n8n vs Activepieces: when each one fits self-hosted automation
If your team is shortlisting self-hosted automation for business app workflows, the first question is which tool fits how you will use it. n8n fits teams that need a large integration catalog, use the platform only for internal business purposes, and expect to scale with queue mode. n8n advertises more than 1,500 integrations, and its Sustainable Use License permits use and modification for your own internal business purposes, non-commercial use or personal use. Queue mode splits the main instance from a pool of workers that run executions, which suits higher volumes once you are ready to operate that layout. Confirm that your intended use is internal, because the license does not cover embedding the product in a customer-facing offering or reselling it.
Activepieces fits teams that want an MIT-licensed community edition, want pieces they can expose to AI clients as MCP servers, or plan to embed automation inside another product. Its community edition is MIT licensed, and the repository lists more than 280 pieces, with the pieces usable as MCP servers with LLM clients. Embedding is a separate commercial path: the pricing page lists a white-label builder and SDK starting at 36,000 US dollars a year, so budget for it only if embedding is a real requirement. Confirm the piece you need exists and is maintained before you commit, since a large share of pieces come from the community.
Three drivers should decide the shortlist. First, license fit: internal use points toward n8n's terms, while embedded or resold use points toward Activepieces' MIT community edition, with its commercial enterprise code in packages/ee set aside. Second, identity and governance: n8n's SSO and LDAP, Git environments and log streaming sit in its Business and Enterprise plans, while Activepieces starts SSO at its Team plan and lists audit logs, SCIM and external secret managers only for Ultimate. Map each control your auditors expect to the edition that includes it. Third, operating appetite: both tools need PostgreSQL, and n8n queue mode adds Redis and a shared encryption key across workers, so confirm that your team can run and patch those components before choosing.
Which scenario favors n8n or Activepieces
This table maps common self-hosted automation scenarios to the platform that fits them better, with the license, tier or deployment condition that changes the answer. Read each row against your own use case, and treat any row marked as depending on license or tier as a question to confirm before you commit.
| Scenario | Better fit | Reason and condition |
|---|---|---|
| Internal business automation within one company | n8n or Activepieces | Both are usable for internal use, but n8n's Sustainable Use License permits internal business use, while Activepieces' Community Edition is MIT licensed. Confirm with n8n's license terms and your legal team which fits your internal use. |
| Embedding automation inside your own product | Activepieces, after legal review | Activepieces lists embedding with a white-label builder and SDK starting at 36,000 US dollars a year. n8n's Sustainable Use License restricts distribution and resale, so confirm with n8n before embedding it in a customer-facing product. |
| SSO required in an enterprise deployment | Depends on paid tier | n8n lists SAML SSO on Business and Enterprise plans. Activepieces lists SSO from the Team plan. Confirm which tier your identity provider integration requires and whether you need audit logs or SCIM, which Activepieces lists only for Ultimate. |
| Audit logs, SCIM or external secret managers required | Confirm on each vendor's current plan | Activepieces lists audit logs, SCIM and external secret managers only for its Ultimate plan. n8n lists log streaming and external secrets under Business and Enterprise and Enterprise respectively. Ask both vendors for written confirmation of the feature set on the tier you would buy. |
| Large integration catalog for business apps | n8n | n8n advertises more than 1,500 integrations. Activepieces' repository lists more than 280 pieces, about 60 percent contributed by the community. Check that your specific systems are covered in each catalog before deciding. |
| AI agent and MCP experiments | Activepieces | Activepieces describes itself as having AI agent and MCP capabilities and says its pieces can be used as MCP servers with LLM clients. Confirm which AI features are included in the Community Edition versus paid plans for your deployment. |
| Free-tier pilot on your own infrastructure | Either, with edition check | n8n's free Community edition is self-hosted and n8n states all plans include unlimited users, workflows and every integration. Activepieces' Community Edition is the self-hosted automation core, and its hosted Free plan includes 1,000 credits a month for up to 5 users. |
| Self-hosted with PostgreSQL, Redis and Kubernetes | Either, with scaling check | Activepieces recommends Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis and offers a Helm chart. n8n queue mode uses Redis and PostgreSQL with separate workers, and multi-main high availability is Enterprise only. Confirm the topology your team can operate. |
How n8n and Activepieces are built and deployed
Both platforms are TypeScript and Node.js products that you can run in your own infrastructure, but the self-hosted footprint differs sharply. n8n's scaled setup splits work across a main instance, Redis and workers, while Activepieces starts from a Docker Compose stack with PostgreSQL and Redis and offers a Helm chart for Kubernetes. The cards below cover what each layout means for daily operations and upgrades.
