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It's a split decision.
Choose Langflow if your team wants a visual way to assemble AI agents and MCP servers, customize components with Python, and self-host under an MIT license. Choose n8n if you need broader workflow automation, step-by-step execution visibility, human approval gates, and published cloud quotas. Both can be self-hosted. Langflow’s cloud pricing and limits are not published, while n8n lists cloud prices and execution caps, making its operating costs easier to estimate.
01Side by side
| Langflow | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free self-hosted OSS; enterprise pricing unpublished | Free self-hosted; paid cloud and business tiers |
| Free tier | Free OSS and cloud account; limits unpublished | Free Community Edition; executions limited by server |
| Open source and license | Open source under MIT | Open source; license not named on homepage |
| Self-hosting | Run locally or self-host OSS | Self-host on-prem or with Docker |
| Integrations | OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure, Bedrock, Pinecone, Slack | Slack, Jira, Notion, Claude Sonnet 4.6 |
| Deployment model | Local or Langflow Cloud | n8n Cloud or self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | Cloud usage and seat limits unpublished | Cloud execution and concurrency tiers published |
Langflow Choose Langflow if
- Choose Langflow if you need Python customization of AI components.
- Choose Langflow if you want visual flows for agents and MCP servers.
- Choose Langflow if an MIT-licensed self-hosted option matters.
n8n Choose n8n if
- Choose n8n if you need published cloud execution quotas.
- Choose n8n if operators need to inspect and rerun workflow steps.
- Choose n8n if you need human approval steps in automations.
02Pricing at real usage
Langflow’s self-hosted open-source edition costs $0 and carries an MIT license. Its homepage also offers a free cloud account, but the pricing page does not publish cloud usage, seat limits, or a paid schedule; ask Langflow for deployment quotas and support costs before sizing a production workload. n8n’s Community Edition is free when self-hosted, with executions limited by your server. Cloud Starter costs $24 monthly or $20 per month billed annually for 2,500 executions and five concurrent executions. Pro costs $60 monthly or $50 annually for 10,000 executions; higher tiers reach 50,000 for $120 monthly. Those plans hard-cap executions rather than charging overages. Business self-hosted starts at $960 monthly or $800 annually for 40,000 executions; a $4,800 pack adds 300,000 executions.
03API, SDKs and integration
Langflow uses visual flows, reusable components, pre-built flows, and Python customization. Its homepage says flows can be deployed as APIs through Langflow Cloud, but does not specify the API protocol or a named SDK. It lists connections including OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure, Amazon Bedrock, Pinecone, Qdrant, Slack, and GitHub. n8n’s visual workflow builder supports dropping into code, with step-by-step run visibility, human approvals, and error recovery that lets operators rerun a broken step. Its homepage names Slack, Jira, Notion, and Claude Sonnet 4.6 as examples. Neither homepage names a supported SDK, API protocol, or CLI. Before integrating either into a codebase, verify the API contract, authentication, versioning, and workflow export format against your requirements.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Langflow is open source under the MIT license and can run locally or be self-hosted. Its homepage says OSS and Cloud are the same Langflow, and supports Python customization. n8n is open source and can be deployed on-prem or with Docker; its homepage does not name the license, so verify the terms for your deployment. n8n Business adds Git version control and multiple environments, while Community Edition lacks some admin controls. Neither homepage describes a complete data-export or migration path. Treat portability as a design task: check how each product exports flows, handles credentials, and represents provider-specific components before building a large workflow library. Self-hosting gives teams control over infrastructure, but they also own its operation.
Questions people ask
Is n8n obsolete now?
n8n is presented by its vendor as a platform for workflows and AI agents, with both Cloud and self-hosted plans. Whether it fits depends on execution volume, hosting requirements, and needed controls. Its pricing page lists active plan tiers, including Community Edition, Starter, Pro, Business, and Enterprise.
Is Langflow completely free?
Langflow’s open-source self-hosted edition is free and MIT-licensed. Its homepage also offers a free cloud account, but the pricing page does not publish cloud usage limits or a pricing schedule. Ask Langflow about cloud quotas and support costs before relying on it for production.
Can both Langflow and n8n be self-hosted?
Yes. Langflow can run locally or be self-hosted as open-source software. n8n offers a self-hosted Community Edition and describes on-prem and Docker deployment options. With either product, account for infrastructure and operations; n8n says Community Edition executions are limited by your server.
Which is better for building AI agents?
Langflow is the more direct fit for visually composing AI agents and MCP servers, with Python customization and reusable components. n8n fits teams that want agents inside broader automations, with workflow visibility, approval steps, and error recovery. Choose based on whether AI flow-building or operational workflow control is central.