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Automation Integration · head to head

n8n vs Nebula

n8n logo

n8n

Automation Integration

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nebula logo

Nebula

Networking

Certificate based overlay network from Slack, with identity and firewall rules carried in the certificate

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions; Nebula the open source project has no user interface, no enrolment workflow and no revocation service, so certificate issuing, distribution and expiry become scripts you write and then have to keep working.
  • They diverge on capability: n8n covers Workflow automation, Nebula covers Certificate carried identity.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which n8n and Nebula actually diverge.

Attributes where n8n and Nebula differ
Attributen8nNebula
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Docker, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSD
CategoryAutomation IntegrationNetworking
Founded2019Unknown

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

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 Nebula

  • Certificate carried identity
  • Group based host firewall
  • Lighthouse discovery
  • Noise protocol encryption
  • Unsafe routes
  • Managed option

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

Nebula

  • Flattening a network across several clouds and datacentres without VPC peering or route tablesnot n8n
  • Very large fleets where a central policy service on the connection path is unacceptablenot n8n
  • Environments that already run an internal certificate authority and want the network to use itnot n8n
  • Replacing per host iptables rules with policy written against roles that follow the hostnot 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

Nebula

  • The open source project has no user interface, no enrolment workflow and no revocation service, so certificate issuing, distribution and expiry become scripts you write and then have to keep working.
  • Revoking a compromised host means distributing a blocklist entry to every other host and reloading them, which is a fleet wide operation rather than a click, and easy to get wrong under pressure.
  • Changing a host group membership means reissuing and redeploying its certificate, so policy changes are a deployment rather than a configuration edit.
  • There is no identity provider integration or single sign on in the open source version, so it maps well to servers and badly to a fleet of user laptops.
  • NAT traversal is best effort and hosts behind symmetric NAT need a relay configured deliberately, so connectivity failures show up as intermittent rather than immediate and are awkward to diagnose.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Nebula

Free
  • NebulaFree
    • Full functionality under the MIT licence
    • No host limit
    • You operate the certificate authority and lighthouses
  • Defined Networking$undefined/month
    • Hosted control plane and enrolment
    • Managed certificate lifecycle and revocation
    • Policy and DNS interface

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 Nebula if

  • You need certificate carried identity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSD.
  • You also want group based host firewall.
Nebula review

Questions people ask

Is n8n or Nebula better?
Neither clearly leads. n8n starts at Free and Nebula at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, n8n or Nebula?
n8n starts at Free and Nebula at Free.
Does n8n or Nebula run on more platforms?
n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted. Nebula runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, FreeBSD.
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 Nebula is typically brought in for.
What can n8n do that Nebula cannot?
n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Nebula covers Certificate carried identity, Group based host firewall, Lighthouse discovery, Noise protocol encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Nebula: Does it use WireGuard?

No. Nebula predates the common WireGuard mesh tools and uses the Noise protocol framework with its own certificate format.

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
Nebula: Can I run it without Defined Networking?

Yes, entirely. Defined Networking sells the control plane conveniences, not the network itself.

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
Nebula: How do I revoke a host?

Add its certificate fingerprint to the blocklist in the configuration of the other hosts and reload them. There is no online revocation check.

Nebula: Is it a good fit for laptops?

Less so than the identity provider based tools. There is no single sign on, so every laptop needs a certificate issued and renewed by whatever process you build.

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