Shared TypeScript and Node.js stack
Both n8n and Activepieces are built in TypeScript on Node.js, so your team's runtime skills, patching routine and container base images carry over between them. The shared stack does not mean shared operations, though. Check which Node.js version each release line requires, how your image pipeline pins it, and whether your vulnerability scanner covers the custom code or community pieces you add. Ask each vendor which runtime versions their current release lines support.
n8n queue mode with Redis
Scaled n8n runs a main instance that handles triggers and webhooks, passes executions through Redis, and hands them to workers that read and write workflow data in PostgreSQL. Every worker and webhook processor needs the main instance's encryption key so it can decrypt stored credentials. Plan for key distribution, Redis availability and PostgreSQL backups as separate components. SQLite is not recommended for queue mode.
Activepieces Docker Compose footprint
The recommended Activepieces self-hosting path uses Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis, a smaller set of moving parts than n8n's queue layout. This suits a single-host or small-cluster deployment where one team owns the whole stack. Confirm with Activepieces which services the current Compose file starts, how Redis is persisted, and whether your backup tooling captures the database volume correctly before you go live.
Helm chart for Kubernetes
Activepieces offers a Helm chart for Kubernetes, while n8n's documented scaled layout is queue mode with its own worker and Redis topology. If your platform team already standardizes on Helm releases, Activepieces may fit that model more directly. Ask for the chart's supported Kubernetes versions, how it handles secrets and persistent volumes, and how upgrades roll across the API and worker pods before you commit.
Release cadence and version lines
n8n's current stable line is 2.x, and 1.x still receives releases, so you can choose which line to run while planning a migration. Activepieces is on 0.92.x, with recent releases on October 7 and October 12, 2026, which signals a fast-moving line. Write a rule for which line you run, how often you patch, and how you test a release against your workflows and credentials before promotion.
Day-to-day operations and risk
Under n8n's queue mode, an operator watches the main instance, Redis, the worker pool and PostgreSQL, and a failure in any one of them stops or delays executions. Activepieces concentrates most of its state in PostgreSQL and Redis under one Compose stack, which is simpler to monitor but gives you fewer independent scaling points. Decide who is on call for each component, and confirm which high availability setup each vendor allows in your edition before you size the platform.
Feature comparison: license, integrations, AI and identity
This table compares the license, free edition, integration catalog, AI and MCP features, identity tiers, governance controls and high availability options for self-hosted n8n and Activepieces. Read the rows that matter to your team's license obligations first, then check which controls sit behind each vendor's paid tier. Items marked to confirm are not settled in the sources we reviewed, so verify them with the vendor before you decide.
| Capability | n8n | Activepieces |
|---|---|---|
| License | Sustainable Use License, not OSI open source. Internal business, non-commercial or personal use only. | MIT for the community edition. Enterprise code in packages/ee is under a commercial license. |
| Free self-hosted edition | Community edition is free to self-host, with no SSO, Git or log streaming. | Community edition is the self-hosted automation core, MIT licensed, with paid features separate. |
| Integration count | Advertises more than 1,500 integrations, with all plans including every integration. | Lists more than 280 pieces, about 60 percent contributed by the community. |
| MCP and AI agent features | Confirm MCP server and AI agent support against your target n8n version before design. | Describes AI agent and MCP capabilities, and says pieces can be used as MCP servers with LLM clients. |
| SSO tier | SAML SSO and LDAP sit in the Business and Enterprise plans, with setup guides for Okta and Azure AD. | SSO starts at the Team plan, priced at 200 US dollars a month for up to 25 users. |
| Audit logs and SCIM | Confirm audit log and SCIM availability by plan with n8n before you rely on them for compliance evidence. | Audit logs and SCIM are listed only for the custom-priced top plan, not the Team plan. |
| Git versioning | Environments with Git are included in the Business and Enterprise plans. | Git sync and releases are listed only for the custom-priced top plan. |
| Multi-main high availability | Multi-main setup is restricted to Enterprise self-hosted deployments, not Community or Cloud. | Confirm whether any multi-instance high availability is supported and under which tier. |
| Self-hosted deployment options | Regular mode or queue mode, with Redis and PostgreSQL for queue mode workers. | Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis, plus a Helm chart for Kubernetes. |
What the Sustainable Use License and MIT edition each allow
n8n is distributed under the Sustainable Use License, which is source-available rather than OSI open source. The license permits use and modification for your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use, and distribution only free of charge for non-commercial purposes. Any files with .ee in their name or directory fall outside that grant and require a valid n8n Enterprise License. The tiers follow that split:
- Community edition: free self-hosted use under the Sustainable Use License, with unlimited users, workflows and integrations according to n8n's pricing page.
