n8n
Workflow automation and AI orchestration
Contents
TL;DR. n8n connects business tools through visual workflows. It combines custom code with artificial intelligence (AI). Teams can choose managed hosting or run it on their own infrastructure. Chiri recommends it for technical teams that need control over automation.
At a Glance
n8n is a workflow automation company based in Berlin. Jan Oberhauser founded it in 2019. Its official press page identifies him as founder and chief executive officer.
n8n publishes its source code under its Sustainable Use License. The company describes this approach as fair-code. Public source access does not imply unrestricted commercial use.
The press page reports $240 million in funding, plus a strategic investment from SAP. It reports a $5.2 billion valuation for the May 2026 SAP investment. These are company disclosures, not an independent financial audit. Chiri did not verify the SAP investment amount.
Source: n8n press information.
What It Offers
n8n provides a visual editor for workflows. A workflow connects steps that exchange data or perform actions. Developers can add JavaScript or Python code when visual steps do not meet their needs.
An application programming interface (API) lets software exchange requests and data. n8n connects services through prepared integrations and HTTP requests. HTTP is the protocol that carries web requests. Chiri does not give an exact integration count because official pages show different totals.
AI workflows can combine models, tools, and memory. An AI agent selects tools to complete a task. n8n documents connections to providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Human approval can control sensitive tool calls.
Model Context Protocol (MCP) provides a common interface between AI clients and tools. n8n documents MCP connections alongside its other AI features.
Sources: product overview and AI documentation.
Founders & Leadership
The official press page identifies Jan Oberhauser as founder and chief executive officer. Chiri did not verify a complete current leadership roster. This report omits the earlier draft's unsupported executive biographies.
Chiri did not verify a current employee count or board roster. Historical team counts do not establish current staffing.
Source: n8n press information.
Classification
Primary Category: Workflow automation
Categories: AI orchestration, developer tools, business process automation
Tags: workflow automation, AI agents, visual workflow builder, self-hosted, API integrations, MCP, developers
These categories express Chiri's classification of the documented product.
How It Makes Money
n8n sells subscriptions for managed hosting and paid self-hosted editions. Self-hosted means the customer runs the software on infrastructure that the customer controls. A free Community Edition also supports self-hosting.
The pricing page bases charges on workflow executions. An execution means one workflow run. Its comparison table lists unlimited users and unlimited active workflows.
The following prices use annual billing. Chiri checked the public pricing page on October 24, 2026. Prices and plan terms can change.
| Plan | Monthly price with annual billing | Deployment |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €20 | Managed hosting |
| Pro | €50 | Managed hosting |
| Business | €667 | Self-hosted |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Managed hosting or self-hosted |
The page limits Business to companies with fewer than 100 employees. Buyers should confirm execution allowances and required features before purchase. Chiri omits startup eligibility details because the earlier evidence did not support every condition.
Sources: current pricing and hosting documentation.
Impact & Recommendations
Chiri sees value in combining visual workflows, custom code, and deployment choice. Technical teams can adapt this combination to their existing systems. This is an assessment, not a measured guarantee of business results.
The October 2025 funding announcement reports sixfold user growth and tenfold revenue growth during that year. The announcement reports a $180 million Series C round at a $2.5 billion valuation. These historical figures do not describe current revenue or customer counts.
Chiri recommends a limited trial with one real process. Measure completion quality, failure handling, maintenance effort, and operating cost. Test permissions and human approval before the workflow changes important business data.
Source: October 2025 funding announcement.
Target Audience & Use Cases
Chiri recommends n8n for technical teams that connect business systems or build AI workflows. Suitable trials include data transfer, internal assistants, and routine process automation. Buyers should test their actual integrations rather than assume every service connection meets their needs.
n8n's Stepstone case study describes a transition from Community Edition to Enterprise. It reports more than 700 active production workflows. It also describes a planned rollout across roughly 3,000 employees.
The case study identifies credential management, permissions, monitoring, and user education as important requirements. Chiri treats these results as vendor-published customer evidence. They do not establish typical results for other customers.
Source: Stepstone case study.
