I've tried a handful of different automation tools over the years: Make.com (Integromat), Zapier, Windmill, Latenode, Pipe Dream, Active Pieces, and even some custom scripting using Google Apps Script. I have to say, n8n is hands down the best one out there. While this is somewhat subjective - n8n is seriously powerful, and strikes a great balance for beginners and developers. One of the best things about n8n is that it uses a fair-use / sustainable use license (open-source, sort of) and you can set it up locally on your own domain using tools like nginx proxy manager or Cloudflare tunnels (I personally use Cloudflare tunnels) for free. That translates to full control over your data and automations, which is a big plus for security and privacy. It is also possible (with some research) to setup a 100% free self hosted instance on fly.io. This used to be possible in Railway but no longer is as of 2024. They also offer a competitively priced cloud service if self-hosting isn’t your thing.n8n has a ton of integrations with all sorts of popular apps and services so you can automate pretty much anything. I have used it to launch email campaigns, run custom python scripts (a custom docker image is required for this), automate data entry, backups to cloud storage, and much more. They have a bunch of pre-made templates that make it super easy to get started, and for some inspiration if you're not an automation pro.If you want to get really fancy with your automations, n8n lets you use JavaScript and JavaScript expressions to customize things exactly how you want. If you're into Python, you can even run Python code using Pyodide, or you can build a custom docker image to leverage full python capabilities if you have the technical wherewithal and are self hosting (you cannot do this on the cloud version). This really expands the power and functionality of n8n and is my preferred setup; think a hybrid between Make.com and Pipe Dream.n8n is great for both basic and advanced automations, so it's suitable for pretty much anyone. Although it doesn’t have as many integrations as Zapier or Make.com, it puts Zapier to shame in the pricing department, I would say for the cloud version it is competitive with Make.com. Admittedly, Zapier may be an easier starting point because of the sheer number of integrations, but with a little patience n8n (or make.com) are much better options in terms of pricing and functionality. The developers are constantly updating it with new features and improvements (there is usually a new update on dockerhub every week / the cloud version is maintained with updates by the n8n team), and there's a big community of users who share their own automation templates and help each other out. You can export your automations as .json and share them or integrate with the n8n api for even greater customization.I've personally moved all my automations from Zapier and most of my automations from Make.com over to n8n, and I couldn't be happier. It's my go-to automation platform now. I can’t recommend it enough and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to streamline their workflows and save time. A quick google search will show you that this is pretty much the sentiment of people who have discovered this gem of a software. So, if you want an automation tool that's powerful, flexible, and easy to use, give n8n a try. I think you'll be very impressed with what it can do.
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n8n is an extendable workflow automation tool. With a fair-code distribution model, n8n will always have visible source code, be available to self-host, and allow you to add your own custom functions, logic and apps. n8n's node-based approach makes it highly versatile, enabling you to connect anything to everything.
