N8N is innovative automation software, offering an open-source, low-code solution with a self-hosted server.
Created by Jan Oberhauser in 2019, in Berlin, Germany, it was designed with the aim of providing a flexible alternative to closed, cloud-based automation software.
As a developer, he tried almost every other major automation platform and found that none of them perfectly met his needs. They were either too expensive, too limited, not scalable enough, or simply lacking in functionality.
- Innovation : N8N stands out for its open-source and self-hosted approach unlike Zapier
- Connectivity : N8N can connect to over 200 applications, making it easier to automate processes between them.
- Customization : The software allows the creation of custom workflows with its node-based user interface.
- Foundation : Created by Jan Oberhauser in 2019, it responded to the need for a more flexible automation solution.
Announced to the world in October 2019, it gained attention and in March 2020 secured $1.5 million in seed funding to continue its growth.
Features
N8N automation software offers a host of useful features. Let’s go into detail through each of them.
1. Multiple Data Sources
A major advantage of the N8N platform is its ability to connect to multiple data sources.
- Allows you to connect to web services, databases, files and cloud services.
- Facilitates the integration and automation of tasks.
This makes N8N extremely flexible and suitable for a variety of workflow automation scenarios.
2. Creation of Workflows
The N8N platform allows the creation of personalized workflows in an intuitive way.
- Using a drag-and-drop interface to connect different nodes representing tasks or data.
- This tool makes it easy to view and edit workflows.
This makes creating workflows both flexible and accessible, even for non-technical users.
3. Parallel Execution
N8N is a tool that optimizes your efficiency by allowing the execution of tasks in parallel.
- Allows you to manage multiple tasks and branches simultaneously.
- Increases efficiency and saves time.
This is an essential feature for highly productive work environments.
4. Multiple Communication Channels
N8N offers a variety of communication channels.
- Includes functions like email, chat messages, push notifications and SMS.
- This tool allows you to choose the communication channel that best suits your needs.
This ensures that N8N can integrate seamlessly into almost any communication routine.
5. Open Source et Licence Fair-Code
One of the main features of N8N is that it is open source.
- The source code is freely available, allowing anyone to host and improve it.
- Users can control who has access and where their data is stored, an important consideration in the era of GDPR.
- N8N also has a fair-code license, which provides a unique balance between open source and commercial sustainability.
This open-source transparency gives users the confidence and freedom to use the software in the way that suits them best.
6. N8N Cloud
N8N is also available as an iPaaS solution.
- With n8n.cloud, you can use the ready-to-use tool on n8n’s servers.
- More than 150 integrated applications are supported in the cloud to date.
This option provides additional convenience for those who prefer a cloud solution, without having to manage hosting themselves.
7. Rapid Application Development
N8N can add new applications very quickly:
- What this means: New applications can be added either by the N8N team or by users who are good at programming.
- Flexibility: If you use n8n.io on your own server, you can modify the code as you wish and add elements via JSON or Javascript.
8. Modular Structure
N8N is built in a way that makes it easy to use:
- Explanation: The structure of N8N is easy to understand. You can quickly see what tools are being used, what tasks are in progress, and what’s going to happen next.
- Why it’s great: This structure makes N8N easy to use even if you don’t have much programming experience.
9. Export to JSON
N8N allows you to save entire processes in JSON format:
- Benefits: This feature allows you to easily copy processes or use them as templates.
- Simplicity: Compared to other tools, this feature is easier to use with N8N’s open-source design.
N8N is not just an automation tool. It offers a multitude of features, enables rapid application development, has an easy-to-understand structure and allows entire processes to be saved. All this makes N8N a powerful and easy-to-use automation tool.
Integrations
N8N is an automation platform that stands out in the iPaaS industry thanks to its multiple integrations. This allows its users to interconnect their favorite tools in a simple and efficient way. Let’s take a look at the integrations that N8N has to offer.
- Wide Range of Integrations : N8N currently integrates with over 220 apps, including popular SaaS tools like Asana, Airtable, Office365, GSuite, and Dropbox.
- Steady Growth : Even though N8N still has a way to go compared to some competitors like Zapier or Make in terms of number of integrations, the platform is constantly growing and new apps are added regularly.
- Ease of adding integrations : Using JSON and Javascript-based technology, N8N is able to add new integrations in just a few hours.
- Ease of use : N8N offers a user-friendly interface that makes the onboarding process easy, accompanied by numerous pre-designed workflow templates to speed up the configuration process.
N8N constantly strives to broaden its scope of application in terms of integrations, in order to offer an ever more efficient solution adapted to the evolving needs of users.
How to get started: Step-by-step guide
N8N is a remarkable automation tool that helps connect different applications and services into a single cohesive workflow. It may seem intimidating at first, but once you follow these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to making full use of this powerful software.
Installation
Before you can exploit the full potential of N8N, you must first install the application. Here’s how to do it:
- N8N is available as a cloud service, desktop application, npm module and Docker image. For this quick guide, we recommend using the desktop app.
- Linux users can sign up for a free Cloud trial, or use npm or Docker.
- For Windows and MacOS, download the application from the official N8N website and run the installer.
- Once the installation is complete, N8N Desktop automatically opens in the workflow templates view.
Load and Run a Workflow
N8N provides a quick start template that lets you try out the user interface and introduces you to key features. Here’s how to load a workflow template:
- In the Workflow Templates view, look for “Very Fast Quick Start”.
- Select the template to preview it.
- Click “Use this workflow” to open the template in your own editor.
