Softwr

Software · head to head

n8n vs Airbyte

n8n logo

n8n

Software

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Airbyte logo

Airbyte

Software

The open-source ELT platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions; Airbyte the self-managed open source Core edition has no SSO or RBAC, no multiple workspaces, no row filtering or encryption, and no monitoring integrations
  • They diverge on capability: n8n covers Workflow automation, Airbyte covers Data replication.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which n8n and Airbyte actually diverge.

Attributes where n8n and Airbyte differ
Attributen8nAirbyte
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Docker, Self-hostedWeb, Self-hosted
Founded20192020

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

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 n8n

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

Only in Airbyte

  • Data replication
  • Schema detection
  • ELT pipelines
  • Real-time sync
  • Data transformation
  • Monitoring
  • Custom connectors
  • 300+ connectors

Both cover

  • Self-hosted option
  • Cloud deployment
  • Self-hosted deployment

What people use each for

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

n8n

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

Airbyte

  • Replicating data from SaaS applications into a warehousenot n8n
  • Self-hosting an open source ELT pipelinenot n8n
  • Managed data replication without running infrastructurenot n8n
  • Building connectors for sources without an off-the-shelf integrationnot n8n

Where each one falls short

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

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

Airbyte

  • The self-managed open source Core edition has no SSO or RBAC, no multiple workspaces, no row filtering or encryption, and no monitoring integrations
  • Sync frequency on Core is limited compared with the managed tiers, which offer 15 minute syncs
  • Support on the free tier is community and AI only; premium support requires Pro or Enterprise
  • The free Agents plan stops at 1,000 agent operations a month and pauses capacity until the next month once hit
  • Agent overages are billed per operation at $0.004 to $0.005 once past the plan allowance

Pricing, plan by plan

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

Airbyte

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
    • Full features
  • Cloud$50/month
    • Cloud hosted
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Airbyte if

  • You need data replication.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want schema detection.
Airbyte review

Questions people ask

Is n8n or Airbyte better?
Neither clearly leads. n8n starts at Free and Airbyte at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, n8n or Airbyte?
n8n starts at Free and Airbyte at Free.
Does n8n or Airbyte run on more platforms?
n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted. Airbyte runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use n8n for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is n8n best used for?
n8n is most often used for building ai agents and workflow automation for technical teams, visual workflow design with capability to write custom javascript or python code, enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud options, integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom api connections. Of those, building ai agents and workflow automation for technical teams and visual workflow design with capability to write custom javascript or python code are not what Airbyte is typically brought in for.
What can n8n do that Airbyte cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Airbyte covers Data replication, Schema detection, ELT pipelines, Real-time sync. Both handle Self-hosted option, Cloud deployment, Self-hosted deployment.
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