n8n
Open-source workflow automation tool with 400+ integrations, self-hostable, fair-code licensed.
Definition
n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool — visual node-based editor, 400+ integrations, can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure or used via n8n Cloud. Often compared to Zapier and Make.com. The fair-code license means it's free for personal and most commercial use; the source is on GitHub.
When to use
Pick n8n when you want self-hosting, predictable pricing, or full control over your automation data. Pick Make.com when you want a polished SaaS without ops overhead.
See also
- Make.com — SaaS workflow automation platform (formerly Integromat), 1500+ integrations, visual scenario builder.
- webhook — An HTTP POST sent by one system to a URL on another system when an event occurs — push, not poll.
- agent — An LLM-driven program that plans, calls tools, observes results, and loops until it reaches a goal.
Mentioned in
- How to work around Make's 40-minute scenario hard limit
- Launching Citation Intelligence MCP: free, self-hosted AI citation tracking
- Launching content-distribution-mcp: one finished post, eight channels
- The n8n Nodes Catalog: a complete, machine-readable reference
- Three Claude skills for end-to-end Ghost blog publishing
- What is the Model Context Protocol (MCP)? A 2026 primer