Activepieces vs n8n
Both are open-source workflow automation you can self-host for free, and both have a cloud. The decision comes down to three things: the licence, how deep you want to go inside a step, and what running it actually costs you every month.
Activepieces vs n8n: which should I self-host?
Self-host n8n if you write JavaScript or Python inside your workflows, need AI agents wired to hundreds of services on a schedule, and want a $7/mo flat bill with executions unmetered. Self-host Activepieces if you need a genuinely MIT-licensed core, a simpler no-code builder for non-developers, or you want to offer it to others as a hosted service. The single biggest difference is the licence: Activepieces' core is MIT, while n8n ships under the Sustainable Use License, which is source-available fair-code and not OSI open source. Beyond that, n8n is the deeper tool - a Code node that runs JavaScript or Python, 400+ built-in nodes, an AI Agent node and both instance-level and per-workflow MCP servers. Activepieces is the friendlier one, with 764 TypeScript pieces, agents, tables and a built-in MCP server on every plan, but its Code step is TypeScript only and its cloud runs on a credit meter. On InstaPods only n8n is a 1-Click app; Activepieces you run yourself on a Docker host.
Last updated: 2026-09-11Quick Comparison
| Feature | Activepieces | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | MIT core; enterprise folder under a commercial licence | Sustainable Use License (fair-code, source-available) |
| GitHub Stars | 24,398 | 203,961 |
| Integrations | 764 pieces, 60% community-built | 400+ built-in nodes, 900+ community nodes |
| Code Inside a Step | Code step: TypeScript/JavaScript; npm only in SANDBOX_PROCESS mode | Code node: JavaScript and Python |
| How Integrations Are Built | TypeScript pieces framework, npm packages, hot reload | n8n nodes in TypeScript, plus HTTP Request node for anything else |
| AI Agents | Agents, Chat and Tables built in | AI Agent node with memory, tools and vector stores |
| MCP | Built-in MCP server for building and running flows; pieces reachable through it | Instance-level MCP server plus MCP Server Trigger and MCP Client nodes |
| Cloud Entry Price | Free (100 credits/day); Plus $16/mo billed yearly, 10,000 credits | Starter €20/mo billed annually, 2,500 executions |
| Cloud Metering | Credits: 1 per run, AI steps 2-20 each | Executions: 1 per workflow run, unlimited steps |
| Self-Host Requirements | Docker Compose + PostgreSQL + Redis, 2 vCPU / 4 GB minimum | Node.js process, SQLite or PostgreSQL, runs in 2 GB |
| On InstaPods | Not in the catalog - run it on your own Docker host | 1-Click app, $7/mo Build plan, executions unmetered |
Where Activepieces Costs You
Trade-offs to weigh before committing.
Code Steps Are TypeScript Only
Activepieces does have a Code step, but it runs TypeScript/JavaScript only, and in the default V8-isolate sandbox (the mode its cloud uses) there is no require, no filesystem and no npm. Pulling in an npm package means switching a self-hosted worker to SANDBOX_PROCESS, which the docs tell you to run on a dedicated node. n8n's Code node takes JavaScript or Python inline, and the HTTP Request node covers anything without an integration.
Cloud Credits Meter AI Steps Hard
On Activepieces cloud a run is one credit, but an AI step costs 2 credits on a fast model, 10 on a smart model and 20 on a frontier model. The Free tier is 100 credits a day and Plus is 10,000 a month at $16/mo billed yearly, then $0.007 per credit over. An agent-heavy flow eats that quickly. Self-hosting sidesteps it, which is the point of this page.
Heavier Self-Host Footprint
The recommended install is Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis, and the docs ask for at least 2 vCPU and 4 GB RAM. There is a single-process hobby install with an embedded database, but the docs say it cannot scale or upgrade to paid features, and moving off it means starting over. n8n runs as one Node.js process with SQLite and is happy in 2 GB.
Paid Features Cost the Same Self-Hosted
Every Activepieces plan is available self-hosted at the same price as cloud. Projects, SSO, roles, audit logs, Git sync and the embeddable builder need a paid plan even on your own server. With n8n the community edition includes the editor, all nodes, the Code node, AI Agent and MCP for free; only SSO, projects and similar team features sit behind n8n Enterprise.
What n8n Gives You Instead
What you get when you pick this stack.
