n8n and Lindy are both automation platforms that reduce repetitive work, but they take different paths. n8n began as an open-source system for developers and now includes AI agents that blend natural-language input with logic-based workflows. Lindy was built around AI agents from the start, turning plain-language instructions into automated actions.
Both platforms aim to simplify automation, yet they serve different audiences. The key differences show up in setup, pricing, and how much control each platform gives. These contrasts help business owners and teams pick the option that fits their skills and goals.
What is n8n?
n8n is a workflow automation platform built for flexibility and control. It uses a node-based editor where each step represents a data source, action, or logic path. Teams can self-host for full ownership or use the managed cloud service for easier setup.
In October 2025, n8n introduced AI agents in beta, allowing users to build workflows through natural language. These agents combine decision-making with automation logic, helping teams create adaptive workflows without writing extensive code.
Strengths
- Open-source with a free self-hosted option.
- Highly customizable with custom nodes, API connections, and scripting support.
- Gives full control over data, hosting and privacy.
- Adds AI agents for more adaptive, context-aware automation.
- Strong fit for technical teams and developers building advanced workflows.
- Predictable pricing based on executions; costs stay consistent even for complex workflows.
Drawbacks
- Requires setup and ongoing maintenance when self-hosted.
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical users.
- Requires more manual setup to connect apps compared to plug-and-play platforms.
Dive deeper: n8n Review: Is This Open-Source Automation Tool Worth It?
What is Lindy?
Lindy is an AI-driven automation platform built around natural language. Instead of creating workflows step by step, users describe what they want to automate, and Lindy’s AI agents handle the logic behind the scenes. It’s designed to make automation accessible for non-technical teams while still offering depth for advanced users.
The platform connects to common business apps and can perform tasks like scheduling, outreach, and data handling through AI-powered reasoning. Each workflow runs as an intelligent agent that interprets instructions, maintains context, and executes multi-step processes automatically.
Strengths
- Natural-language automation with AI agents that understand goals and context.
- No-code setup designed for non-technical users.
- Integrates with popular tools for communication, scheduling, and operations.
- AI reasoning adapts workflows as conditions change.
- Cloud-based with minimal setup or maintenance required.
Drawbacks
- Less customizable than open-source platforms like n8n.
- Limited control over data storage and hosting.
- Fewer options for advanced logic or branching.
- Pricing depends on AI usage, which can increase costs as automations scale.
- Credit-based pricing has fixed limits with no overages, which means workflows can pause mid-month if the credit balance runs out.
Dive deeper: Lindy Review (2025): Can AI Agents Really Run Your Workflows?
n8n vs Lindy: Feature comparison
Feature differences between n8n and Lindy shape how each platform fits into different workflows. n8n emphasizes flexibility, giving users full control over logic, hosting, and integrations. Lindy focuses on simplicity, using AI agents and natural language to make automation faster to set up and easier to maintain.
| Category | n8n | Lindy |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free self-hosted option; paid cloud plans based on executions and users. | Free plan available; paid tiers offer higher credit limits for increased automation needs. |
| Integrations | Broad library of pre-built and community nodes with strong API support. | Broad library connecting to common business tools through built-in and AI-driven integrations. |
| Ease of use | Built for technical users; requires setup and configuration. New AI agents simplify setup through natural-language prompts. | No-code interface powered by AI agents for fast, conversational workflow creation. |
| Customization | Highly flexible with custom nodes, API access, and self-hosting options. | More limited for custom builds; centered on AI-driven automation and credit-based workflows. |
| Scalability | Scales with server resources; ideal for teams managing their own infrastructure. | Cloud-based scaling managed automatically for users. |
Pricing comparison
n8n and Lindy both use plan-based pricing but measure usage in different ways. n8n’s plans are based on executions, which represent full workflow runs. Lindy’s pricing is based on credits, which represent smaller units of automated work. Each workflow step in Lindy consumes credits from a fixed monthly allowance. Both systems offer predictable monthly plans, but teams can upgrade to higher tiers if they need more credits or executions.
n8n pricing tiers
| Plan | Monthly pricing | Annual (per month) | Executions included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted / Community | $0 licensing | $0 licensing | Infra-dependent |
| Starter | $24 | $20 | 2,500 |
| Pro | $60 | $50 | 10,000 |
| Business | $800 | $667 | 40,000 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom |
n8n’s model counts one execution for every complete workflow run, regardless of steps. This structure keeps costs predictable, especially for complex automations with many branches or steps. Teams with technical resources can also self-host to manage infrastructure and scale without per-step charges.
Lindy pricing tiers
| Plan | Monthly pricing | Annual pricing | Included credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 400 |
| Pro | $149.99 | $99.99 | 10,000 |
| Business | $299.99 | $199.99 | 10,000 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Lindy’s plans include a fixed number of credits that determine how much automation can run each month. Each action or AI-driven step uses a portion of those credits, with complex processes consuming more. Monthly costs stay consistent within each plan. Teams that reach their credit limit can upgrade to a higher tier for additional usage.
How usage is measured
n8n and Lindy both run automations based on workflow activity, but they measure usage differently. n8n’s model is based on executions, while Lindy’s is built on credits. The difference affects how teams plan and predict costs as workflows become more complex or run more frequently.
n8n counts executions. Each complete workflow run counts as one execution, no matter how many steps it includes. This makes usage straightforward to track and predictable at scale.