- Business plan: adds SSO and LDAP, environments with Git, and log streaming, and is currently self-hosted only.
- Enterprise plan: custom pricing for self-hosted or cloud, with dedicated support and an SLA, plus features that depend on
.eecode such as multi-main high availability. - Embedding and resale: the license's internal-use limit means that offering n8n to your own customers as part of a product needs a commercial conversation with n8n before you build.
Confirm with n8n in writing whether your intended use, including any customer-facing deployment, sits inside the grant.
Activepieces publishes its community edition under the MIT license, which is an OSI-approved permissive license. The enterprise features in the packages/ee directory are under a commercial license, so the repository does not give you those features under MIT. The pricing page sets out how those features are sold:
- Free and Plus: the self-hosted Community Edition is the automation core, and Plus is listed at 20 US dollars a month.
- Team: listed at 200 US dollars a month for 25 users, with SSO starting at this tier.
- Ultimate: custom pricing, can run in the cloud or on premises, and includes audit logs, Git sync and releases, SCIM and external secret managers.
- Embedding: the white-label builder and SDK for placing Activepieces inside another product start at 36,000 US dollars a year, according to the pricing page.
Because the MIT grant covers the community code, a product team should ask Activepieces whether embedding or reselling the community edition needs a separate agreement, and which packages a commercial embedding license covers.
Embedding is where the two licenses diverge most. Activepieces lists its embedding offering, with a white-label builder and SDK, at a starting price of 36,000 US dollars a year. That figure is a starting point from the pricing page, not a quote for your product, and it covers a commercial relationship rather than a one-time fee. n8n's Sustainable Use License does not grant embedding for customer-facing products, so the equivalent question for n8n is a licensing conversation rather than a published price.
- Recurring cost: an embedding fee, if one applies, recurs with the contract term.
- Scope: ask which features, packages and branding options the fee covers.
- Support and updates: ask what happens to your license if you pin a version.
- Illustrative example: a team that embeds a workflow builder for its own customers would need a written answer from each vendor before choosing either tool.
- Exit terms: confirm what happens to embedded workflows if the commercial agreement ends.
Request written license terms from each vendor before you size a budget.
For most internal automation teams, both licenses allow self-hosting for your own business purposes, but the terms differ in what counts as internal. n8n's license limits use to your own internal business purposes or non-commercial or personal use. Activepieces' MIT grant places few restrictions on use, but its commercial packages add terms of their own. The practical differences for an internal deployment are:
- Internal business use: n8n's grant covers it directly, and the Community edition is free for it.
- Contractors and affiliates: ask whether running n8n for a related company or a managed service provider counts as internal use.
- Enterprise features: SSO, Git and log streaming in n8n need the Business or Enterprise license, and Activepieces places SSO at Team.
- Modification: n8n permits modification under its license for the same internal purposes, while MIT allows modification and redistribution with notice.
- Hosting by third parties: community-maintained hosting templates usually ship the Community edition, so check the license of any template you adopt.
Confirm with each vendor how your hosting partner's role is treated before signing.
