Aug 14, 2025
At a time when there is rapid growth in various automation tools, n8n has attracted particular interest in the world of automation and its potential, one of its strengths being the fact that it is open-source.
However, automation still has a long way to go in terms of growth, including greater complexity and increasingly incorporating AI in a natural way as a key decision-maker. Now, it is not only the integration of AI that is sought, but also the need to optimize the functionalities of all models, the security of the data being processed, and a no-code experience with the aim of adapting more easily to businesses.
Comparison Table of n8n Alternatives
Category | n8n | StackAI | Zapier | Gumloop | Make | Tray.ai | Microsoft Power Automate | Workato |
Interface & UX | Visual node-based builder; more technical feel | No-code visual canvas, deployable UIs/forms/API | Step-by-step, form-based workflows; designed for non-technical users | No-code drag-and-drop canvas with modular nodes, workspaces, and visual flowchart-style builder | Visual builder, modular | Visual/low-code builder (enterprise UI) | Low-code designer, integrates with Microsoft ecosystem | Visual drag-and-drop, enterprise UI |
AI Capabilities | AI via integrations or custom nodes; not native AI | Native LLMs, RAG, AI routing, memory, observability | Minimal AI; basic triggers & actions | AI-native platform with built-in AI nodes, prompt customization, and LLM choice | No native AI; supports AI via API integrations (OpenAI, etc.) | Some AI logic possible, but no specifics. Supports AI integrations via APIs. | AI via Azure integrations, not native AI | Some AI integration but not core capability |
Data Handling | Handles large datasets, self-hosting option | Built-in knowledge bases, logs, version control | Basic data passing and storage | Extracts, summarizes, and categorizes documents, SEO/web data, and integrates across workflows | Flexible but deterministic data handling | Advanced transformation and enrichment capabilities | Connectors to Microsoft data sources, strong structured data processing | Strong data integration and orchestration |
Integrations | Many integrations, custom API calls, community nodes | 100+ enterprise tools, APIs, knowledge sources | Extensive app ecosystem | Integrations with Slack, Notion, HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Workspace, Airtable, and built-in LLMs | Wide integration set via Make ecosystem | Enterprise connectors | Deep Microsoft suite integration | Rich cross-enterprise connectors |
Governance & Security | Security depends on self-hosting setup; no built-in enterprise compliance by default | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, RBAC, audit logs, on-prem | Basic security, less enterprise-compliant | SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR compliance, encryption, RBAC, auto-scaling compute | Business-tier security; GDPR compliant; less focus on enterprise certifications | Enterprise-level governance: SOC 2, GDPR, role-based access, audit logs | Enterprise-grade security via Azure AD, compliance | Strong security and governance frameworks |
Scalability & Deployment | Highly scalable with self-hosting; requires more technical setup | Scalable, on-prem or cloud, templates, rapid deploy | Best for SMBs; cloud only | Auto-scaling, parallel flow execution, team workspaces | Cloud-first, scalable for mid-level usage | Enterprise-scale deployment, cloud-first with high throughput | Cloud-based; scales with Microsoft 365 and Azure infrastructure | Built for enterprise scale and complexity |
Ease of Use | Moderate – requires more technical understanding | Intuitive drag-and-drop visual builder | Very easy for simple automations | Designed for non-technical users | Moderate; visual but logic can get complex | Moderate; aimed at business technologists with some technical knowledge | User-friendly for Microsoft users | Moderate to advanced; enterprise users |
Support & Ecosystem | Active open-source community, docs, forums | Offers enterprise SLAs, onboarding support, and AI-focused use case library | Large community, documentation | Gumloop University, templates, forums, community, creator program | Documentation, tutorials, templates, and active community | Dedicated enterprise support, partner ecosystem, training resources | Extensive support and ecosystem via Microsoft | Strong support and consultant ecosystem |
Pricing | Free self-hosted; paid cloud plans | Usage-based SaaS with private deployment options | Freemium tier with paid plans; enterprise tier includes enhanced controls | Freemium + paid plans; credit-based to enterprise plans | Freemium + pay-as-you-go | Enterprise pricing; tailored quotes based on usage | Included in MS-365 plans, additional tiers | Tiered, premium enterprise pricing |
Best For | Technical users/ developer teams needing flexible, self-hosted workflow automation | Enterprise users needing AI-native workflows, multi-agent logic, and fast deployment without code | Non-technical teams & simple workflows | Teams needing no-code automation, especially for document and data workflows | Flexible mid-tier automation | Enterprises requiring high-volume integrations, complex workflows | Microsoft-centric organizations | Complex, enterprise-level automation needs |
What Are the Best n8n Alternatives?
We will look at the seven best n8n alternatives in 2025 that currently have the most potential: StackAI, Zapier, Gumloop, Make, Tray.ai, Microsoft Power Automate, and Workato. For each platform, we will analyze its strengths and points to consider, so you can choose the solution that best fits your needs in terms of technical knowledge, integration requirements, scalability, and security level.
StackAI
StackAI is an AI-native automation platform designed for companies that want to create workflows and AI agents fully tailored to their needs in a no-code manner. Its drag-and-drop interface combines with powerful document processing capabilities, AI Routing functionality, and knowledge base management. All this is accompanied by secure implementation and compliance for sensitive data managed in automations, and with great scalability to large-scale workflows.

