Softwr

Automation & Integration · head to head

Power Automate vs n8n

Power Automate logo

Power Automate

Automation & Integration

Automate your workflows with cloud and desktop RPA

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: Power Automate unattended automation is priced per bot rather than per user, at $150 a bot per month against $15 per user for the attended Premium plan; n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • They diverge on capability: Power Automate covers Cloud flows, n8n covers Workflow automation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Power Automate and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where Power Automate and n8n differ
AttributePower Automaten8n
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWeb, DesktopWeb, Docker, Self-hosted
Founded20162019

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 Power Automate

  • Cloud flows
  • Desktop RPA
  • Button flows
  • Automated flows
  • Scheduled flows
  • Approvals
  • Business process flows
  • Analytics

Only in n8n

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Power Automate

  • Automating business processes across Microsoft 365 and other applicationsnot n8n
  • Running attended and unattended robotic process automationnot n8n

n8n

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

Where each one falls short

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

Power Automate

  • Unattended automation is priced per bot rather than per user, at $150 a bot per month against $15 per user for the attended Premium plan
  • Having Microsoft host the virtual machine for a bot adds $65 a month, taking it to $215 per bot
  • Every published price requires annual payment
  • Copilot Studio is a separate product at $200 a month for 25,000 credits rather than an included feature

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

Power Automate

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 300 flows
    • Limited capacity
  • Cloud flows$15/month
    • Unlimited flows
    • Advanced features
  • Desktop flows$75/month
    • RPA capabilities
    • UI automation
    • Advanced features

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Power Automate if

  • You need cloud flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want desktop rpa.
Power Automate 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 Power Automate or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. Power Automate 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, Power Automate or n8n?
Power Automate starts at Free and n8n at Free.
Does Power Automate or n8n run on more platforms?
Power Automate runs on Web, Desktop. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Power Automate for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Power Automate best used for?
Power Automate is most often used for automating business processes across microsoft 365 and other applications, running attended and unattended robotic process automation. Of those, automating business processes across microsoft 365 and other applications and running attended and unattended robotic process automation are not what n8n is typically brought in for.
What can Power Automate do that n8n cannot?
Power Automate covers Cloud flows, Desktop RPA, Button flows, Automated flows. n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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