Now that you’ve loaded the workflow template, it’s time to run it and see how it works. Simply click “Run Workflow” to start it.
Adding a node
To add functionality to your workflow, you can add a new node. Here’s how to do it:
- Select the “Add node” connector on the existing node link.
- Search for “Customer Messenger” and select it to add the node link to your workflow
- Use expressions to match the customer ID and create the message as a result
- Once you have configured your node, you can close the node and run the workflow again to see the results.
By following these steps, you should be well on your way to getting started with N8N.
Remember, the best way to learn is to actively engage and experiment with different workflows and nodes. Good luck and have fun with N8N!
Benefits | Disadvantages
Benefits
- Simple Graphical Editor for branch management with its Desktop version
- Completely free self-hosted on Docker
- More and more integrations every day, particularly for marketing automation
- An active community
- Simple management of handling each error
- Possibility thanks to its advanced functions to carry out very advanced automation with its tools
- No constraints in terms of number of workflows or their complexity
Disadvantages
- Increase in skills longer than on Zapier
- Concepts or some development skills are necessary for installation (by Docker) or to implement some processing in JavaScript
- Not as many native integrations as Zapier
N8N Prices
N8N offers a range of pricing plans to meet the different needs of its users.
Whether you’re a beginner or a business with strict security requirements, there’s a plan for you in this suite.
In addition, the n8n.io suite, which can be hosted locally thanks to its open-source code, is available for free.
Starter – €20 per month
Ideal for getting started quickly and discovering the power of N8N.
- 5,000 workflow runs with unlimited steps
- 5 active workflows and unlimited tests
- Hosting by N8N
- Support via forum
- For a single user
Pro – €50 per month
To work in a team and manage business-critical workflows.
- 10,000 workflow executions (tasks) with unlimited steps
- 10 active workflows and unlimited tests
- Hosting by N8N
- Includes everything in the Starter plan, plus:
- Unlimited users for each team
- Collaboration on workflows
- Execution search
- Global variables
Enterprise
For organizations with more stringent security or compliance requirements.
- Unlimited workflow executions (tasks) with unlimited steps
- Unlimited number of active workflows and unlimited tests
- Self-hosted (or hosted by N8N)
- Includes everything in the Pro plan, plus:
- SSO COLLECT an LDAP
- Log distribution
- Environments
- Version control using Git
- External secret storage integration
- Dedicated support with SLA
- Billing on invoice
Community
A basic version of N8N is also available on GitHub.
It’s worth noting that “nodes” in N8N refer to specific steps or actions in a workflow, like “Fetch all users from Slack.”
Finally, each plan of its solutions comes with a 30-day trial period to help you test the tool’s capabilities before committing.
Support Client
N8N software stands out not only for its integration and automation capabilities, but also for the remarkable support it offers to its users.
- Online assistance: A multitude of resources available on the web to resolve any difficulty.
- Continuous evolution: The software constantly benefits from valuable feedback and suggestions from its community, promoting its continuous improvement.
- Accessibility: N8N customer support is easily reachable and ready to answer questions.
- Availability across different channels: A variety of ways to access customer service, ensuring fast and efficient support.
- Rapid problem resolution: Issues are addressed quickly to minimize interruptions and maximize productivity.
In conclusion, whether through its active community or its dedicated customer service, N8N ensures that its users have the necessary help at their fingertips. This assistance makes the difference and facilitates the adoption of this robust and flexible tool.
Security and Privacy
N8N is a serious and innovative automation tool that places data security and confidentiality at the center of its priorities.
- In the process of SOC 2 certification, a recognized standard for data management.
- You can ask your questions regarding data privacy by sending an email to privacy@n8n.io .
- For any security questions or to report a suspected vulnerability, you can send an email to security@n8n.io .
- Self-hosting is a great way to add an extra layer of security and privacy to your data. By hosting N8N yourself, you keep your data within your own infrastructure.
With its commitment to data protection and self-hosting functionality, N8N is a reliable choice for anyone looking to keep their information secure.
Alternatives
1. Zapier
Zapier is a strong competitor to N8N, which offers integration with over 2,000 apps. It is easy to handle, but its flexibility is slightly lower.
Features
- Integration with over 2,000 apps
- Triggers, node and multiple actions on Zapier
- Time-based workflow scheduling
- API
Prices
- Limited free version of Zapier per node
- Zapier paid plans start at $20 per month for premium features
2. Make (ex Integromat)
Make (formerly Integromat) is a new player in the online automation market, focused on an intuitive user interface and affordable pricing.
Features
- Easy to get started thanks to an intuitive user interface
- Automation based on event triggers
- Task and project management for marketing automation
- Reasonable price
- API
Prices
- Free version with limited features
- Paid plans start at $9 per month for full access
3. IFTTT
The IFTTT (If This Then That) platform is a simple but effective no-code online tool, ideal at first glance for personal users looking to automate their home applications and devices.
Features
- Easy creation of automation “recipes”
- Integration with many home devices and apps
- Multi-step automation with the Pro version
- API
Prices
- Free basic version (+ free API)
- IFTTT Pro at $3.99 per month for advanced features
Zapier, Make, and IFTTT are viable alternatives to N8N, each with their own strengths. The choice will depend on your specific automation needs.
Final opinion
N8N is a powerful tool that offers a wide variety of features for workflow automation.
However, if your needs differ, an alternative like Zapier, Make, and IFTTT may offer different features that might be more suitable for your specific projects.
It is essential to choose the tool that best suits your context and your specific needs.