How the cost of ownership adds up for each platform
Both platforms have free self-hosted editions, so the license line on the first invoice is zero for either. The real cost of ownership sits elsewhere: the servers or cluster you run, the PostgreSQL database both platforms rely on, the Redis instance that n8n queue mode and Activepieces' recommended Docker Compose setup use, backups, upgrades, and the staff hours to operate them. Those costs recur every month and are paid to your own platform team or to a partner such as DeployOpen, under a written scope. Ask each vendor and your partner to price the same three-year model so the infrastructure and staff lines are comparable, not just the subscription lines.
On the paid side, n8n sells execution-based plans. The pricing page lists Starter and Pro cloud plans at 20 and 50 euros per month billed annually, and a Business plan at 667 euros per month billed annually that is currently self-hosted only. n8n counts an execution as one run of a whole workflow regardless of the number of steps, so cost rises with run volume rather than with step count. Activepieces sells credit-based plans: Plus at 20 US dollars a month and Team at 200 US dollars a month for 25 users, with the custom-priced Ultimate plan for cloud or on-premises use. Credits are consumed by workflow activity, so ask how many credits your expected runs and AI steps consume before you compare headline prices.
Cost moves most with four drivers: the number of users who need paid features, the execution or credit volume, whether you need SSO from the Team or Business tier, and whether you need features only on the top tier, such as audit logs, SCIM or external secret managers on Activepieces Ultimate, or log streaming and multi-main high availability on n8n Enterprise. In a quote request, ask for the plan that includes each control you must have, the exact execution or credit assumptions, the annual versus monthly billing difference, the price of any self-hosted-only plan, and whether support or an SLA is included. Confirm current prices directly with each vendor, since the figures above are the published list values.
Moving workflows from n8n to Activepieces or the reverse
This sequence moves a working set of automations from one platform to the other without a cutover that breaks production. It ends with a documented, tested inventory that the team can run in parallel and then retire on the old platform.
Inventory workflows, credentials and execution history
The automation owner lists every workflow, its trigger type, its schedule, the systems it reads and writes, and the credentials it uses, then marks which workflows are business critical. Someone with admin rights on the current platform exports the list and records which workflows have run in the last few months, since that determines what must be kept. The step is done when the inventory has one row per workflow, with an owner and a criticality label for each, and the team agrees on which workflows move first.
Map each node or step to a piece or built-in equivalent
An automation engineer compares every node in an n8n workflow with a piece or built-in step in Activepieces, or the reverse, and marks each one as direct, partial or missing. Partial and missing matches usually need a custom code step, an HTTP call to the target API, or a different design. Check each mapping against the current version of the integration catalog on both platforms, because piece coverage and node behavior differ and change between releases. The step is done when every node has a mapping, every gap has an owner and a decision, and the team has confirmed the mapping for the integrations the business relies on.
Rebuild triggers and webhooks on the target platform
The engineer recreates each trigger, schedule and webhook on the target platform, then updates the calling systems to use the new endpoint URLs. Webhook URLs generally change when a flow moves, so every upstream system that posts to the old URL needs a planned change window, and the old endpoint should stay live until traffic has moved. The step is done when each trigger fires in a test environment, the payloads match what downstream steps expect, and the list of changed endpoints has been shared with the teams that own the calling systems.
Re-create credentials and secrets under controlled access
The security or platform team re-enters each credential on the target platform, using a secrets store where the target edition supports it, and never copies encrypted credential files between platforms. Confirm which secret-management and SSO options are available on the edition you run, because some of these controls sit on paid plans on both sides. Rotate credentials that were shared broadly during the migration. The step is done when each workflow authenticates with its own credential in a test run, access to the credentials is limited to the people who need it, and the rotation record is stored with the migration evidence.
Test workflows and run them in parallel
The team runs the rebuilt workflows alongside the originals, with the originals still handling live triggers, and compares outputs for the same inputs. Write outcome checks for each workflow, including error paths, retries and timeouts, because failure handling is where the two platforms most often differ. Keep the parallel run long enough to cover the business cycles that matter, such as month-end jobs. The step is done when every critical workflow produces matching results in the parallel run and every difference has been fixed or accepted in writing.
Cut over and retire the old workflows
The team switches triggers and webhooks to the new platform in agreed change windows, starting with the lowest-criticality workflows. The old workflows are disabled rather than deleted at first, so the team can switch back if a defect appears. Monitor execution results and alerts on the new platform after each switch. The step is done when all workflows run on the target platform, the rollback path has been tested, and the owner has signed off on each workflow in the inventory.
