Activepieces vs n8n
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Activepieces | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier: 10 active flows; $5/active flow/month | Free tier: 5 active workflows (cloud); self-hosted free; paid cloud plans from $10/month |
| Integrations | 700+ integrations | 500+ pre-built integrations + custom API nodes |
| AI Features | AI agents with custom instructions; AI agent library (Lead Scorer, Deal Closer) | AI agent builder supporting multi-agent and RAG; AI evaluation; MCP support |
| Target User | Non-technical teams, sales, marketing, support | Technical teams: IT Ops, Dev, SecOps |
| Self-Hosting | Yes (Docker, Helm, any cloud) | Yes (Docker, on-prem, cloud) |
| Latest News | 2026-04 guides on AI agent security and B2B sales automation | 2026-06 coverage of A2A protocol and data leak prevention node |
If you're a sales or marketing team wanting a no-code, AI-first automation platform with predictable pricing, pick Activepieces. If you're a technical team needing flexible, code-friendly workflows with advanced AI orchestration (multi-agent, RAG), n8n is the better choice. Activepieces is cheaper for many flows ($5/flow vs n8n's tiered pricing) but n8n offers deeper customization and developer control.
Open-source AI-native automation platform for building workflows and AI agents.
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Activepieces and n8n are both open-source automation platforms, but they target different users. Activepieces is AI-first: it includes a library of pre-built AI agents (Lead Scorer, Deal Closer) and custom instructions, making it easy for non-technical teams to automate sales and support workflows. Its drag-and-drop builder is simpler but still supports human approval steps. With 700+ integrations (including Gmail, OpenAI, Slack, HubSpot, Stripe), it covers most popular apps. n8n offers a visual builder with code nodes (JavaScript/Python), better suited for developers. It supports multi-agent setups, RAG, human-in-the-loop approvals, and AI evaluation. n8n also has MCP support and 500+ integrations, plus custom API nodes. A key difference: n8n's latest news highlights A2A protocol and data leak prevention, showing its focus on enterprise AI orchestration. Activepieces' recent guides center on security and sales automation practicalities. Both offer SSO and RBAC, but n8n adds LDAP, git-based version control, and workflow diffs—stronger for DevOps. For teams that need to embed automation into products, n8n's code support and self-hosting with full source code on GitHub provide more flexibility. Activepieces' gamification and adoption analytics are unique for driving team usage.
Pricing compared
n8n has a free cloud tier limited to 5 active workflows; paid plans start at $10/month for more workflows. Self-hosting is free but incurs infrastructure costs. Activepieces offers a free tier of 10 active flows, then $5 per active flow per month—simple and predictable for scaling. For 20 active flows, Activepieces costs $50/month; n8n's comparable cloud plan is about $20/month (20 workflows) but with additional features per tier. However, Activepieces' per-flow pricing means high-volume users pay more. n8n's self-hosted version is free with no workflow limit, making it cheaper for heavy usage but with hidden ops costs. Both are open-source, so you can avoid licensing fees entirely by self-hosting. Activepieces targets cost-conscious migrations from Zapier/Make, undercutting them significantly. n8n appeals to technical teams who prefer to manage their own infrastructure. There's no recent pricing change in the news for either.
Who should pick which
- Sales/Marketing teamPick: Activepieces
Activepieces offers pre-built AI agents for lead scoring and sales automation, plus 700+ integrations (HubSpot, Gmail, Stripe) and a simpler drag-and-drop builder.
- IT Ops / DevSecOps teamPick: n8n
n8n provides advanced code support, version control, LDAP, and multi-agent/RAG capabilities needed for complex enterprise automation and incident response.
- Solo founder building AI workflowsPick: Activepieces
Activepieces' free tier (10 flows) and low per-flow cost are budget-friendly, and its AI agent library accelerates common automation tasks without coding.
- Enterprise needing on-prem AI orchestrationPick: n8n
n8n's full source availability, git-based diffs, and MCP support enable deep customization and integration into existing DevOps pipelines with strong security controls.
- Non-technical team automating HR/onboardingPick: Activepieces
Activepieces' gamification and simpler UI are better for driving adoption among non-technical users, and its 700+ integrations cover common HR tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform has more integrations?
Activepieces boasts 700+ integrations, while n8n offers 500+ pre-built integrations plus custom API nodes for any service. Activepieces covers more popular apps out of the box.
Can I self-host both tools?
Yes, both support self-hosting. Activepieces can be deployed via Docker, Helm, or any cloud. n8n offers Docker-based self-hosting and full source code on GitHub.
Which is better for AI agents?
Activepieces provides easy-to-use pre-built AI agents (Lead Scorer, Deal Closer) and custom instructions. n8n supports multi-agent orchestration, RAG, and AI evaluation, giving more control to developers.
Which is cheaper for 50 active flows?
Activepieces would cost $250/month (50 flows × $5). n8n's cloud pricing varies: the Pro plan ($20/month) covers 20 workflows, so you'd need multiple accounts or self-host. Self-hosting n8n is free but requires infrastructure.
Do both support human approvals?
Yes, both have human-in-the-loop approvals. Activepieces includes it as a standard feature; n8n also offers approval steps and human-in-the-loop guardrails.
Which is better for non-technical users?
Activepieces is more beginner-friendly with a simpler drag-and-drop builder, pre-built AI agents, and gamification to drive adoption. n8n has a steeper learning curve but offers more flexibility for technical users.
What are the latest notable features?
For Activepieces: recent guides on AI agent security and B2B sales automation. For n8n: support for Agent-to-Agent (A2A) protocol and a community node for data leak prevention within the execution graph.
Which has better enterprise security features?
Both offer RBAC, SSO/SAML, and audit logs. Activepieces adds SCIM provisioning and advanced RBAC. n8n adds LDAP, encrypted secrets, and log streaming, making it stronger for strict compliance environments.
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