Activepieces vs n8n
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Activepieces
Open-source no-code business automation
VS
n8n
Workflow automation with a node-based editor
| Feature | Activepieces | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | MIT | Sustainable Use License |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,620 | ★ 199,764 |
| First released | 2022 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Zapier, Make | Zapier, Make |
Why pick each one
Choose Activepieces if…
- Truly open-source license
- Friendly no-code UI
- Active development
Frequently asked questions
Is Activepieces or n8n better?
Neither is universally better. n8n has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Activepieces and n8n free and open-source?
Yes. Activepieces is licensed under MIT and n8n under Sustainable Use License. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Activepieces and n8n with Docker?
Activepieces: yes. n8n: yes.