Workflow automation tools
Ken is our productn8n vs Activepieces: Which Is Better in 2026?
Both bill per run and both self-host. Pick n8n for unlimited users on every plan and Python code steps; pick Activepieces for an MIT-licensed core, a free cloud plan for up to 5 users and a lower cloud entry price.
Ken is our product. Every fact about other tools comes from their public pages on the date shown.
The Verdict
n8n or Activepieces?
Ken's view, from each vendor's public pages checked Oct 17, 2026.
Pick n8n if
- Many people need access, since every n8n plan includes unlimited users.
- You write Python as well as JavaScript in code steps.
Pick Activepieces if
- You want an MIT-licensed core rather than n8n's Sustainable Use License, which limits use to internal business, non-commercial or personal purposes.
- You want a free cloud plan with 1,000 credits a month for up to 5 users and no card.
- You want 10,000 credits a month in the cloud for $16 a month billed yearly, at 1 credit per run without AI steps.
- You want to embed a white-label flow builder in your own product.
At a Glance
In short Of the 9 features below, n8n has 7 and Activepieces has 7 in full, from each vendor's public pages checked Oct 17, 2026.
| Feature | n8n | Activepieces |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes - self-hosted Community Edition; cloud is a 14-day trial | Yes - 1,000 credits a month, up to 5 users |
| Prebuilt app integrations | Yes - 500+ integrations, every integration on every plan | Yes - 768 open-source pieces on every plan |
| HTTP requests and webhooks | Yes - HTTP Request node and webhook triggers on every plan | Yes - HTTP and Webhook pieces on every plan |
| AI steps and agents | Yes - AI Agent node and MCP on every plan | Yes - AI steps from 2 credits each; agents on every plan |
| Built-in B2B contact data and email finding | No - through connected apps only | No - through connected apps only |
| Native email and LinkedIn sending | Partial - email through a connected Gmail or Outlook account; LinkedIn node only posts | Partial - email through a connected Gmail or Outlook account; LinkedIn piece only posts |
| CRM steps (HubSpot, Salesforce) | Yes - HubSpot and Salesforce nodes on every plan | Yes - HubSpot and Salesforce pieces on every plan |
| Custom code steps (JavaScript or Python) | Yes - JavaScript and Python on every plan; no Python libraries on Cloud | Yes - JavaScript or TypeScript with npm packages |
| Self-hosting | Yes - free Community Edition under the Sustainable Use License | Yes - free MIT-licensed Community Edition; paid plans self-host too |
Rows are the features buyers compare in workflow automation tools. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
How Much Do n8n and Activepieces Cost?
In short n8n's lowest paid plan is Starter, $24 a month ($20 billed yearly). Activepieces's lowest paid plan is Plus, $20 a month ($16 billed yearly).
| Tool | Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly (per month) | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Community Edition | $0 | $0 | Flat |
| IncludesSelf-hosted on your own servers; Code steps, HTTP requests, webhooks and AI agent nodes; No SSO, Git version control or shared projects | ||||
| n8n | Starter | $24 | $20 | Flat |
| Includes2,500 workflow executions a month; Hosted by n8n; 5 concurrent executions; 1 shared project; 1,600 Assistant credits a month | ||||
| n8n | Pro | $60 | $50 | Flat |
| Includes10,000 workflow executions a month; Hosted by n8n; 20 concurrent executions; 3 shared projects and admin roles; Workflow history and 7 days of insights | ||||
| n8n | Business | $960 | $800 | Flat |
| Includes40,000 workflow executions a month; Self-hosted only; SSO and LDAP; Git version control and multiple environments; 6 shared projects | ||||
| n8n | Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesHosted by n8n or self-hosted; 200+ concurrent executions; Log streaming and external secret store; Dedicated support with SLA | ||||
| Activepieces | Free | $0 | $0 | Flat |
| Includes1,000 credits a month; Unlimited flows; Up to 5 users; Flows, agents, tables and MCP | ||||
| Activepieces | Plus | $20 | $16 | Flat |
| Includes10,000 credits a month; Up to 5 users; Bring your own AI keys; $0.007 per extra credit | ||||
| Activepieces | Team | $200 | $166 | Flat |
| Includes50,000 credits a month; 25 users included; Unlimited projects; SSO and standard roles; Email support | ||||
| Activepieces | Ultimate | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesYearly credit pool sized to you; Dedicated workers and execution priority; SCIM, custom roles and audit logs; Releases and Git Sync | ||||
| Activepieces | Embed | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesFrom $36,000 a year; White-label flow builder inside your product; One SDK | ||||
| Activepieces | Enterprise control | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesSelf-hosted or air-gapped; SSO, SCIM and custom RBAC; Audit logs and secret managers | ||||
Prices in USD from each vendor's pricing page: n8n checked Oct 17, 2026, Activepieces checked Oct 17, 2026.
- n8n: n8n bills per workflow execution. In its words: "An execution is a single run of your entire workflow. It doesn't matter how many steps are in the workflow or how much data it processes."
- n8n: Prices are the USD prices n8n shows US visitors. Visitors in Europe see euros instead: Starter €20, Pro €50 and Business €667 a month billed yearly.
- n8n: Pro also comes with 50,000 executions a month at $144 a month, or $120 a month billed yearly, with 50 concurrent executions.
- Activepieces: A run costs 1 credit however many steps it has. AI steps cost 2 credits on a fast model, 10 on a smart model and 20 on a frontier model; agentic actions cost 1 credit each.
- Activepieces: On Plus and up, your own AI provider keys drop every AI step to 1 credit.
- Activepieces: Going over: Plus and Team keep running at $0.007 per extra credit. On Free, runs past the quota wait until credits refresh.
What Are the Key Differences Between n8n and Activepieces?
In short 8 differences that change which tool fits, each from the vendors' own pages.
| Topic | n8n | Activepieces |
|---|---|---|
| License | Sustainable Use License, limited to internal business, non-commercial or personal use | MIT license for the Community Edition core |
| Free cloud plan | None; a 14-day cloud trial with 1,000 executions and no card | 1,000 credits a month for up to 5 users, no card |
| Entry paid plan | Starter, $24 a month or $20 billed yearly, for 2,500 executions | Plus, $20 a month or $16 billed yearly, for 10,000 credits |
| Cost of a run | 1 execution per run, however many steps | 1 credit per run; AI steps cost 2 to 20 credits each |
| Users | Unlimited on every plan | Up to 5 on Free and Plus, 25 on Team |
| Integrations | 500+ integrations | 768 open-source pieces |
| Code steps | JavaScript and Python; Python on n8n Cloud cannot import libraries | JavaScript or TypeScript with npm packages |
| SSO | From Business, $800 a month billed yearly, self-hosted only | From Team, $166 a month billed yearly |
n8n vs Activepieces FAQ
Is Activepieces cheaper than n8n?
In the cloud, usually. Activepieces Plus is $16 a month billed yearly for 10,000 credits, and a run costs 1 credit unless it has AI steps. n8n Starter is $20 a month billed yearly for 2,500 executions.
Can you self-host n8n and Activepieces?
Yes. n8n's free Community Edition runs under the Sustainable Use License. The Activepieces core is MIT-licensed and self-hosts with Docker Compose or a Kubernetes Helm chart.
Which has more integrations?
Activepieces lists 768 open-source pieces and n8n lists 500+ integrations. Both include HubSpot and Salesforce steps on every plan.
The new Ken opens to the waiting list in batches.
Related
Sources
Changelog
- Page published.