Lindy counts credits. Each task or AI-driven step consumes credits. Simple actions like sending a message use fewer credits, while advanced processes that involve reasoning or multiple model calls use more. Usage scales with workflow complexity, which can increase credit consumption faster than expected.
| Example: Lead capture → Data enrichment → Scoring → HubSpot → Slack | n8n (executions) | Lindy (credits) |
|---|---|---|
| Steps in workflow | 5 | 5 |
| Usage per run | 1 execution per workflow | Varies by complexity (simple ≈ 1 credit per step, complex ≈ 2–3) |
| Runs per month | 100 | 100 |
| Total usage | 100 executions | 500–1,000 credits |
Both platforms complete the same five-step workflow, but they calculate usage differently. n8n charges once per workflow run, keeping costs predictable as complexity grows. Lindy draws from a pool of monthly credits that vary based on task complexity. Teams using Lindy that automate heavily will need to monitor the credit consumption of each step in their workflow to avoid running out of credits.
Integrations: Side-by-side comparison
A platform’s integration depth determines how seamlessly it fits into existing workflows. Lindy emphasizes simplicity, using AI-driven connections that let users link common business apps with minimal setup. n8n takes a more technical route with a combination of pre-built and community nodes that let users connect almost any system through APIs or custom logic.
The core difference lies in flexibility. Lindy automates setup through AI agents, while n8n gives users full control to design, test, and extend integrations as needed.
| Category | n8n | Lindy |
|---|---|---|
| Number of integrations | 1,100+ | 3,000+ |
| Built-in code module | Yes. Includes a native Function node supporting JavaScript for custom logic and data transformation. | Yes. Includes a built-in Code skill that lets users write and run code directly within workflows. |
| API or webhook support | Yes. Offers full API access with HTTP Request nodes, webhooks, and custom node creation. | Yes. Supports API-based HTTP requests and webhooks through the “HTTP Request” skill. |
| Ease of setup | Requires manual configuration and some technical knowledge, though new AI agents simplify setup. | AI agents create and manage integrations automatically through natural language. |
| Community support | Strong open-source community with shared custom nodes and active Discord support. | Community and Slack forum supported by the Lindy team for guided AI setup. |
Ease of use: Side-by-side comparison
Ease of use determines how quickly users can turn ideas into working automations. Lindy is built for simplicity, letting users describe what they need in plain language while AI agents handle setup in the background. n8n gives users more control through its visual editor, allowing detailed customization but requiring more time and technical familiarity. Both tools make automation more accessible but target different comfort levels with technology.
| Category | n8n | Lindy |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Visual editor with detailed branching and workflow mapping. | Conversational interface powered by AI agents. |
| Learning curve | Higher; best for users with some technical experience. | Lower; intuitive for non-technical users. |
| Templates | Large library of 6,000+ ready-made templates with options for custom workflows. | Expanding library of 100+ ready-to-use AI agents and workflows. |
| Setup & hosting | Can be self-hosted or cloud-based; setup varies by environment. | Fully cloud-managed; no hosting or maintenance required. |
Customization and flexibility: Side-by-side comparison
As workflows become more advanced, users often need to go beyond prebuilt options. n8n gives users full control with custom code, API connections, and self-hosting for complete data ownership. Lindy balances AI-driven automation with flexibility, offering HTTP Request actions and webhook support so agents can interact directly with external APIs. The difference comes down to how much control users want to keep versus how much they prefer AI to manage automatically.
| Category | n8n | Lindy |
|---|---|---|
| Logic | Advanced branching, loops, and execution control. | AI interprets goals and builds logic automatically. |
| APIs & webhooks | Direct API calls with HTTP nodes and full webhook support. | Supports HTTP Request actions and webhooks, allowing agents to interact directly with external APIs and trigger workflows. |
| Extensibility | Custom nodes, JavaScript functions, and community add-ons. | Extensible through HTTP Request actions and AI workflows, though customization is guided rather than open-source. |
| Data ownership | Full control when self-hosted; data runs on your infrastructure. | Data managed within Lindy’s managed cloud environment. |
Scalability and reliability: Side-by-side comparison
Scalability and reliability decide how well an automation platform grows with a team’s workload. n8n can scale almost without limit when self-hosted, but performance and uptime depend on how the system is configured and maintained. Lindy handles scaling automatically through its managed cloud, where monitoring, performance, and updates are all handled for the user. Both can support large workloads, but n8n offers more control while Lindy emphasizes ease and stability.
| Category | n8n | Lindy |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted or n8n Cloud; self-hosting requires infrastructure. | Fully managed cloud platform; no setup required. |
| Reliability | Depends on hosting setup and team maintenance. | Uptime, monitoring, and updates managed by Lindy. |
| Performance | Scales with dedicated server resources and configuration. | Consistent performance within managed limits. |
| Maintenance | Ongoing updates and monitoring needed for self-hosted setups. | No maintenance required; handled automatically. |
Bottom line: Which should you choose?
Choose Lindy if you want automation that handles setup for you. Its AI agents make it easy to describe what you need and run workflows quickly. Pricing is based on fixed monthly credits, which teams can increase by upgrading plans.
Choose n8n if you value customization and transparency. Its open-source foundation lets users build complex workflows, self-host data, and manage costs predictably at scale.
The right choice depends on what matters most to your team. Lindy offers simplicity through AI-driven automation, while n8n delivers flexibility and ownership for technical control.
