Automation tools usually come with a nasty catch. They’re either expensive to scale, or they’re too restrictive, locking you into a “no-code” walled garden that falls apart the moment you need custom logic.
This friction between cost and capability is the biggest barrier to actual efficiency.
That’s where n8n enters the picture. It’s an open-source alternative that doesn’t just undercut competitors on price; it changes the philosophy of who owns automation and how it should be built.
I recently started building my automation workflows with self-hosted n8n and it’s truly amazing how flexible this can be.
Here are five uncomfortable truths about n8n that you won’t see on the landing page, but need to understand before you build your next workflow.
1. The Pricing Model Philosophy
People gravitate toward n8n because it’s cheap, but few understand why.
Platforms like Zapier run on a “pay-per-task” model. Every time you breathe, it costs a credit. n8n uses a “pay-per-execution” model. A workflow run counts as one execution, whether it has five steps or five hundred.
Think about the math:
If you have a Shopify workflow that triggers 10 actions (updates CRM, Slack, Sheets, Email, etc.) and it runs 20,000 times a month:
- Zapier: That’s 200,000 tasks. You’re looking at a bill north of $500/month.
- n8n: That’s 20,000 executions. You’re paying roughly $50–$120.
- Self-hosted n8n: You pay $0 for the software. You just pay for your own server.
This changes your mindset as an architect. You stop asking, “How can I use fewer steps to save money?” and start asking, “What is the best way to solve this problem?”
2. You Own Your Data
Using Zapier or Make requires a leap of faith. You are processing customer data and API keys on their servers.
n8n’s self-hosting capability is the only real answer for data sovereignty. You can run it on your own metal or private cloud. The data never leaves your perimeter.
If you are in a regulated industry like finance or healthcare, this isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a requirement. Security stops being a third-party feature and becomes part of your own infrastructure.
3. It’s Not About Pre-Built Integrations
Zapier boasts 8,000+ apps. That sounds impressive until you realize they are optimized for surface-level tasks. n8n doesn’t try to win on quantity; it wins on extensibility.
Two nodes make n8n infinitely more powerful than its competitors:
- The HTTP Request Node: This is your backdoor. It connects to any service with a REST API, regardless of whether an “official” integration exists.
- The Code Node: Drop in custom JavaScript or Python. Need to manipulate a date format or run complex regex? Just code it.
4. The “Digital Assembly Line” Law
If you are coming from other tools, you need to learn the “One-Per-Input” rule, or you will break things.
A node runs once for every item it receives.
If you pass a list of 500 leads into a “Split Out” node, you create 500 items. If your next step is an AI call, the AI runs 500 times. You just burned your budget in three seconds.
The fix? Pass the list as a single object. The AI runs once.
Understanding this data structure is the difference between a scalable system and an expensive mistake.
5. Don’t Just Do Tasks, Build Agents
Most tools use AI to generate text. n8n lets you build AI Agents that can reason.
You can equip these agents with tools (web search, database access) and memory. Even better, you can chain them. You can build a “Manager” agent that analyzes a request and delegates sub-tasks to “Worker” agents.
This moves you from simple automation (following instructions) to orchestration (making decisions). It’s not just a workflow anymore; it’s a digital team.
The Bottom Line
n8n challenges you to stop thinking about “connecting apps” and start thinking about architecting systems. It’s cheaper, sure. But more importantly, it gives you the control to build things that are actually robust.
Now that you know the constraints are gone, what’s the one process you always thought was “too complex” to automate?
And finally, Happy New Year everyone, Wishing you all a 2026 full of Health, Happiness, AI, and Automation 🙂