n8n
AI Workflow AutomationFreemium
Source-available workflow automation you can self-host for free, with per-execution pricing, native AI agent nodes and full code control.
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Compare n8n vs Workato
Both tools in AI Workflow Automation
Workato
Enterprise iPaaS with 1,200+ connectors, recipe-based automation, agentic orchestration and deep ERP and CRM integration for large organisations.
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Pricing
Pricing Comparison
n8n
Community Edition$0
Self-hosted, unlimited workflows and executions, source available
Starter$20/mo
2,500 executions/month, unlimited workflows and users, AI credits included
Pro$50/mo
10,000 executions, 20 concurrent executions, admin roles, global variables
Business$800/mo
40,000 executions, SSO and LDAP, Git version control, multi-environment
Enterprise$Custom
Unlimited executions, 200+ concurrency, dedicated SLA support, log streaming
Workato
Free Trial$0
Time-limited sales-provided environment to test recipes and connectors
Standard$Custom
Entry edition, typically around $10,000/year, core recipe and connector access
Business$Custom
Higher task volume, advanced governance, premium connector options
Enterprise$Custom
Full governance suite, API management, on-premise agents, SLA support
Workato One$Custom
Agentic orchestration, AI agents reasoning across connected enterprise systems
Features
Feature Comparison
n8n
Self-HostingPer-Execution BillingNode Graph EditorJavaScript NodesPython NodesAI Agent NodesLangChain SupportVector Stores500+ IntegrationsCustom NodesWebhooksSub-WorkflowsError WorkflowsExecution HistoryGit Version ControlEnvironment StagingCommunity NodesSSO and LDAP
Workato
1,200+ ConnectorsRecipe BuilderAgentic OrchestrationAPI ManagementOn-Premise AgentsWorkbot for SlackWorkbot for TeamsMulti-EnvironmentRecipe IQError RecoveryJob MonitoringAudit LogsRole-Based AccessSSO and SCIMData MaskingHigh-Volume RecipesCommunity Recipe LibraryUnlimited Collaborators
Fit
Best For & Not For
n8n
✅ Best For
✅Developers and technical operators who want unlimited executions at near-zero cost by self-hosting on a small VPS
✅Companies with data residency, GDPR or compliance constraints that rule out sending workflow data through a third-party cloud
✅Teams building AI agents and RAG pipelines who need vector stores, memory and multiple model providers inside the same workflow canvas
✅High-volume automation users whose complex multi-step workflows would be prohibitively expensive under per-task or per-credit billing
❌ Not For
❌Non-technical users who want a point-and-click experience, since expressions, JSON handling and node debugging assume real technical comfort
❌Teams with no DevOps capacity, because self-hosting means you own updates, backups, SSL renewal and uptime monitoring
❌Anyone needing the broadest connector library, as n8n ships around 500 integrations versus thousands on Zapier and Make
❌Cloud users who rely on community-built nodes, since n8n Cloud disables community node installation for security reasons
Workato
✅ Best For
✅Mid-market and enterprise IT teams integrating systems of record such as SAP, NetSuite, Oracle, Salesforce and Workday across multiple business units
✅Organisations that need governance built into automation, including audit logs, role-based access, environment separation and change management
✅Companies exposing internal processes as governed APIs, since Workato lets you publish recipes as managed endpoints with policies and rate limits
✅Enterprises adopting agentic AI that must reason across connected business systems under enterprise security and compliance controls
❌ Not For
❌Small businesses and solo operators, since contracts typically start around five figures annually and require a sales conversation
❌Anyone who needs transparent self-serve pricing, because Workato publishes no price list and every plan requires a custom quote
❌Teams with simple SaaS-to-SaaS needs, where Zapier or Make deliver the same outcome at a fraction of the cost
❌Buyers wanting to start automating this afternoon, as the typical sales cycle from first demo to signed contract runs several weeks
Availability
Platform & Accessibility
n8n
web-baseddesktopapi
Workato
web-basedapi
Use & Audience
Tasks & Who It's For
Integrations
Integrations
n8n
Database
PostgresAirtablePineconeSupabase
Communication
SlackTelegram
Data & Spreadsheets
Google Sheets
Other
OpenAIAnthropic
Development
GitHub
Writing & Docs
Notion
Webhooks & API
HTTP Request
Workato
CRM
Salesforce
Other
NetSuiteWorkdaySAPOkta
Communication
SlackMicrosoft Teams
Customer Support
ServiceNow
Database
SnowflakeOracle
Project Management
Jira
Storage
Google Workspace
Use Cases
Real-world Use Cases
n8n
1
Arjun, a backend engineer at a fintech startup, moved 40 Zapier automations to self-hosted n8n on a $5 VPS and cut the team's automation bill from $340 a month to under $10 with no loss in reliability.2
Freya runs data ops at a healthcare analytics firm where patient data cannot leave EU infrastructure. She self-hosts n8n in their own cloud and now automates report generation that compliance had previously blocked entirely.3
Ivan built an internal support agent using n8n's AI agent node connected to a vector store of 900 help articles. It now resolves 62 percent of tier-one tickets before a human ever opens them.Workato
1
Anita is head of IT at a 900-person manufacturer and built a Workato recipe chain that syncs closed-won Salesforce deals into NetSuite as sales orders, eliminating a two-person data entry function and removing a recurring source of invoicing errors.2
Derek runs people operations at a scaling tech company. His onboarding recipe provisions each new hire across Workday, Okta, Google Workspace and Slack the moment their offer is signed, cutting day-one setup from six hours of IT tickets to zero.3
Lucia leads finance systems at a retail group and uses Workato's on-premise agent to connect a legacy warehouse database behind the firewall to their cloud BI stack, giving leadership same-day inventory reporting instead of weekly.Keep Exploring