n8n vs Windmill (2026)
A side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, licensing, and self-hosting.
Bottom line: choose n8n if you want visual, node-based automation with the option to drop into code where needed; choose Windmill if your workflows already start as scripts and you want to turn them into production jobs, schedules, and internal UIs without a separate builder.
n8n's canvas-first design makes it approachable for building integrations between SaaS apps, with over 400 built-in nodes and the ability to write custom JS/Python inline when the UI runs out of expressiveness. It's released under the Sustainable Use License — free and source-available, but with commercial-redistribution restrictions that differ from a permissive open-source license.
Windmill flips the priority: scripts in Python, TypeScript, Go, or Bash are the primary unit, and Windmill wraps them with scheduling, retries, approval flows, and an auto-generated UI you can share internally — effectively a job runner and internal-tools builder in one, backed by a Rust execution engine that's noticeably fast. It's AGPL-3.0, which requires publishing modifications if you distribute a hosted fork.
For teams gluing together SaaS apps with occasional code, n8n's node library wins. For engineering teams productionizing existing scripts and data pipelines, Windmill fits the workflow more directly.
n8n
Fair-code workflow automation built for technical teams — self-host or use the cloud.
Pros
- Unlimited workflow runs when self-hosted — no per-task billing
- Code nodes let developers drop into JS or Python for anything the UI can't express
- Strong AI-native primitives for building LLM-backed automation pipelines
Cons
- Fair-code license (Sustainable Use) restricts commercial redistribution of the source
- Steeper learning curve than click-and-connect tools for non-developers
Windmill
Open-source developer platform that turns scripts into production workflows, scheduled jobs, and internal UIs.
Pros
- Scripts are first-class citizens — no shoehorning real code into config-file automation
- App builder turns backend scripts into shareable internal tools with zero frontend work
- Rust execution engine is noticeably faster than comparable Python-based runners
Cons
- AGPL license requires derivative works to be open-sourced unless using a commercial license
- Not beginner-friendly — the mental model is scripts-first, not drag-and-drop connectors
n8n vs Windmill: spec comparison
| Spec | n8n | Windmill |
|---|---|---|
| License | Sustainable Use License | AGPL-3.0 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | Free / self-host | Free / self-host |
| Pricing model | open-core | open-source |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Platforms | web, self-hosted, docker | web, self-hosted, docker |
| Founded | 2019 | 2022 |
| GitHub stars | 194,614 | 16,977 |
FAQ
n8n vs Windmill: which is better?
Neither is universally better. n8n (Free / self-host) suits Developer and engineering teams that need powerful, unlimited automation with the option to run it on their own infrastructure.; Windmill (Free / self-host) suits Engineering teams that want to productionize internal scripts and data pipelines without building a custom job-runner or internal-tools platform from scratch.. The spec table above breaks down the differences.
Is n8n or Windmill cheaper?
Both start at the same price (Free / self-host).