Decide what history and skills to keep
Execution history does not transfer between the two platforms in a usable form, so the team decides which run logs to archive from the old platform for audit or dispute purposes and where those archives live. Record the cost of switching later: rebuilt flows, retrained builders, updated documentation, and any plan changes needed for SSO or audit logs on each side. Ask the vendor or your implementation partner to confirm which export formats and history retention settings apply to your edition. The step is done when the archive location and retention period are written down and the team has a short guide for building and reviewing flows on the new platform.
Where self-hosted n8n and Activepieces projects run long
The longest stretches of a self-hosted n8n project usually sit in encryption key handling and credential migration once queue mode is involved. In queue mode the main instance hands executions to Redis and worker processes write results to the database, and the main instance's encryption key must be shared with every worker and webhook processor so they can read credentials stored in the database. The client team needs to decide who owns that key, how it is stored and rotated, and how credentials move from a regular-mode instance or a test environment into production without being re-entered by hand. Confirm the key handling model with n8n's queue mode documentation before scoping, because a mistake here affects every worker at once.
Identity wiring is the second driver and depends on the tier you buy. On n8n, SAML single sign-on is part of the Business and Enterprise plans, so the identity team must confirm early which tier the organization will license. On Activepieces, SSO starts at the Team plan, while SCIM and external secret managers are listed only for Ultimate. Ask the identity team which provisioning and deprovisioning behavior they require, since a project that only needs login is far smaller than one that needs group-driven role mapping. Governance setup follows the same pattern: environments, Git-based promotion, audit logs and log streaming each need an owner, a naming scheme and a sign-off process before the first production workflow is built.
Integration coverage and data sizing create the rest of the work. n8n advertises more than 1,500 integrations and Activepieces lists more than 280 pieces, so any service outside the catalog needs a custom node or HTTP-based mapping, and the team that owns those credentials and API contracts must be named early. On the data side, Redis and PostgreSQL are the stateful components in both stacks, and sizing them depends on execution volume, payload size and retention. The client team should supply expected execution counts, peak webhook rates and retention rules, and ask the implementer to document how those inputs drove the database and Redis capacity choices. Quotes should show these items as separate line items so the scope stays visible.
Questions buyers ask before choosing n8n or Activepieces
Is the n8n Community edition enough for internal use?
For many internal teams, yes, because the free self-hosted Community edition is covered by the Sustainable Use License for internal business purposes. The drivers are what you need beyond the core: according to n8n's pricing page, SSO and LDAP, environments with Git, and log streaming are included only in the Business and Enterprise plans. If your team needs single sign-on, shared environments or audit trails on n8n, the Community edition alone will not cover those needs. Confirm your requirements against the n8n pricing page before you commit.
What does the Sustainable Use License mean for an internal product?
It allows you to use and modify n8n for your own internal business purposes, but it is not an open source license under the OSI definition. The license also limits distribution to free-of-charge, non-commercial use, so embedding n8n in a product you sell or offering it as a hosted service to customers is outside what it permits. Files with .ee in their name require an n8n Enterprise License. Have legal counsel read the n8n LICENSE.md against your intended use before you build a product on it.
Does SSO need a paid plan on n8n and on Activepieces?
On n8n, SAML single sign-on is available on the Business and Enterprise plans, so the free Community edition does not include it. On Activepieces, SSO starts at the Team plan according to its pricing page, and the Community edition is the automation core on its own. In both cases the paid tier is the driver, so check which identity features your identity provider setup requires before comparing list prices.
How many integrations does each platform cover, and are they enough?
n8n advertises more than 1,500 integrations and states that every plan includes every integration. Activepieces lists more than 280 pieces, about 60 percent of which are community contributed. The count matters less than coverage of the specific systems you connect to, so list your core applications and check each one against both catalogs. Where a system is missing, weigh the cost of writing a custom node or piece against the time saved by a prebuilt one.
Do AI and MCP features need paid tiers on each platform?
