coders might spend a few hours on tutorials, but once you're in, the visual debugging makes it rewarding. Probably best if you have basic tech comfort, but don't let that scare you off.

How does n8n handle AI integrations, like building agents or using LLMs?

n8n excels here with native support for any LLM, like OpenAI or local models, plus tools for agentic systems that call custom APIs or chain sub-agents. You can build multi-step agents on one screen, integrate vector stores like Pinecone for RAG chats, or embed AI in workflows for tasks like content generation. The beta AI Workflow Builder even turns plain English prompts into ready nodes. From what I've seen in 2025 case studies, it's more powerful for AI than Make, but you'll want to test with free credits first.

What are the pricing options for n8n, including self-hosting?

n8n's Community Edition is free and self-hostable with unlimited workflows, but paid Cloud plans start at €20/month for 2.5K executions (Starter) up to custom Enterprise with SSO and unlimited projects. Self-hosting via Docker on your VPS costs just server fees—think $5-20/month on providers like Hostinger—and gives air-gapped security without execution limits. Startups might qualify for 50% off Business plans. It's way more affordable at scale than Zapier, where tasks add up quick, though self-hosting needs some setup know-how.

Can I self-host n8n, and what's the easiest way to get started?

Absolutely, self-hosting is a core strength for data privacy and cost savings. Use Docker for quick setup: pull the image, set environment variables for your database (like Postgres), and run it on a VPS. Guides from 2025 recommend Hostinger's pre-installed templates or Northflank for scaling with Redis workers. It takes about 30 minutes for basics, but add SSL and backups for production. Users on Reddit rave about the control, but if you're new to servers, Cloud might save headaches initially.

What integrations does n8n support, and can I connect custom APIs?

n8n connects to 1,000+ apps out of the box, from Google Sheets and Slack to OpenAI, HubSpot, and databases like Postgres. For custom stuff, paste cURL requests or use the HTTP node for any REST API—no limits like Zapier's premium apps. Recent updates added deeper AI tools like LangChain nodes. It's versatile for e-commerce or marketing flows, though you might need to build a few nodes yourself for niche services.

How secure is n8n for enterprise use, especially with AI data?

Pretty solid, with on-prem options, encrypted secrets, RBAC permissions, SSO (SAML/LDAP), and audit logs. For AI, it supports local models to keep data in-house, plus guardrails for safe outputs. Enterprise plans add log streaming and version control. A 2025 TechCrunch piece highlighted its fair-code model for compliance, but self-hosting amps up security if you're handling sensitive info. Just ensure proper SSL setup to avoid basics.

What's the learning curve like, and where can I find resources?

Expect a moderate curve—visual building is intuitive, but AI agents might trip you up without guides. n8n's docs have quickstarts, and the community forum (active in late 2025) plus YouTube tutorials cover everything from basics to RAG setups. G2 reviews say it clicks after 2-3 hours. I think pairing it with free templates speeds things up, and their AI Assistant now helps debug in real-time.

Can n8n scale for high-volume workflows, like in a business?

Yes, with queue mode, Redis for concurrency, and worker scaling, it handles enterprise loads—Delivery Hero saved 200 hours monthly with one ITOps flow. Self-hosted setups on VPS grow cheaply, unlike Zapier's task caps. 2025 benchmarks show it managing 2M+ executions without hiccups, but monitor for loops that could overload. Great for growing teams, just plan your architecture early.

How does n8n's AI Workflow Builder work, and is it ready for real use?

This beta feature (launched 2025) takes a text prompt like "Automate lead scoring from HubSpot to Slack" and generates nodes, logic, and connections in seconds. It's built on LLMs for scaffolding, but you'll tweak credentials and test runs. Users on X call it a 10x speed boost for MVPs, though not fully hands-off yet. Available on Cloud; self-hosters get it soon. Exciting, but pair it with manual reviews for accuracy.