Softwr

Automation Integration · head to head

CrewAI vs n8n

CrewAI logo

CrewAI

Automation Integration

The Enterprise Agent Build and Runtime for the work your business runs on

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
n8n logo

n8n

Automation Integration

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CrewAI free tier limited to only 50 workflow executions per month; n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrewAI and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where CrewAI and n8n differ
AttributeCrewAIn8n
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Docker, Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CrewAI

Nothing recorded that n8n does not also cover.

Only in n8n

  • Workflow automation
  • Visual editor
  • Conditional execution
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Webhooks
  • REST API

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CrewAI

  • Enriching sales leads with company revenue and insights automaticallynot n8n
  • Accelerating first contact with leads from multiple systemsnot n8n
  • Automating quality assurance testing for voice agentsnot n8n
  • Generating curriculum content and instructor materials instantlynot n8n

n8n

  • Building AI agents and workflow automation for technical teamsnot CrewAI
  • Visual workflow design with capability to write custom JavaScript or Python codenot CrewAI
  • Enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud optionsnot CrewAI
  • Integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom API connectionsnot CrewAI

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CrewAI

  • Free tier limited to only 50 workflow executions per month
  • Enterprise pricing is not published; requires contact for quote
  • No public information about paid tier pricing between free and enterprise

n8n

  • Starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • Starter and Pro tiers restricted to Cloud hosting only, not self-hosted
  • Business tier requires 6 months minimum commitment at €667/month
  • SSO/SAML/LDAP authentication requires Business or Enterprise tier
  • Dedicated support with SLA available only on Enterprise plan

Pricing, plan by plan

CrewAI

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 50 workflow executions/month
    • Visual editor and AI copilot
    • GitHub integration
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing upon request
    • Everything in Basic plus advanced features
    • Enterprise connectors

n8n

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Free self-hosted version on GitHub
    • Open source
  • Starter$20/month
    • 2,500 workflow executions
    • 5 concurrent executions
    • 2,300 AI credits/month
  • Pro$50/month
    • 10,000 workflow executions
    • 20 concurrent executions
    • 13,700 AI credits/month
  • Business$667/month
    • 40,000 workflow executions
    • Self-hosted option
    • 6 shared projects

Which should you pick?

Choose CrewAI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CrewAI review

Choose n8n if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want visual editor.
n8n review

Questions people ask

Is CrewAI or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. CrewAI starts at Free and n8n at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrewAI or n8n?
CrewAI starts at Free and n8n at Free.
Does CrewAI or n8n run on more platforms?
CrewAI runs on Web. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use CrewAI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CrewAI best used for?
CrewAI is most often used for enriching sales leads with company revenue and insights automatically, accelerating first contact with leads from multiple systems, automating quality assurance testing for voice agents, generating curriculum content and instructor materials instantly. Of those, enriching sales leads with company revenue and insights automatically and accelerating first contact with leads from multiple systems are not what n8n is typically brought in for.
What can CrewAI do that n8n cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CrewAI: Is CrewAI free?

CrewAI offers a free Basic tier that includes 50 workflow executions per month, access to the visual editor, AI copilot, and GitHub integration. Enterprise plans with custom pricing are available for larger deployments.

Source
n8n: Is there a free version of n8n?

Yes, n8n Community Edition is free and open-source, available for self-hosting on GitHub with unlimited users and workflows.

Source
CrewAI: How much does CrewAI Enterprise cost?

CrewAI Enterprise pricing is custom and available upon request. Enterprise includes dedicated VPC deployment, FedRamp High compliance, SSO and RBAC, PII redaction, and dedicated support with 45-day onboarding.

Source
n8n: What is the difference between n8n plans?

Plans differ by monthly workflow executions (2,500 for Starter, 10,000 for Pro, 40,000 for Business), concurrent execution limits, AI credits, and shared project counts.

Source
CrewAI: Can I self-host CrewAI?

Enterprise tier customers can deploy CrewAI on their own VPC or own infrastructure in addition to CrewAI cloud deployment, but specific pricing for self-hosted options is not published.

Source
n8n: Does n8n offer annual billing discounts?

Yes, n8n offers 17% off when billing annually instead of monthly, and provides a Startup Plan at 50% off Business pricing for companies under 20 employees.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on CrewAI

More on n8n

Keep looking

Other head to heads