n8n pricing
n8n offers a free plan with paid upgrades. You can start for free and pay only when you need higher limits, advanced features or team seats.
What you get on the free vs paid plan
n8n's free plan lets you use visual node-based workflow editor with branching, loops and error handling and self-hostable community edition, free to run at any volume without paying. Paid plans typically unlock higher usage limits, advanced capabilities and team or collaboration features — the things you tend to hit once the tool becomes part of your daily workflow. That makes the free tier a genuine way to evaluate n8n before you spend anything.
Is n8n worth the price?
n8n is most praised for self-hosting means sensitive data need never leave your infrastructure. The most common caveat is that steeper learning curve than zapier — it expects you to understand data structures. Whether it is worth paying for comes down to how central automation tools is to your work: use it daily and a paid plan usually pays for itself; reach for it only occasionally and you are better off starting with the free tier and the cheaper alternatives below.
AI Automation Tools pricing compared
Of the 6 comparable automation tools tools below, 6 offer a free or freemium plan and 0 are paid-only. n8n itself is freemium, so you can start without a credit card. If price is your main constraint, Activepieces and Relay.app are worth a look first.
| Tool | Pricing | Cheapest paid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activepieces | Freemium | $5 | Pricing → |
| Relay.app | Freemium | $19 | Pricing → |
| Zapier AI | Freemium | $19.99 | Pricing → |
| Zapier | Freemium | $19.99 | Pricing → |
| Pipedream | Freemium | $29 | Pricing → |
| Gumloop | Freemium | $37 | Pricing → |
n8n pricing: FAQ
Is n8n free?+
n8n has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Some advanced features may require a paid plan — check the official site for current limits.
How much does n8n cost?+
n8n offers a free plan with paid upgrades. You can start for free and pay only when you need higher limits, advanced features or team seats. Plans and prices change often, so confirm the latest on the official n8n pricing page before purchasing.
Does n8n offer a free trial?+
n8n has a free tier, so a separate trial is usually unnecessary — you can start using it at no cost today.
Is n8n cheaper than its alternatives?+
In automation tools, 6 of the comparable tools we list offer a free or freemium plan (including Activepieces and Relay.app). If lowest cost is the priority, start with those; if you specifically need what n8n does best, its freemium pricing is competitive for the category.
What are cheaper alternatives to n8n?+
Browse the n8n alternatives page for similar tools in AI Automation Tools, including free and freemium options.