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n8n vs Refly.ai

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Both have one
Public API
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Refly.ai — 90 vs 75 for n8n
Best fit
n8n: Technical teams that want to self-host automation with Docker, on-prem or air-gapped · Refly.ai: Non-technical creators automating repetitive content or research tasks
Platforms
n8n: Web, Linux · Refly.ai: Web

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

n8nWorkflow automation with AI-agent nodes that runs on n8n's cloud or self-hosted from GitHubRefly.aiOpen-source workflow builder where non-developers describe automations in plain language, executed on Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex.

Side by side

Factn8nRefly.ai
CategoryWorkflow Automation PlatformsAI Workflow Builders
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at—$19.90/mo
Public APIYesYes
Trust score75 / 10090 / 100
PlatformsWeb, Linux, APIWeb, API
Companyn8n GmbHRefly
Launched—2024
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

n8n

The automation tool to pick when you want agents and integrations on one canvas and the option to run it on your own hardware; self-hosting from GitHub is the escape hatch Zapier and Make do not offer. Cloud pricing is per execution rather than per task, which rewards long workflows, but the monthly figures hide behind a toggle and the Business tier is a self-hosted licence at a very different price point.

Pros

  • Self-hosted Community Edition on GitHub under a fair-code licence, with 207k stars
  • Agent, model, MCP and RAG nodes alongside 500+ app integrations
  • JavaScript or Python at any step, with a canvas that traces agent reasoning
  • Execution-based cloud billing with unlimited steps per execution
  • Public REST API on all self-hosted editions and on cloud Starter and above

Cons

  • Cloud prices were shown only in euros and only as annual-billing figures
  • Business tier (€667 a month) is self-hosted only, with cloud availability on a waitlist
  • Fair-code licence is not OSI open source, which matters for some corporate policies
  • Forum-only support below Enterprise

Refly.ai

Refly turns a written description of a task into a repeatable, versioned automation that runs on top of existing coding agents rather than a proprietary model. Being open-source and self-hostable is a real advantage for technical teams, but the 'vibe'-based approach still needs testing to see how well it holds up on complex, multi-step automations.

Pros

  • Open-source, so the code can be audited or self-hosted
  • Runs on top of existing coding-agent backends instead of a single proprietary model
  • Free tier gives 100 credits a day to test before paying
  • Seed funding from known venture investors backs its continuity

Cons

  • Natural-language 'vibe' workflows can behave unpredictably on complex, multi-step automations
  • Being newer and open-source, the integration ecosystem is smaller than established workflow tools
  • Credit-based pricing makes heavy usage costs harder to predict than a flat seat price

Which one fits

Choose n8n if you need

  • Technical teams that want to self-host automation with Docker, on-prem or air-gapped
  • Builders combining LLM agents, MCP tools and RAG with ordinary app integrations
  • Workflows with many steps, since billing counts executions rather than individual operations

Choose Refly.ai if you need

  • Non-technical creators automating repetitive content or research tasks
  • Teams that want to self-host an open-source workflow builder instead of a closed SaaS tool

n8n vs Refly.ai: the questions people ask

Is n8n cheaper than Refly.ai?

Refly.ai starts at $19.90/mo. n8n has a free tier; what its paid plans cost is not confirmed by us yet.

Does n8n or Refly.ai have a free tier?

Both: n8n has a free tier, and Refly.ai has a free tier.

Which has a public API, n8n or Refly.ai?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

More comparisons

All n8n alternatives →All Refly.ai alternatives →Browse all Workflow Automation Platforms →