n8n

n8n builds workflows on a node-based canvas, trigger nodes feeding into action and logic nodes, with conditionals, loops, and error handling all visible on the same diagram, and a code node available whenever a custom script beats a prebuilt integration. It supports the same kind of AI-agent and LLM-calling workflows that have become common in newer automation tools, alongside the standard app-to-app connectors.

Self-hosting is free and open source, with usage-based pricing on the managed cloud version for teams that don’t want to run their own instance. Because n8n is open source, workflows can be exported as JSON and self-hosted instances give you full control over where your automation data and credentials live, a meaningfully lower lock-in position than Zapier or Make. The ceiling is a smaller prebuilt integration library than Zapier’s, so less common SaaS tools sometimes need a custom HTTP request node instead of a one-click connector. It fits developer-adjacent teams who want full ownership of their automation logic and are comfortable occasionally writing a short script inside a node.