Web servicesLocal & self-hosted appsActivepieces Inc.Open source
Activepieces
Decision matrix
Activepieces app decision matrix
Overview
Verdict: a solid n8n alternative when you want AI agents, tables and MCP servers alongside ordinary app-to-app automation, and you like that the core is open source. The free cloud plan (100 credits a day, unlimited flows) is enough to learn on; self-host once someone owns the server.
Other good fits
A small team that wants to start free on the cloud plan and move to self-hosting later without switching tools.
+ Pros
Activepieces is a visual automation builder: connect apps, add AI agents that can decide what to do next, keep simple data in built-in Tables, and expose your own flows as MCP servers other AI tools can call. The core is open source (MIT for the engine, with separately licensed enterprise pieces), and the same product runs on Activepieces' cloud or on your own server.
Pick it when…
You want AI agents as a first-class step in a workflow, not bolted on afterward.
You want a lightweight built-in table (like a small spreadsheet) without wiring up a separate database.
You want the option to self-host later without learning a new tool.
− Cons
Read cons
The free and Plus plans cap concurrent users and monthly credits, so a workflow-heavy team will hit the ceiling before a hobbyist would. Self-hosting is free in money, not in time: you own updates, credentials, backups and access control, same as any self-hosted tool.
Pick something else when…
You want the widest library of pre-built app connectors and don't mind closed-source software.Zapier still has more connectors for obscure apps.
You want the workflow to double as your team's main automation platform with a large existing community.n8n has a bigger user base and more shared templates.
You want a visual builder centred on AI application logic rather than app-to-app glue.Dify fits better when AI steps, not app connectors, are the point.
Avoid if
You need governance features (SSO, audit logs, RBAC) now; those sit behind the Team or Ultimate plan, not Free.
Workflow
Pick a trigger (a form, a schedule, an incoming webhook or app event) → add steps, including an AI agent step where useful → test with made-up data and read each step's output → publish the flow → watch its run history for failures, especially in the first week.
One credit covers one complete run, not one step, so a long flow doesn't cost more than a short one. Self-hosting the Community edition needs a small server and someone to keep it updated; it doesn't include the enterprise-only governance features (SSO, audit logs, custom RBAC, Git sync).
Restrictions
The open-source core does not include the enterprise features (SSO, custom roles, audit logs, secrets manager, Git sync); those need the Team or Ultimate plan even when self-hosting. Self-hosting adds ongoing responsibility for infrastructure, credentials, storage, backups and upgrades.
First project
Documentation-based suggestion — not run here.
Build a flow that watches a shared form for new workshop sign-ups, adds each one to an Activepieces Table, and sends a confirmation email. Test it with three made-up sign-ups, including one with a blank email field, and confirm the flow fails loudly instead of silently.
Done when all three test sign-ups land correctly in the table and the blank-email case produces a visible error, not a silent skip.
Links & evidence
Documentation-based · not hands-on · Sep 23, 2026
Rests on Activepieces' pricing page and documentation, read on 2026-09-23. No Activepieces flow was built or run for this review.
Activepieces pricing · Sep 23, 2026 — Free/Plus/Team/Ultimate cloud plans, credit and user limits, Embed and Enterprise Control offerings.
Visual workflow automation with AI agents, tables, APIs, MCP servers, and app integrations; cloud-hosted or self-hosted.
Activepieces Inc. · free-tier · cloud · self-host
visual-workflows
app-integrations
ai-agents
tables
mcp
api-access
self-hosting
workflow-automation
ai-assisted-operations
api-and-app-integration
View sourced imageWorkflow editor and version history, from the official Activepieces documentation. Static interface screenshot; appearance reflects the documented version.
