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Automation Integration · head to head

Inngest vs n8n

Inngest logo

Inngest

Automation Integration

Unbreakable Agents. Invisible Infra.

From
Free
Rated
-
n8n logo

n8n

Automation Integration

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Inngest hobby plans pause execution once free quota exhausted; upgrade required to continue; 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 Inngest and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where Inngest and n8n differ
AttributeInngestn8n
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 Inngest

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.

Inngest

  • Handling unpredictable LLM behavior with fine-grained error controlnot n8n
  • Retrying failed workflow steps independently without restartingnot n8n
  • Rate limiting per-tenant usage on shared infrastructurenot n8n
  • Processing thousands of webhooks per event with replay capabilitynot n8n
  • Persisting state across serverless function invocationsnot n8n

n8n

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

Where each one falls short

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

Inngest

  • Hobby plans pause execution once free quota exhausted; upgrade required to continue
  • Pro plan overages carry tiered metering: additional concurrent steps at $25 per 25, span data at $3/GB, scores at $1.50 per 1K, events at $0.50 per 1M

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

Inngest

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 50k executions/month
    • 5 concurrent steps
    • 500 MB span data
  • Pro$99/month starting
    • 1M executions included, pay-as-you-go up to 20M
    • 100+ concurrent steps
    • 5 GB span data ingested
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • customizable metrics
    • 90-day trace retention
    • SAML, RBAC, audit trails

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 Inngest if

  • You want to start without paying.

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.

Questions people ask

Is Inngest or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. Inngest 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, Inngest or n8n?
Inngest starts at Free and n8n at Free.
Does Inngest or n8n run on more platforms?
Inngest runs on Web. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Inngest for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Inngest best used for?
Inngest is most often used for handling unpredictable llm behavior with fine-grained error control, retrying failed workflow steps independently without restarting, rate limiting per-tenant usage on shared infrastructure, processing thousands of webhooks per event with replay capability. Of those, handling unpredictable llm behavior with fine-grained error control and retrying failed workflow steps independently without restarting are not what n8n is typically brought in for.
What can Inngest do that n8n cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Inngest: How much does Inngest cost?

Inngest offers a free Hobby plan with 50k executions per month and up to 3 users. Pro plans start at $99 per month with 1M executions included and support for up to 15 users. Additional Pro users cost $10 each. Enterprise plans require custom pricing.

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
Inngest: Is there a free version of Inngest?

Yes, the Hobby plan is completely free and includes 50k executions per month, 5 concurrent steps, 500 MB span data ingested, 10K scores, 500k events ingested, and support for up to 3 users. Plan changes pause execution once the free quota is exhausted.

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
Inngest: What are the overage costs on Inngest Pro?

Inngest Pro includes 1M executions with additional executions at $0.50 per 1M up to 20M. Span data overages cost $3 per GB, scores at $1.50 per 1K, and events at $0.50 per 1M. Additional concurrent steps cost $25 per 25 steps beyond the included 100+.

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
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