Activepieces describes itself as having AI agent and MCP capabilities, and its repository says pieces can be used as MCP servers with LLM clients, so the core of that work is open source. Paid tiers add governance such as audit logs and SCIM on the Ultimate plan. For n8n, the supplied facts do not confirm which AI features sit in each edition, so ask n8n and check the n8n GitHub repository and pricing page for the features you need.
What does self-hosting involve, and can our team do it alone?
Self-hosting work is the same kind of job on both platforms: you run containers or Kubernetes, a relational database and a cache, then keep them patched and backed up. Activepieces recommends Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis and offers a Helm chart. n8n queue mode needs a main instance, Redis and workers that read and write PostgreSQL, with the encryption key shared across processes. Whether your team can do this alone depends on its container and database skills and on how often you upgrade. Check the Activepieces installation overview for the current steps.
When should we bring in an implementation partner?
Bring in a partner when the work exceeds what your team can staff and maintain, such as an SSO integration, a queue mode deployment with high availability, hardening, backups and upgrades. DeployOpen plans, implements, hardens, backs up, upgrades and documents self-hosted platforms inside your own infrastructure, usually under a fixed scope agreed in writing before work starts. Ongoing support is available as a retainer. Ask for a written scope and quote that lists the components, deliverables and timeline before you decide.
Four checks to run before committing
Both platforms look similar on a feature grid, so the decision often turns on four questions: what your license allows, what your tier includes, whether your integrations exist in the catalog, and how upgrades behave in your environment. Work through these in parallel with the same stakeholders so that licensing, procurement and platform teams see the same facts.
Confirm license scope in writing
n8n is licensed under the Sustainable Use License, which allows use or modification for your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use. Activepieces' community edition is MIT licensed, but its enterprise code in packages/ee is under a commercial license. Ask counsel whether embedding the product in a customer-facing service, or reselling it, falls inside each license. Get the answer in writing before you build on either platform.
Verify tier features against the pricing page
Feature availability depends on the plan you buy. On n8n, SSO and LDAP, Git environments and log streaming sit in the Business and Enterprise plans. On Activepieces, SSO starts at the Team plan, while audit logs, Git sync, SCIM and external secret managers are listed only for Ultimate. Confirm each feature you need against the current pricing page and get the vendor to confirm the tier that includes it, since plan contents change.
Test your integrations against the catalog
n8n advertises more than 1,500 integrations, while the Activepieces repository lists more than 280 pieces, about 60 percent contributed by the community. Build a list of the systems your workflows must reach, then check each one against the node or piece catalog. For any gap, test whether a custom node or piece, or a generic HTTP step, covers it, and estimate the maintenance owner for that code.
Pilot deployment and upgrades
Run a pilot on the same self-hosting path you plan to use in production. Activepieces recommends Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis, and offers a Helm chart for Kubernetes. n8n queue mode requires a shared encryption key across main and worker processes and should not run on SQLite. Rehearse an upgrade on the current release lines, n8n 2.x with 1.x still receiving releases, and confirm your backup and rollback steps.
How DeployOpen helps teams choose, implement or migrate
DeployOpen plans, implements, customizes, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades, documents and supports self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks. For n8n vs Activepieces, that means starting from your licensing position, integration needs and identity requirements before anything is installed.
How we scope
- Confirm whether your use is internal business use, which the Sustainable Use License covers, or embedding or resale, which needs legal review first.
- List the integrations your workflows need and check each one against the current n8n and Activepieces catalogs.
- Agree in writing which edition, SSO path and paid features are in scope, and which are left as open decisions.
How we build
- Deploy the chosen platform with PostgreSQL and Redis in your environment, following the vendor installation guidance for your target setup.
- Configure SSO, credentials handling and encryption key management, and test MCP or AI features only where your scope includes them.
- Run security testing on webhooks, credentials and exposed flows before workflows move into production use.
How we hand over
- Document the architecture, edition decisions, backup and restore steps, and upgrade path for your operations team.
- Deliver runbooks for common failures, including webhook and worker issues, so your staff can operate the platform without us.
- Provide evidence and configuration records that your compliance team or independent auditor can review.
How we support
- Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers, scoped separately from the initial engagement.
- Plan version upgrades against the vendor release notes so your team knows what changes before each upgrade window.
- Revisit licensing and edition decisions when your usage, user count or plan requirements change.
