We’ve had automation tools for years. Node-RED. Microsoft Power Automate. IFTTT. Zapier. They’ve all been around. n8n is just another one.
But what if it’s not?
I watched a video from my favorite network creator a couple weeks ago, saved it, and finally got around to giving n8n a try. And I think the difference isn’t the tool itself, it’s the timing.
n8n has an easy-to-learn GUI. That’s nice. But here’s what’s actually different: we’re in the AI era now. I can ask ChatGPT or Claude or Copilot to help me understand how to build a workflow in English, and have it guide me through something simple or sophisticated in minutes, not days or months. The tool meets the moment.
That said, full disclosure. n8n is not open source. I’m one of those weird guys who actually reads the End User License Agreement. Here’s what it says: I can do anything I want at home. It’s free if I host it on my own hardware in my own lab. But the license does not allow me to run it in a company the same way. So be cautious before you roll it out at work.
If you need a fully open source equivalent for commercial use, Node-RED is probably your closest option. It’s got a dated interface, very 2000s,but it still works and it’s truly open source. I haven’t spent a ton of time with it, but it’s there if you need it.
Back to n8n. It sets up in minutes. You can watch real, complex automations happen in your world over a single weekend, and you might even have a day left to enjoy it. I’ve been playing with it for a few days now, and so far I’m sold.
It brought a hundred ideas into my head that I’m still trying to process. This could be an input/output hub for an entire network stack. Maybe a call center workflow engine. The options feel unlimited right now.
It got me to spend twenty-some dollars on a ChatGPT API key so I could call it directly from workflows. I dabbled with putting a voice frontend on it, where I can call it and it talks back to me. There’s some really cool stuff happening here.
The jury’s still out on exactly where n8n fits in my daily workflow. But there are things it does that I can’t deny. It’s going to be part of my process. When I spend more time with it, it may have a permanent home.
Actually, it will have a permanent home. I’m already past “maybe.”
One of these days I need to write an ROI study on how this would be implemented at work and what the costs look like. There’s a good chance the numbers are very ROI-positive. I just haven’t gotten there yet.
Stay tuned. More tips and tricks as I learn them.