Why it matters

Self-hosting is the reason to pick it: the automation layer and the credentials it holds stay inside your own infrastructure.

n8n

Added 2024-05-03

Connect tools and automate workflows with a flexible visual builder.

n8n interface

n8n is a workflow automation platform that can be self-hosted, which is usually the deciding factor. Automation accumulates credentials for everything it touches, and keeping that on infrastructure you control is a different risk posture than handing it to a SaaS. The other practical strength is the escape hatch: when the visual nodes run out, a code node takes over, so you are not forced to rebuild the workflow elsewhere. AI agent nodes let a model sit inside a pipeline rather than wrap it.