n8n vs Lindy
n8n is an open, self-hostable workflow-automation platform with a public API and 400+ integrations — you build the agentic automation yourself, on flat, per-execution pricing — while Lindy is a closed, cloud-only, ready-made AI executive assistant you text over iMessage/SMS with no API at all, priced on metered usage credits, so the real choice is build-your-own automation infrastructure versus a finished assistant product.
| Feature | n8nVisit n8n ↗ | LindyVisit Lindy ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Source-available workflow automation with native AI-agent nodes, self-hostable and integration-rich. | An AI executive assistant you text over iMessage or SMS, built on a no-code agent platform still available underneath. |
| Category | Agent platforms | Agent platforms |
| Pricing | Free | $49.99 / month |
| Tier | Listed | Listed |
| API | Yes | - |
| Tags |
n8n and Lindy both sit in the "agent platforms" category, but they start from opposite premises. n8n gives you a visual canvas, 400+ app integrations and native AI-agent nodes, and you build the automation yourself — self-hosted for free under its fair-code license, or on n8n's managed Cloud. Lindy skips the building step: connect your phone number, Gmail or Outlook and your calendar, and it starts texting you over iMessage (iOS) or standard SMS (Android) — triaging email, prepping meetings, chasing follow-ups — with a no-code "App Builder" for custom agents still available underneath, though that is no longer what Lindy leads with.
Pricing follows the same split. n8n's Community edition is free to self-host; its Cloud starts at €20/month (Starter: 2,500 workflow executions/month, 5 concurrent, 2,300 AI credits), scaling to €50/month (Pro: 10,000 executions, 20 concurrent, up to 13,700 AI credits) and €667/month (Business: 40,000 executions, SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control), with custom Enterprise above that. Lindy has no permanent free plan — only a 7-day free trial — then Plus at $49.99/month (2 inboxes, standard usage), Pro at $99.99/month (3x usage, 3 inboxes, computer-use browser automation, model choice) and Max at $199.99/month (7x usage, 5 inboxes), with custom Enterprise (SSO, SCIM, HIPAA/BAA) above that. n8n meters by workflow execution; Lindy meters by usage credit, and once a plan's monthly allotment runs out, overage work bills at 2x the standard credit rate.
Access is the other real gap. n8n is source-available (fair-code, not OSI-approved open source — check the licence before commercial resale of a self-hosted deployment) and ships a public API; its root GitHub repository has 197,636 stars and 59,566 forks, checked live 2026-07-23. Lindy is closed-source, cloud-only, and publishes no API at all — everything runs through its own text interface and web app. That matters for anyone who wants to wire agent automation into other software: n8n's API and 400+ integrations make it embeddable into a broader stack, while Lindy is a closed product you use as-is, leaning instead on 100+ native integrations (Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce, Notion, Zoom) that cover most everyday business tools without needing an API.
Verdict
Building custom agentic automations that need to plug into other systems, want self-hosting for data control, or want flat, predictable per-execution pricing → n8n. Want a working AI assistant today without building anything, and are fine texting over iMessage/SMS with credit-metered usage → Lindy. Want the finished-assistant experience but still need occasional custom workflows → Lindy's underlying no-code "App Builder" agent product still exists, just isn't the headline pitch. Need an API to integrate agent automation into your own software → only n8n has one; Lindy has none at any tier.
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Frequently asked questions
- Does n8n or Lindy have an API?
- n8n does — it ships a public API alongside its 400+ app integrations. Lindy has no API at any tier; it is a closed product you interact with only through its text interface (iMessage/SMS) and web app.
- Is either n8n or Lindy free?
- n8n's Community edition is free to self-host under its fair-code licence, with paid Cloud tiers starting at €20/month. Lindy has no permanent free plan — only a 7-day free trial with full Plus access — after which paid plans start at $49.99/month.
- Can I self-host either tool?
- n8n, yes — self-hosting is a core strength, free under its fair-code licence. Lindy is cloud-only with no self-host option.
- How does the pricing actually work?
- n8n meters by workflow execution — 2,500/month on the €20 Starter tier up to 40,000/month on the €667 Business tier, with custom Enterprise above that. Lindy meters by usage credit inside fixed monthly tiers ($49.99-$199.99), and once a plan's monthly credit allotment runs out, overage work bills at 2x the standard rate.
- Which is easier to get started with for a non-technical user?
- Lindy — connect your phone number and inbox and it starts texting you, no workflow to build. n8n's visual canvas is more approachable than writing code, but you still design and wire the automation yourself, which suits ops and technical users more than someone who wants a finished assistant on day one.
See also: Best AI agents
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