$7/mo, Executions Unmetered
n8n on InstaPods runs on the Build plan: 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD, HTTPS, daily backups and a managed PostgreSQL on the same pod. No execution counter, no credit meter, no AI-step multiplier.
Code When You Need It
Most real automations hit one step no integration covers. n8n's Code node takes JavaScript or Python inline, with external npm packages allowed on self-hosted via NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_EXTERNAL, and the HTTP Request node talks to any API, so you are never blocked on someone publishing a piece.
The Deeper AI and MCP Story
The AI Agent node has memory, tools and vector-store sub-nodes. n8n can be an MCP server two ways (instance-level at /mcp-server/http, or per-workflow with the MCP Server Trigger) and an MCP client with the MCP Client Tool node. Activepieces has one built-in MCP server; n8n gives you both directions.
One Process, One Pod
n8n is a single Node.js process. On InstaPods it boots pre-installed in about 30 seconds with HTTPS on your subdomain, and the managed Postgres is one click on the same pod. No Compose file, no Redis, no reverse proxy to maintain.
Real Cost Comparison
A solo builder running a few AI-assisted automations that touch Slack, a database and a daily schedule, self-hosted rather than on either cloud.
- Activepieces Community Edition: free (MIT)
- A Docker host with 2 vCPU / 4 GB: roughly $8-20/mo
- PostgreSQL and Redis: install and back up yourself
- HTTPS: your own reverse proxy and certificates
- Projects, SSO, Git sync: paid plan, same price as cloud
- InstaPods Build plan: $7/mo (2 vCPU, 2 GB, 25 GB)
- n8n community edition: free, executions unmetered
- Managed PostgreSQL on the same pod: included
- HTTPS, subdomain and daily backups: included
- Code node, AI Agent, MCP server: included
Frequently Asked Questions
Activepieces vs n8n: which should I self-host?
Self-host n8n if you want a Code node, 400+ built-in integrations, an AI Agent node and MCP in both directions, and a $7/mo flat bill on InstaPods. Self-host Activepieces if the MIT licence matters, your users are non-developers who want a simpler no-code builder, or you want to host it for third parties, which n8n's Sustainable Use License forbids. Both are free to self-host; only n8n is a 1-Click app on InstaPods.
Is Activepieces really open source and n8n not?
Yes, with a nuance on each side. Activepieces' core is MIT-licensed; the packages/ee folder is under a separate commercial licence and needs a paid plan to use. n8n is under the Sustainable Use License, which is fair-code: you can self-host it, modify it and use it internally for free, but you cannot offer it to third parties as a hosted service. It is source-available, not OSI open source.
Which has more integrations, Activepieces or n8n?
Activepieces lists 764 pieces on its site, about 60% contributed by the community. n8n ships 400+ built-in nodes plus 900+ community nodes. In practice both cover the common SaaS tools, and both have an HTTP step and a code step for the gaps. The difference is that n8n's Code node runs Python as well as JavaScript, while Activepieces' Code step is TypeScript only.
How does the cloud pricing compare?
Activepieces cloud is free for 100 credits a day, then Plus at $16/mo billed yearly for 10,000 credits a month (up to 5 users) and Team at $166/mo for 50,000 credits. A run is one credit, but AI steps cost 2 to 20 credits each. n8n Cloud Starter is €20/mo billed annually for 2,500 workflow executions with unlimited steps. Self-hosted n8n on InstaPods is $7/mo with no execution or credit meter.
Can I run Activepieces on InstaPods?
Not as a 1-Click app today. Activepieces is not in the InstaPods catalog, and its recommended install is Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis on a 2 vCPU / 4 GB host, so the honest answer is to run it on a Docker VPS yourself. n8n is a 1-Click app on the $7/mo Build plan with a managed PostgreSQL on the same pod.
Which is better for AI agents and MCP?
Both are serious here. Activepieces has agents, chat and tables built into the builder and a built-in MCP server through which Claude, Cursor or Windsurf can build, run and inspect your flows and tables. n8n has the AI Agent node with memory and tool sub-nodes, an instance-level MCP server, an MCP Server Trigger for per-workflow servers and an MCP Client Tool node so an n8n agent can call other MCP servers. If you want n8n to be both an MCP server and an MCP client, n8n is the more complete option.
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