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Free alternatives to n8n Cloud

n8n Cloud costs $27.73/mo on the Starter (Cloud) plan, or $332.76 a year. Here are 2 free and open-source options, what each one does, and what you give up compared with paying.

Prices checked Aug 11, 2026Can AI replace it? Bot

01At a glance

AlternativeTypeWhere it runsWorks on
Activepieces Community EditionOpen sourceYou host itWeb, Your server
AutomatischOpen sourceYou host itWeb, Your server

02Each alternative, in detail

Activepieces Community EditionOpen source

A genuinely open-source workflow runner with a simpler one-container path.

Versus paying: Activepieces has a smaller node ecosystem and requires you to provide the uptime, upgrades, backups and security n8n Cloud manages.

Setup: Run one Docker container for personal/testing use, or Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and Redis for production.

Watch for: Requires Docker; public webhooks need a reachable HTTPS URL, while production also needs PostgreSQL, Redis and managed secrets.

23,604 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

activepieces.com →
AutomatischOpen source

A smaller AGPL automation server for people who do not need n8n's entire ecosystem.

Versus paying: Automatisch is much narrower than n8n's ecosystem and still leaves every operational responsibility with you.

Setup: Clone the repository and run Docker Compose.

Watch for: Requires Docker, PostgreSQL/Redis configuration and secret management; the default sample login must be changed immediately.

13,923 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

automatisch.io →

03n8n Cloud's own free plan

No free cloud plan, just a trial; self-hosting the open source core is free.

The same workflow engine without the cloud bill; you inherit updates, backups, and uptime.

04What you give up by leaving n8n Cloud

  • managed hosting
  • backups
  • scaling
  • email support
  • reduced ops burden
  • team/admin features

They pay to avoid maintaining an automation server that their business workflows depend on.

05Questions

Is there a free alternative to n8n Cloud?

Yes. This page compares 2: Activepieces Community Edition and Automatisch. All of them are open source, so you can run them yourself.

How much does n8n Cloud cost?

$27.73/mo on the Starter (Cloud) plan (monthly), which is $332.76 a year. Free plan: No free cloud plan, just a trial; self-hosting the open source core is free. Prices checked Aug 11, 2026.

What do you give up with a free alternative to n8n Cloud?

Most often: managed hosting, backups, scaling and email support. Each alternative on this page lists its own gap under “Versus paying.”

Can AI build me my own version of n8n Cloud?

Bot. Because n8n itself is open source, the core cloud subscription can be replaced by self-hosting if you can own hosting, updates, and backups.

Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.