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Automation Integration · head to head

Hatchet vs n8n

Hatchet logo

Hatchet

Automation Integration

Postgres-backed distributed task queue and workflow engine for Python, TypeScript and Go

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: Hatchet postgres as the queue backend simplifies operations but sets a throughput ceiling, and very high task rates require database tuning or partitioning work that a purpose-built queue would not demand.; n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • They diverge on capability: Hatchet covers Postgres-backed queue, n8n covers Workflow automation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hatchet and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where Hatchet and n8n differ
AttributeHatchetn8n
Pricing modelPer month by task run countsubscription
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb, 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 Hatchet

  • Postgres-backed queue
  • Durable execution
  • DAG workflows
  • Concurrency and fairness
  • Rate limiting
  • Cron and scheduling
  • Multi-language SDKs
  • Self-hosting

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.

Hatchet

  • An AI product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflownot n8n
  • A team that outgrew Celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building themnot n8n
  • An engineering group that wants durable execution self-hosted with no datastore beyond the Postgres they already runnot n8n
  • A multi-tenant SaaS that needs one noisy customer's jobs not to starve everyone else'snot n8n

n8n

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hatchet

  • Postgres as the queue backend simplifies operations but sets a throughput ceiling, and very high task rates require database tuning or partitioning work that a purpose-built queue would not demand.
  • Data retention on the managed tiers is three days on Team and seven on Scale, which is short for debugging intermittent failures and forces you to export run history elsewhere.
  • The step from the free tier to Team is 500 US dollars a month plus usage, which is a large increment for a small team that simply needs a production SLA.
  • Hatchet is a young company in a category with Temporal, Inngest and cloud-native alternatives already established, so ecosystem, hiring pool and third-party material are all thin.
  • Self-hosting the MIT engine is realistic but you then run the engine, its Postgres and its workers yourself, and the managed features such as audit logs and support are not part of that.

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

Hatchet

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • First 100,000 task runs included
    • $10 per million task runs after
    • No card required
  • Team$500/month
    • Usage billed on top of the base fee
    • 10 users and 5 tenants
    • 3 day data retention
  • Scale$1000/month
    • Unlimited users and tenants
    • 7 day data retention
    • Audit logs
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • 300 million plus runs a month
    • Latency guarantees and custom SLAs
    • SSO and audit logging

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 Hatchet if

  • You need postgres-backed queue.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want durable execution.
Hatchet 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 Hatchet or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. Hatchet 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, Hatchet or n8n?
Hatchet starts at Free and n8n at Free.
Does Hatchet or n8n run on more platforms?
Hatchet runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Hatchet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hatchet best used for?
Hatchet is most often used for an ai product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflow, a team that outgrew celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building them, an engineering group that wants durable execution self-hosted with no datastore beyond the postgres they already run, a multi-tenant saas that needs one noisy customer's jobs not to starve everyone else's. Of those, an ai product running long agent pipelines that must survive worker restarts and resume mid-workflow and a team that outgrew celery and wants concurrency keys, fairness and rate limiting without building them are not what n8n is typically brought in for.
What can Hatchet do that n8n cannot?
Hatchet covers Postgres-backed queue, Durable execution, DAG workflows, Concurrency and fairness. n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hatchet: Is Hatchet open source?

Yes, the engine is MIT licensed and can be self-hosted, with a managed cloud offered alongside.

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
Hatchet: What does it cost?

Free for the first 100,000 task runs, then 10 US dollars per million. Team is 500 US dollars a month plus usage; Scale is 1,000.

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
Hatchet: Why Postgres as the queue?

So durable task state lives in a database your team already backs up, replicates and can inspect with SQL, instead of a second system.

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
Hatchet: How does it compare with Temporal?

Lighter to adopt and operate, with a much smaller ecosystem and a lower throughput ceiling from the Postgres backend.

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