What is the best alternative to n8n?

It depends on the job (see the quick picks above). In our Agent Builders & Automation ranking the highest-ranked alternative is Zapier (#2); n8n is #1. That order is initial editorial, pending tests.

Is there a free alternative to n8n?

Yes. Zapier has a $0 Free plan, Make has a Free plan (1,000 credits/mo), Manus has a $0 Free plan (300 credits/day), and CrewAI's framework is open source (MIT) with a free platform Basic plan. n8n's own Community Edition is also free to self-host.

Is there an open-source alternative to n8n?

CrewAI's framework is open source under MIT. n8n itself offers a free self-hosted Community Edition.

How did Loadout pick these n8n alternatives?

They are the other tools in our Agent Builders & Automation ranking, in rank order. Pricing is quoted as stated on each vendor's pricing page on the date shown. No paid placement: submitting, sponsoring or affiliate programs never change a rank.

Home / Alternatives / n8n

Alternatives · Agent Builders & Automation

n8n alternatives

Looking for an n8n alternative? n8n is our #1 for agent builders and automation, but you may want a bigger app catalog with no hosting, a visual builder priced by credits, or an agent that runs a whole task for you. These are the other tools in our Agent Builders & Automation ranking.

n8n is #1 of 5 in the Agent Builders & Automation ranking (initial editorial, pending tests). n8n profile. Pricing is quoted from each vendor's pricing page on the date shown.

Quick picks

Largest app catalog, no hosting: Zapier. Free $0 plan; Pro from $19.99/mo.
Visual builder for complex flows: Make. Free plan with 1,000 credits/mo; paid plans are credit-based.
Hand a whole task to an agent: Manus. Free $0 plan (300 credits/day); Pro from $20/mo.
Multi-agent crews in code: CrewAI. Open-source framework (MIT); platform Basic plan is free.

All 4 alternatives, in rank order

#2. Zapier

The largest app-integration catalog, with Copilot, Agents, Tables and Forms on top. ^[zapier.com]

Pricing as stated (checked 2026-10-26): Free $0; Professional from $19.99/mo; Team from $69/mo; Enterprise [source]

10/10 · Agent-native · n8n vs Zapier

#3. Make

Visual scenario builder that offers more control per dollar than Zapier for complex flows. ^[make.com]

Pricing as stated (checked 2026-10-26): Free (1,000 credits/mo); Core, Pro, Teams and Enterprise paid plans (dollar amounts unverified; credit-based) [source]

10/10 · Agent-native · n8n vs Make

#4. Manus

General-purpose autonomous agent that does research, slides, sites and wide research end to end. ^[manus.im]

Pricing as stated (checked 2026-10-26): Free $0 (300 credits/day); Pro from $20/mo (4,000 credits) or from $40/mo (8,000 credits, 7-day trial); Team from $20/seat/mo; 17% off annual [source]

5/10 · Partial

#5. CrewAI

Popular multi-agent ('crew') framework with a hosted visual studio. ^[crewai.com]

Pricing as stated (checked 2026-10-26): Open-source framework (MIT); platform Basic Free (50 workflow executions/mo); Enterprise custom [source]

8/10 · Agent-ready

FAQ

What is the best alternative to n8n?: It depends on the job (see the quick picks above). In our Agent Builders & Automation ranking the highest-ranked alternative is Zapier (#2); n8n is #1. That order is initial editorial, pending tests.
Is there a free alternative to n8n?: Yes. Zapier has a $0 Free plan, Make has a Free plan (1,000 credits/mo), Manus has a $0 Free plan (300 credits/day), and CrewAI's framework is open source (MIT) with a free platform Basic plan. n8n's own Community Edition is also free to self-host.
Is there an open-source alternative to n8n?: CrewAI's framework is open source under MIT. n8n itself offers a free self-hosted Community Edition.
How did Loadout pick these n8n alternatives?: They are the other tools in our Agent Builders & Automation ranking, in rank order. Pricing is quoted as stated on each vendor's pricing page on the date shown. No paid placement: submitting, sponsoring or affiliate programs never change a rank.

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n8n profile → Best Agent Builders & Automation ranking → All comparisons →