Visual no-code automation platform with AI agents connecting 3,000+ apps.
Dify vs n8n
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Dify is best for building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows, while n8n is best for technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run. Dify has a medium learning curve, compared with high for n8n. Both Dify and n8n offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which should you choose?
Choose Dify if…
- You need building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows
- You're one of: developers building llm apps, teams needing on-premise ai, rag chatbot projects
- You want something quicker to learn
- Open-source Community Edition can be self-hosted at no cost
Choose n8n if…
- You need technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run
- You're one of: developers and technical ops teams, companies with data residency requirements, teams building llm agents
- Free self-hosted Community Edition with no execution limits
At a glance
| Dify | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows | Technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | From $590/workspace/yr | From €20/mo |
| Learning curve | Medium | High |
| Platforms | Web, API | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API |
| Ideal for | Developers building LLM apps, Teams needing on-premise AI, RAG chatbot projects, AI product prototyping | Developers and technical ops teams, Companies with data residency requirements, Teams building LLM agents, High-volume automation users |
Feature comparison
| Dify | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations, approx. | Hundreds of plugins | 400+ native nodes |
| AI agents | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Custom code steps | Yes | Yes |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes |
| Human approval steps | Yes | Yes |
| Billed per | Message credit | Execution (per workflow run) |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Dify | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| SCIM user provisioning | Enterprise plan | — |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | — |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency options | — | — |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | Enterprise plan | — |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, self-hosted, on-prem | Cloud, self-hosted |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Dify
Dify is an open-source platform for building AI applications, combining a visual workflow canvas, agent builder and RAG knowledge base pipeline. It can be used as a cloud service or self-hosted for free via the Community Edition. It is used mainly by developers and technical teams shipping AI chatbots, internal assistants and LLM-powered workflows.
Key features- Visual workflow and chatflow canvas
- Agent builder with tool calling
- RAG knowledge base with document ingestion
- Schedule, webhook and plugin triggers
- Human Input node for review and approval
- Plugin marketplace and API for every app
n8n
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation tool with a node-based visual editor, available as a managed cloud service or self-hosted via the free Community Edition. Cloud plans are billed per workflow execution regardless of how many steps a run contains. It is favoured by developers and technical operations teams building integrations and LLM agents that need code-level control.
Key features- Node-based visual workflow editor
- AI Agent node with LangChain-based tools and memory
- JavaScript and Python Code node
- Webhook triggers and HTTP Request node
- Human review of AI tool calls via Slack, Teams, Gmail or chat
- Self-hosting with Docker or npm
Pricing
Dify
Free plan (Sandbox) + open-source self-hosted; Professional $590/workspace/year
n8n
Free self-hosted Community Edition + cloud free trial; Cloud Starter from EUR 20/mo
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Dify
Strengths- Open-source Community Edition can be self-hosted at no cost
- Works with many LLM providers, including local models
- Every app is exposed as an API out of the box
- Built-in RAG pipeline removes the need for a separate vector tool
- Far fewer ready-made SaaS app connectors than Zapier or Make
- Free cloud Sandbox plan is limited to a handful of apps and message credits
- SSO and multiple workspaces require the Enterprise edition
- Self-hosting means managing Docker, upgrades and databases yourself
Not ideal for: Non-technical users who mainly want to connect everyday SaaS apps should look at Zapier or Make, which have far larger connector libraries.
n8n
Strengths- Free self-hosted Community Edition with no execution limits
- Per-execution billing is cheaper than per-step billing for long workflows
- Code nodes allow custom logic in any workflow
- Unlimited users and workflows on all cloud plans
- Fewer native integrations than Zapier or Make
- Assumes comfort with JSON, expressions and APIs
- SSO, Git version control and longer log retention need Business or Enterprise
- Self-hosting requires managing servers, updates and backups
Not ideal for: Non-technical users who want a guided, low-effort setup for common app connections will get started faster with Zapier.
Integrations
Dify
n8n
FAQ
What is the main difference between Dify and n8n?
Dify is built for building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows; n8n is built for technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run.
Is Dify or n8n cheaper?
Dify starts from $590/workspace/yr and n8n starts from €20/mo (as of September 2026). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Dify and n8n have free plans?
Both Dify and n8n offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which is easier to use, Dify or n8n?
Dify is generally quicker to learn (Dify: medium, n8n: high learning curve).
What are good alternatives to Dify and n8n?
Other automation tools worth comparing include Make, Gumloop and Lindy.
