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It's a split decision.
n8n is a visual workflow platform with self-hosting, a free Community Edition, and published Cloud prices tied to execution limits. Workato is a hosted enterprise orchestration platform with 17,000+ connections, governance controls, and on-premises connectivity through OPAs; its pricing is quote-only. For developers who need deployment control and predictable entry costs, start with n8n. For organizations prioritizing managed runtime, large-scale connectivity, and centralized governance, evaluate Workato and request a quote.
01Side by side
| n8n | Workato | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Published monthly tiers; usage capped by executions | Sales quote; packages include concurrency and workbots |
| Free tier | Free self-hosted Community Edition | No free plan listed |
| Open source and licence | Open source; confirm exact licence terms | Open-source status not stated |
| Self-hosting | Community, Business, and Enterprise self-hosting options | On-premises Agents support connectivity |
| Integrations | Examples include Slack, Jira, Notion, and AI models | 17,000+ apps, APIs, databases, files, and MCP servers |
| Deployment model | Cloud or self-hosted, depending on plan | Managed elastic runtime; OPAs for on-premises connectivity |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | Execution caps; higher tiers and custom Enterprise volume | Concurrency and OPA counts vary by plan |
n8n Choose n8n if
- Choose n8n if you need to host workflows on your own infrastructure.
- Choose n8n if published execution allowances help you plan spend.
- Choose n8n if operators need to inspect and rerun workflow steps.
Workato Choose Workato if
- Choose Workato if you need connectivity across 17,000+ systems.
- Choose Workato if centralized governance for agents and workflows is a priority.
- Choose Workato if you want a managed runtime with on-premises connectivity.
02Pricing at real usage
n8n has a free Community Edition for self-hosting; infrastructure and support are not included. Its Cloud Starter plan lists 2,500 executions/month for $24 monthly or $20/month billed annually. Pro lists 10,000 executions/month for $60 monthly or $50/month annually. Starter and Pro are hard-capped, with no execution overages; more usage means upgrading. Business is self-hosted and lists 40,000 executions/month for $960 monthly or $800/month annually, with higher tiers and an extra pack of 300,000 executions for $4,800. Workato lists Standard, Business MCP, Enterprise MCP, and Workato ONE, but no prices; it requires a sales quote. Its packages specify concurrency, workbots, OPAs, and log retention, rather than published usage prices. Ask for the included volumes, overage terms, and add-on costs before comparing production workloads.
03API, SDKs and integration
n8n is built around a visual workflow builder, with the option to drop into code. Its homepage shows connections such as Slack, Jira, Notion, and AI models, including Claude Sonnet 4.6, but does not give an integration count. Workato describes deterministic orchestration across agents, MCPs, data, apps, and APIs, and lists 17,000+ connections spanning apps, APIs, databases, files, and MCP servers. Its features include multi-agent orchestration, model routing, and centralized governance for models and workflows. Neither vendor’s product page specifies API styles, SDK languages, CLI support, or programming-language coverage. That leaves an implementation question for teams planning custom connectors or deployment automation: confirm the current API, SDK, CLI, and connector documentation with each vendor before committing. The documented difference is scale of listed connectivity versus workflow-level visibility and code flexibility.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
n8n describes its product as open source and makes source code available on GitHub. Its Community Edition is self-hosted; Business is self-hosted only, while Enterprise can be Cloud or self-hosted. Check the applicable licence terms before embedding or redistributing it. Workato describes a managed elastic runtime with no infrastructure management, and offers On-Premises Agents for on-premises connectivity; that is not the same as a self-hosted Workato server. Workato’s product page does not state an open-source licence. Neither product page specifies data-export formats or migration tooling. Before adopting either platform, ask how workflows, credentials, execution history, and configuration can be exported, and what must be rebuilt when moving integrations. With n8n, access to source and self-hosting provide more control over deployment; they do not by themselves guarantee a low-effort migration.
Questions people ask
Is there any better tool than n8n?
It depends on the architecture. n8n fits teams that want visual workflows, code flexibility, self-hosting, and published execution tiers. Workato may fit enterprises prioritizing 17,000+ connections, centralized governance, and a managed runtime. Compare required connectors, deployment controls, and total quoted costs rather than treating one platform as universally better.
What is Workato’s annual revenue?
Workato’s product page does not state annual revenue, so we can’t give a vendor-sourced figure. Its homepage says the platform serves over 100,000 employees across hundreds of platforms and automates more than 100 million tasks per month. Those figures describe usage, not revenue.
Which is better for no-code automation, n8n or Workato?
Both offer visual workflow and automation capabilities. n8n emphasizes inspecting workflow steps and allows users to drop into code; Workato emphasizes broad connectivity and enterprise governance. The better fit depends on whether deployment control and visible execution paths or managed enterprise orchestration matter more to your team.
Can n8n be self-hosted?
Yes. n8n offers a self-hosted Community Edition at no plan charge, with execution capacity limited by your server. Business is also self-hosted and adds features such as SSO/LDAP, Git version control, and queue mode. Hosting, infrastructure operations, and support are not included with Community Edition.