User Feedback & Adoption
Chiri could not load sufficient independent review evidence during this research run. This report therefore omits G2 and Capterra ratings, review counts, and review summaries. Their absence does not establish negative customer feedback.
The Stepstone case study provides one documented adoption example. It does not replace independent customer interviews or a representative review sample. Buyers should request references with similar processes and technical requirements.
Source: Stepstone case study.
Security & Compliance
n8n's security page describes annual independent audits under its SOC 2 security program. SOC means System and Organization Controls, an assurance reporting framework. The page offers a SOC 3 report and describes access to its SOC 2 report. Chiri did not inspect those audit reports.
n8n states that its managed service uses Microsoft Azure infrastructure in the European Union. It describes encryption for stored data and data in transit. Encryption converts data into a form that requires a key to read.
Self-hosted customers must configure their own protection for stored data and network traffic. Buyers should inspect the relevant audit reports and contractual terms. An audit of n8n's service does not certify a customer's own deployment.
Chiri does not describe these statements as an independent security assessment. This review does not establish that the product has no vulnerabilities.
Source: n8n security information.
Chiri Analysis
Chiri Score: 81/100
These scores retain the earlier analyst assessment. They express Chiri's judgment, not measured product performance. Human review must confirm them before publication.
| Dimension | Score | Chiri assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise readiness | 78/100 | Stepstone provides a deployment example. Buyers still need permissions, monitoring, and user training. |
| Security posture | 76/100 | n8n describes audit and encryption controls. Buyers must inspect their scope and deployment responsibilities. |
| Product depth | 88/100 | Visual workflows and custom code support different technical needs. |
| Momentum | 92/100 | Company funding disclosures show investor support, not customer success. |
| Pricing transparency | 70/100 | Public prices support initial comparisons. Execution allowances still affect total cost. |
Best for:
-
Technical teams that connect several business systems.
-
Organizations that need control over deployment.
-
Teams that test AI workflows with explicit human approval.
Not for:
-
Teams that cannot maintain a self-hosted deployment.
-
Buyers that require unrestricted commercial use without license review.
-
Organizations that require independent adoption evidence before a trial.
Head-to-head
| Competitor | Chiri assessment | Earlier assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Compare managed operations against n8n's documented deployment choice. This report does not verify Zapier's current features or prices. | n8n advantage, pending human review |
| Make | Compare workflow requirements and maintenance effort through a trial. This report does not verify Make's current features or prices. | Tie, pending human review |
The earlier comparison labels remain provisional. They do not establish a current verified comparative advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n SOC 2 compliant?
n8n describes annual independent audits under its SOC 2 program. Chiri did not inspect the audit report or its scope. Buyers should obtain the relevant report before a compliance decision.
Source: n8n security information.
How much does n8n cost?
Annual billing lists Starter at €20 monthly, Pro at €50, and Business at €667. Enterprise requires a sales quote. These are the October 24, 2026 pricing-page values, not a permanent price commitment.
Source: current pricing.
Who are n8n's main competitors?
Chiri lists Zapier and Make as candidates for comparison. This report does not verify their current features, prices, or relative market positions.
Is n8n good for enterprise use?
The Stepstone case study describes an Enterprise deployment. Chiri recommends a trial against the buyer's security, access, monitoring, and operating requirements. One case study does not establish suitability for every enterprise.
Source: Stepstone case study.
Can n8n be self-hosted?
Yes. n8n documents self-hosted deployment. The team remains responsible for setup and maintenance. The free Community Edition and paid editions have different features.
Source: hosting documentation.
Is n8n open source?
n8n describes its license as fair-code. It publishes the source under its Sustainable Use License. Buyers should check the license before commercial use. Public source access does not mean that every use has permission.
Source: n8n press information.
Which AI models does n8n support?
Its AI documentation lists providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Buyers should check support for the exact model and feature they need.
Source: AI documentation.
Where is n8n Cloud data stored?
n8n states that its managed service uses Microsoft Azure infrastructure in the European Union. Self-hosted customers choose their own infrastructure. Buyers should confirm the current hosting terms before purchase.
Source: n8n security information.
Reviewed by Chiri Atlas Research Desk on 2026-10-24. Human approval remains required before publication.