n8n Review 2026: Workflow Automation — Scores & Verdict
Verdict: n8n is the platform you choose when you want the pricing model to stop being a constraint. It scores 4.0/5 with the class's best value score (5/5) alongside Make, and it is the only tool here that lets you run unlimited executions for a licence cost of zero under the self-hosted fair-code Community Edition. On cloud, Starter is €20/mo for 2,500 executions, Pro €50/mo for 10,000 and Business €667/mo for 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP and Git version control — and crucially a workflow counts as one execution regardless of how many nodes it contains, so adding steps is free. The honest cost is not money but ownership: someone has to patch, back up and prune. If no one will, cloud's metered billing is still cheaper than the engineering hours, and Make's credits are cheaper per operation below 10,000. Prices re-checked 2026-09-25 against official pricing pages. 4.0/5
Our six-dimension assessment
We evaluate every tool on the same six dimensions so scores stay comparable across categories: core features, ease of use, stability, collaboration, localization, and value for money. n8n scored 4/5 overall.
The core feature set of n8n is what most buyers evaluate first. Our score of 5/5 reflects a mature, complete implementation.
A 3/5 for ease of use means the learning curve is real and should be budgeted for.
Stability at 4/5 reflects consistent performance and few reliability concerns in testing.
Collaboration scores 4/5 — a strong fit for team workflows with shared spaces and permissions.
Localization at 3/5 covers mostly English-first workflows with limited locale coverage.
Value for money scores 5/5 — the pricing is competitive against direct alternatives.
Pricing and plans
Free self-hosted Community Edition; n8n Cloud from €20/mo billed annually (Starter, 2,500 executions)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Paid plans from | €20/mo (Starter, annual) |
| Billed monthly | Starter €20/mo · Pro €50/mo · Business €667/mo (shown at annual billing; pay-monthly is higher) |
| Billed annually | Annual billing saves ~17%; month-to-month is available at a higher rate |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial on cloud plans |
| Billing notes | Priced per complete workflow execution, not per step - a workflow counts as one execution no matter how many nodes it contains, and every plan includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows and every integration. Starter gives 2,500 executions/mo with 5 concurrent executions and 1 shared project; Pro gives 10,000 with 20 concurrent, admin roles, global variables, workflow history and execution search; Business gives 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments and a self-hosted option. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the fair-code Sustainable Use License with unlimited workflows, executions and users - you pay only for infrastructure. Enterprise is quote-only. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |
Priced per complete workflow execution, not per step - a workflow counts as one execution no matter how many nodes it contains, and every plan includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows and every integration. Starter gives 2,500 executions/mo with 5 concurrent executions and 1 shared project; Pro gives 10,000 with 20 concurrent, admin roles, global variables, workflow history and execution search; Business gives 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments and a self-hosted option. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the fair-code Sustainable Use License with unlimited workflows, executions and users - you pay only for infrastructure. Enterprise is quote-only. — verified on the official pricing page (2026-09-25).
n8n offers a genuinely free entry point, which makes it low-risk to trial before committing budget.
Who is n8n for?
It scores 4.0/5 with the class's best value score (5/5) alongside Make, and it is the only tool here that lets you run unlimited executions for a licence cost of zero under the self-hosted fair-code Community Edition.
If your team matches the profile above — Workflow Automation use cases where a free entry helps you de-risk the decision — n8n is worth a structured trial. If not, the comparison below points to alternatives.
Strengths (per official docs)
- Community Edition is free to self-host with unlimited workflows, executions and users — you pay only for infrastructure.
- Cloud bills per complete workflow execution, not per step: a 40-node workflow still counts as one execution.
- JavaScript and Python code nodes everywhere, plus 70+ LangChain nodes for AI agents, vector stores and RAG.
- Every cloud plan includes unlimited users and workflows, so seat count never drives the bill.
Limitations (per official docs)
- Highest setup burden in the class: self-hosting means owning patching, backups, monitoring and execution-data pruning.
- Cloud starters are tight on concurrency — Starter allows 5 concurrent executions, and Business jumps to €667/mo.
- Interfaces and documentation are English-first, and the builder assumes a technical mental model.
Scorecard
Research-only, vendor pages: self-hosting at zero licence cost plus per-execution (not per-step) billing is the strongest value model in the class; ease docked because it assumes technical setup and ongoing maintenance ownership.
Evidence: verified against official documentation & pricing pages n8n.iodocs.n8n.io (checked 2026-09-25)
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n worth it in 2026?
Based on our six-dimension scoring (4/5 overall), n8n is a strong, well-rounded pick in the Workflow Automation space. The verdict above summarizes where it wins and where to be careful.
How does n8n compare to alternatives?
See our Workflow Automation comparison for a side-by-side rating, pricing, and free-tier review.
Does n8n have a free plan?
Yes — n8n offers a free tier, which is the best way to validate it before paying.
How credible is this review?
How this review was made: for n8n, the evidence is based on official documentation. See our methodology for details.