Head to head · Agents & automation · updated Oct 17, 2026
n8n vs Langflow
n8n scores 100 to Langflow's 98 on public evidence for AI workflow automation, and they rank #1 and #2 there. Both are free to start. Numbers below are the same public signals the ranking uses, recomputed nightly — nothing here is sponsored.
n8n
Fair-code workflow automation with native AI agent nodes and self-hosting.
+ Self-hostable with code nodes and LangChain-based AI nodes at a fraction of Zapier's cost.
− Sustainable Use licence is not OSI open source and the learning curve is steeper than Zapier.
Langflow
Visual low-code builder for RAG and multi-agent flows, acquired by DataStax and now part of IBM.
+ Python-native components can be edited inline, so flows are not limited to built-in nodes.
− Several critical security vulnerabilities in 2025 made exposed instances risky.
Side by side
public evidence| n8n | Langflow | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence score / 100 | 100 | 98 |
| GitHub stars | 207,742 | 155,764 |
| Hacker News stories, 30d | 0 | 0 |
| Release-feed mentions, 30d | 0 | 0 |
| Last activity | 0 days ago | 0 days ago |
| Pricing | Free tier · Self-host free; Cloud from about $24/mo | Open source · Free self-hosted |
| Platforms | web, linux, mac, windows | web, linux, mac, windows |
| Maker | n8n | Langflow (IBM/DataStax) |
Which one?
Pick n8n if
- you want the stronger public evidence (100 vs 98)
Best for technical users who want cheap, self-hosted automations.
Pick Langflow if
Python-native components can be edited inline, so flows are not limited to built-in nodes.
Best for Python developers who want a visual canvas.