Why It Stands Out
Native AI: Great capabilities based on native AI functionality for AI routing, classification, and content generation.
Implementation: different ways to implement Stack IA, in the cloud, locally, or hybrid.
Security: Enterprise-grade compliance, meets the highest standards (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR)
Interface: The no-code workflow builder plus custom AI agent integration.
Ease of use: Pre-designed templates for use cases across different industries.
What Could Be Improved
Simple automation: In cases where the volume of automation is low and there is no need for security for sensitive data, other alternatives may be more appropriate.
Limited support: For free plans, support is provided through the community. However, for paid plans, support is fully dedicated.
💡 Further Learning: Read the comprehensive comparison between n8n vs StackAI
Zapier
Zapier is a leading no-code automation platform that connects with a wide range of tools using “trigger-action” flows with the well-known Zaps.

What we like
Integrations: It has a library of over 6,000 native integrations, covering a large part of the digital tools that are commonly used.
Interface: It has a very intuitive visual builder that requires hardly any learning curve.
Configuration: When you first start up the platform, the initial configuration is quick and most automations can be created in minutes.
Support: Lots of learning resources and a large community.
What could be improved
Complex logic: Limited support in these cases and for workflows with multiple steps.
Implementation: No local implementation options or advanced governance controls.
Costs: as they increase rapidly and need to scale, costs increase significantly for such high volumes.
💡 Did you know that you can also use and integrate Zapier with StackAI to trigger and manage automations between different apps and services. Build workflows and integrate with thousands of applications.
Gumloop
Gumloop focuses on data workflows that are powered by AI, helping teams automate, extract, transform, and process both structured and unstructured data.

What we like
Extraction: Obtaining data through AI from spreadsheets, PDFs, and APIs.
Interface: The visual builder is easy to use, with a modern design for creating workflows with drag-and-drop functionality.
AI: Integration of AI models optimized for text analysis and classification.
Potential: Suitable for operations, processes, and research involving high volumes of data.
What could be improved
Integrations: The number of third-party integrations is limited compared to other more mature platforms.
Implementation: Limited implementation and enterprise-level security compliance options.
Make
The Make automation platform focuses on offering a simple and flexible visual interface with a great capacity to create complex workflows with several steps. It is popular with advanced users who need more advanced logic.

What we like
Interface: It features a powerful visual editor for workflows and multiple steps.
Tools: Native tools for data transformation and filtering.
Price: Competitive scalable prices according to needs.
Integrations: Large library of native integrations and connection options via API.
What could be improved
Complexity: For non-technical users, the learning curve can be quite steep.
Complex workflows: In the case of very large automations, it can slow down.
Tray.ai
The Tray.ai automation platform is low-code and focused on large-scale integrations and workflows in business environments. It facilitates custom logic without sacrificing workflow visualization.

What we like
Integrations: Great potential for integration via API and developer functions.
Architecture: Scalability according to enterprise-level workloads.
Workflows: Allows you to generate both no-code and code-based workflows.
What could be improved
Technical: Technical skills are required to optimize your full potential.
Price: Higher prices for business functions.
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft Power Automate (part of the Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem) makes it easy for companies to automate workflows in Microsoft 365, Dynamics, and other services. It is particularly powerful for companies that use the Microsoft environment.

What we like
Integration: In a Microsoft environment, native integration with your applications such as Dynamics, Teams, or Microsoft 365.
Artificial intelligence: AI builder for processing forms and predictive models.
Implementation: Large library of templates for quick initial setup.
What could be improved
Environment: Recommended mainly for Microsoft environments only.
Interface: Complex workflow builder compared to other competitors.
Automations: If you require advanced automations, premium licenses are required.
💡 Further Learning: Discover the best Microsoft Copilot Studios alternatives
Workato
Workato is primarily an integration and automation platform focused on companies that require complex workflows that are critical to their business. It combines ease of use with ease of control for IT.

What we like
Security: Complies with several enterprise-level security standards and is scalable.
Interface: Combines advanced tools for developers with ease of use for business teams.
Workflows: Ready to use complex workflows so that they can be used between different departments within the same company.
What could be improved
Price: Higher cost than most competitors.
Level of Automation: Not recommended for simple flows or small teams.
Picking the n8n Alternative for Your Business
In a business environment, automation is not limited to creating workflows or integrating tools: it involves applying AI to processes, complying with the most demanding business regulations, and ensuring that solutions are capable of scaling without compromising security or performance.
Companies that require native AI: If you need complete control over flexible deployment and security options, StackAI is the most comprehensive alternative to n8n. The combination of visual automation, custom AI agents, and higher compliance standards such as SOC 2, HIPAA, or GDPR ensures the security of your most sensitive data. A solution ready for corporate environments.
Speed of implementation for simple tasks: Zapier is a very useful solution, provided you don't need governance, customization, and scalability features.
Workflow control: Make is very powerful, although the lack of native AI integration means that native integrations are necessary.
Technical API integrations and large volumes: Tray.ai and Workato, as we have seen, are very solid options for businesses. However, it is important to take into account the learning curves and higher costs.
Microsoft environment: If the company is fully integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft Power Automate is the most recommended option.
In short, for companies looking to unify automation and intelligent decision-making on a single platform, StackAI is the best option, as it combines the flexibility required by the business, the technical power demanded by IT, and the security of regulatory compliance.

Bernard Aceituno
Co-Founder at Stack AI