If you have ever found yourself copying data between apps, sending the same email every Monday morning, or wishing there were a way to connect your tools without hiring a developer, you have already identified the problem that n8n was built to solve. n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”, short for “nodemation”) is an open-source workflow automation platform that lets you connect apps, automate repetitive tasks, and build internal tools — all without writing a single line of code if you do not want to. For UK businesses that are tired of per-task pricing or uncomfortable sending their data to American cloud platforms, it has become one of the most compelling alternatives to tools like Zapier and Make.
Who Makes n8n and Where Did It Come From?
n8n was created by Jan Oberhauser and is developed by n8n GmbH, a Berlin-based company founded in 2019. Despite being relatively young, it has grown rapidly, attracting a large open-source community and significant venture backing. The project is available on GitHub with tens of thousands of stars, and the community has contributed hundreds of integrations. The company operates on a “fair-code” model — more on that shortly — which means the source code is publicly available, but with some conditions attached for commercial use of the hosted product.
How Does n8n Compare to Zapier and Make?
If you are familiar with Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat), you will recognise the concept immediately: connect two or more apps, define a trigger, and automate what happens next. n8n follows the same fundamental idea, but with some meaningful differences.
- Self-hosting: Unlike Zapier and Make, which are cloud-only SaaS products, n8n can be installed and run on your own server. Your data never leaves your infrastructure.
- Pricing model: Zapier and Make both charge based on the number of tasks or operations you run each month. n8n’s self-hosted version is free to use regardless of how many workflows or executions you run.
- Developer-friendliness: n8n supports custom code nodes (JavaScript or Python), expressions, and complex branching logic. It sits comfortably between a no-code tool and a proper developer platform.
- Complexity ceiling: Zapier is simpler but more limited. n8n can handle multi-step, conditional, and looping workflows that would be impossible or prohibitively expensive on Zapier.
For straightforward two-app connections, Zapier is arguably quicker to get started with. But for anything more complex — or for anyone who values data control — n8n quickly pulls ahead.
The Key Concepts You Need to Know
Workflows
A workflow is the end-to-end automation you build in n8n. It is a visual diagram of connected steps, from the initial trigger right through to the final action. You can have as many workflows as you like, and they can run on a schedule, in response to an event, or be triggered manually.
Triggers
Every workflow starts with a trigger — the event that sets it in motion. This might be a new row in a Google Sheet, an incoming webhook from another service, a scheduled time (such as every weekday at 9am), or a new email arriving in an inbox. Without a trigger, nothing runs.
Nodes
Nodes are the building blocks of a workflow. Each node represents either a trigger, an action in an external app, or a data transformation step. n8n ships with over 400 built-in nodes covering tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, GitHub, Notion, Airtable, Stripe, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and many more. There are also generic nodes — HTTP Request, Code, and Set — that let you connect to anything with an API or manipulate data directly.
Connections
Connections are the lines that link nodes together, passing data from one step to the next. n8n uses a concept called “items” — each piece of data flowing through the workflow is an item, and nodes can process one item or hundreds in a single execution.
Two Ways to Run n8n
n8n Cloud
If you would rather not manage infrastructure, n8n offers a hosted SaaS product called n8n Cloud. There is a free tier suitable for light use, with paid plans that unlock more workflows, executions, and team features. The Cloud product is straightforward to set up — create an account, build your first workflow, and you are running within minutes. This is ideal for individuals or small teams who want to try n8n without any server management.
Self-Hosted
The self-hosted option is where n8n truly sets itself apart. Using Docker, you can run n8n on a VPS, a home server, or any cloud provider in a matter of minutes. A basic deployment requires just a single Docker command, though most production setups add a PostgreSQL database and a reverse proxy such as nginx. Once running, the self-hosted version is free — there are no per-execution charges, no seat limits, and no data leaving your environment. For most self-hosting use cases, the fair-code licence imposes no restrictions whatsoever.
The Fair-Code Licence Explained
n8n is not licensed under a traditional open-source licence like MIT or GPL. Instead, it uses a “fair-code” model — specifically the Sustainable Use Licence and the n8n Enterprise Licence. In practice, this means the source code is fully visible and available, self-hosting is free for personal and internal business use, and you can modify the code for your own needs. The restrictions primarily apply if you want to offer n8n as a managed service to third parties or embed it into a commercial product. For the overwhelming majority of UK businesses running n8n internally, the licence is effectively no different from open-source.
What Can You Actually Use n8n For?
- Connecting apps without code: Automatically sync contacts between a CRM and a mailing list, or push form submissions into a spreadsheet.
- Automating repetitive tasks: Generate and send weekly reports, process inbound emails, or monitor websites for changes.
- Building internal tools: Create lightweight approval workflows, employee onboarding automations, or data pipelines between internal systems.
- AI automation pipelines: n8n has built-in nodes for OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI providers, making it straightforward to build pipelines that summarise documents, classify data, or generate content automatically.
Why UK Businesses Are Choosing n8n
n8n has gained particular traction among UK startups, digital agencies, and IT-conscious SMBs. The per-task pricing model of Zapier is a common pain point — a busy team can quickly burn through a free tier and face a steep bill as usage grows. n8n’s self-hosted model removes that ceiling entirely.
There is also a GDPR dimension that resonates strongly with UK and European businesses. When you self-host n8n, all workflow data — customer records, email content, API responses — stays on your own server, in your own jurisdiction. There is no third-party cloud platform processing your data on your behalf, which simplifies your data processing records and removes a category of supplier risk entirely. For businesses handling sensitive client data, healthcare information, or financial records, this is a significant consideration that cloud-only alternatives simply cannot address in the same way.
Whether you are a solo developer building internal tools, a marketing team looking to replace a growing Zapier bill, or an IT manager evaluating automation platforms for a growing business, n8n offers a genuinely compelling combination of power, flexibility, and control — and the self-hosted route means you can get started without spending a penny.
Related n8n Guides
- n8n — The Complete Self-Hosted Automation Guide
- How to Install n8n with Docker: Self-Hosted Setup Guide
- n8n vs Zapier vs Make: Which Automation Tool Should You Choose?
- How to Build Your First n8n Workflow: A Beginner’s Guide
- n8n + Gmail: How to Automate Your Email
