n8n vs Activepieces:
price runs, AI and operational ownership.
Separate ordinary workflow usage from model costs and the work of running the platform.
One whole run can be the base unit.
AI and deployment change the total.
Include n8n when configurable nodes, custom code and execution-led capacity suit your workflow. Include Activepieces when you want to evaluate its connector-based builder and hosted Free allowance. Both offer self-hosted options, but a free Community core does not include every governance feature or remove hosting work. Start with one completed process and the people who will own it.
Seven differences that change the shortlist
| Buying question | n8n | Activepieces |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted free access | Cloud trial; no permanent free Cloud plan assumed | Free: 1,000 listed monthly credits, up to five users and unlimited flows |
| Ordinary workflow unit | Monthly workflow executions, with unlimited steps in the listed plans | One credit per ordinary run, independent of ordinary step count |
| AI extras | Provider, gateway and assistant allowances are separate questions | AI steps add fast/smart/frontier credits; agentic actions also add usage |
| Entry capacity | Starter lists 2,500 monthly executions and five concurrent executions | Free shows a daily reset boundary; Plus lists 10,000 monthly credits |
| Self-hosted core | Free Community edition with governance and sharing exclusions | MIT-licensed Community core; enterprise/cloud features have separate licensing |
| Collaboration to check | Community workflow/credential sharing and SSO differ from paid editions | Roles, SSO, audit and release controls depend on edition/package |
| Budget beyond the platform | Hosting, backups, maintenance and model provider bills | Hosted overage or infrastructure, paid features and model provider bills |
Four worked buying briefs
These are hypothetical scenarios with explicit assumptions. They do not establish equal capabilities, measured usability or a negotiated price.
| Workflow brief | n8n executions | Activepieces credits |
|---|---|---|
| 300 ordinary runs with 20 steps each | 300 | 300 |
| 300 runs with one fast-model AI step | 300 | 900 |
| 300 runs with one smart step and three agentic actions | 300 | 4,200 |
| 100 flows, each running 250 times | 25,000 | 25,000 |
300 ordinary runs with 20 steps each
Does the ordinary step count multiply the base bill?
n8n: 300 modelled workflow executions, not 6,000 standard step units.
Activepieces: 300 ordinary-run credits, before AI or additional separately counted actions.
This hypothetical workflow has no AI. Activepieces Free’s monthly total fits numerically, but daily throughput and other eligibility still need checking. n8n Starter is a paid Cloud package after the trial.
300 runs with one fast-model AI step
What is added on top of the base run?
n8n: 300 modelled workflow executions; model/AI invoices are not priced here.
Activepieces: 900 credits: 300 × (1 ordinary run + 2 fast-model credits).
This assumes one successful fast-model AI step per run, no agentic actions and no additional charged usage. Equal run counts do not establish equal model quality or provider cost.
300 runs with one smart step and three agentic actions
Can the same monthly free allowance support it?
n8n: 300 modelled executions; price the provider and chosen AI connection separately.
Activepieces: 4,200 credits: 300 × (1 + 10 smart-model credits + 3 agentic actions).
This exceeds the listed 1,000-credit monthly Free figure. Runtime tool use can vary; use a measured representative workload before selecting capacity.
100 flows, each running 250 times
Does flow count or monthly execution count determine capacity?
n8n: 25,000 modelled monthly executions.
Activepieces: 25,000 ordinary-run credits, before AI additions.
Both selected hosted arrangements allow unlimited flows, but usage still grows. Do not use an older per-active-flow price as the current Activepieces quote. Concurrency, runtime limits and governance are separate gates.
Count executions and credits separately
A workflow with twenty ordinary steps does not automatically require twenty billed units on either of these hosted models. Count complete runs first, then the usage that the chosen AI connection and account adds. Replays, additional workflows and production bursts belong in the forecast.
Activepieces currently lists a 1,000-credit monthly Free figure while its plan table also shows a daily reset boundary. The worked monthly totals below do not establish the available capacity on a busy day. Check the actual quota and reset behaviour in the account before relying on uninterrupted production.
A model choice can change credits without changing run count
On the current Activepieces rate card, one ordinary run consumes one credit. AI adds two credits for a fast-model step, ten for a smart-model step or twenty for a frontier-model step. Agentic actions add one credit each. The worked examples use fixed calls; they are not measurements of an agent’s variable behaviour.
On Plus and higher, using your own provider keys changes the platform’s AI step charge to one credit and moves the model invoice to that provider. That does not make the model free. n8n likewise needs a clear choice of AI connection and any separately included assistant or gateway allowance; do not equate its execution count with an all-inclusive model budget.
A plain three-hundred-run forecast can therefore remain constant while the AI budget changes. Test the intended model with the same inputs, an allowed tool boundary and a spending limit, then inspect execution history rather than inferring quality from the price tier.
Self-hosting changes the operator as well as the bill
Assign a named owner for updates, credentials, database backups, recovery tests and failed-job monitoring. Price that work alongside the server. A Community licence with no subscription fee does not establish a zero operating cost.
n8n Community excludes some shared-project, workflow/credential sharing, SSO and governance capabilities. Activepieces’ MIT core is separate from commercially licensed enterprise/cloud features. Verify the edition that supports the people and controls you need before assuming the hosted feature list is included.
n8n’s Community code has Sustainable Use Licence conditions; the Activepieces core uses MIT while some features are commercial. Review the applicable terms for the intended deployment, especially a customer-facing embedded product. This comparison does not approve a particular resale or licensing arrangement.
Test a recoverable handover, not just a successful demo
Build the same synthetic intake, record update and notification on both platforms. Include missing fields, a duplicate event and a downstream failure. Confirm what is stored, what can be replayed and whether replay creates duplicate records.
For AI, hold the inputs and desired output constant. Inspect the actual model calls and tool actions. For self-hosting, prove that a backup can restore the workflow and credentials before treating the deployment as ready.
No n8n–Activepieces production trial was executed here. These examples model published units and stated assumptions; they do not establish speed, reliability or AI quality.
Questions before you choose
Is n8n Cloud free forever?
The checked Cloud offer is a trial followed by a paid plan. The free Community edition is a self-hosted deployment and still needs infrastructure and operational ownership.
Does Activepieces still charge per active flow?
The checked current hosted packages use credits and allow unlimited flows. Use the current package shown to your account instead of an older per-flow price.
Does one AI run cost one Activepieces credit?
The ordinary run is one credit, but the selected AI step and agentic actions can add credits. Model tier and your own-key connection change the result.
Does a monthly allowance prove that a burst will run?
No. Daily reset boundaries, concurrency, execution duration, other account usage and feature limits also matter. Check those conditions with a representative burst.
Keep the assumptions with the figures
Use the date, billing cycle, units and limits with each example. Check current account terms before purchasing. Unverified prices and model costs stay unpriced.
Download the buying examples as JSON ↓Share the comparison
Use these examples when discussing the shortlist with your team.