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Automation & Integration · head to head

n8n vs Fivetran

n8n logo

n8n

Automation & Integration

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fivetran logo

Fivetran

Automation & Integration

The most trusted data movement 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; Fivetran billed on monthly active rows, so the bill tracks how much source data changes rather than how much is stored or queried
  • They diverge on capability: n8n covers Workflow automation, Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which n8n and Fivetran actually diverge.

Attributes where n8n and Fivetran differ
Attributen8nFivetran
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Docker, Self-hostedWeb, Cloud
Founded20192012

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 n8n

  • Workflow automation
  • Visual editor
  • Conditional execution
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Webhooks
  • REST API
  • 400+ integrations

Only in Fivetran

  • Automated data pipeline
  • Change Data Capture
  • Data transformation
  • Real-time sync
  • Monitoring
  • Data quality
  • Notifications
  • 500+ connectors

Both cover

  • Scheduling
  • Cloud 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 Fivetran
  • Visual workflow design with capability to write custom JavaScript or Python codenot Fivetran
  • Enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud optionsnot Fivetran
  • Integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom API connectionsnot Fivetran

Fivetran

  • Managed data pipelines from SaaS sources into a warehousenot n8n
  • Keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectorsnot 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

Fivetran

  • Billed on monthly active rows, so the bill tracks how much source data changes rather than how much is stored or queried
  • Each connection follows its own cost curve, so total spend is hard to predict before running a pipeline
  • The free plan allows 500,000 monthly active rows, 3,500 activation rows and 5,000 model runs
  • Transformations are metered separately, from $0.01 per model run above 5,000 down to $0.002 above 100,000
  • A schema change upstream that touches many rows raises the bill without any change on the customer's side

Pricing, plan by plan

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

Fivetran

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited connectors
    • Basic support
  • Standard$300/month
    • 500+ connectors
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$1000/month
    • Custom connectors
    • Dedicated support

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 Fivetran if

  • You need automated data pipeline.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want change data capture.
Fivetran review

Questions people ask

Is n8n or Fivetran better?
Neither clearly leads. n8n starts at Free and Fivetran at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, n8n or Fivetran?
n8n starts at Free and Fivetran at Free.
Does n8n or Fivetran run on more platforms?
n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted. Fivetran runs on Web, Cloud.
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 Fivetran is typically brought in for.
What can n8n do that Fivetran cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Change Data Capture, Data transformation, Real-time sync. Both handle Scheduling, Cloud deployment.
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