AgenticOS vs n8n
Agents and workflows.
Compare the controls.
Use explicit automation where you know the steps, and give agents the tasks that need interpretation. Choose where the two meet.
Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · built on Pydantic AI
Work together
People and agents in shared Projects
Build around your work
Knowledge, tools, workflows and apps
Choose how it runs
Your infrastructure and model providers
AgenticOS vs n8n
n8n combines a workflow canvas with AI Agent nodes and native agents in preview, including tools, skills, knowledge and schedules. AgenticOS also offers agents and workflows. Compare the operating model, licence, access controls and model-spend policies for the task you actually need.
Jump to the side-by-side comparisonWhat you could put to work
Pick a job.
See it in action.
A useful agent should leave you with something you can use. Explore three examples from the AgenticOS product.
Research & operations
Ask the specialists. Get one brief.
Let a lead agent bring together research and analysis from specialist agents. In this example, the brief names its sources and flags the missing financial inputs instead of inventing a margin.
- 1.Define the question
- 2.Connect specialist agents
- 3.Review the combined brief
Make the platform fit the work
Build for your team.
Run it your way.
01
A licence without the fine print
n8n's Sustainable Use License allows use only for internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use, and a self-hosted licence key checks in with n8n daily. AgenticOS is Apache-2.0: you may run it for clients, change it and build a product on it.
02
Money, not executions
n8n counts executions, and one agent turn is one execution, whatever the model spent. AgenticOS meters model cost: each agent's budget is checked before each model request, and delegated work counts against the parent agent.
03
An agent a business owner can change
Both products let you configure agents as well as workflows. n8n’s native agents are currently in preview. AgenticOS publishes agent instructions, model and capabilities as a versioned specification; compare the configuration and review process your team needs.
04
Knowledge as a managed collection
n8n supports retrieval workflows and knowledge bases for its native agents; self-hosted knowledge is in preview and needs a configured sandbox. AgenticOS manages collections in your Postgres, with parser choices, OCR, image description and source-sync controls.
The software is Apache-2.0. Your team still owns hosting, model usage, updates and the policies it configures. Self-hosting alone does not mean zero outbound data.
n8n and AgenticOS, side by side.
Unit of work
- n8n
- Workflows, AI Agent nodes and native agents in preview
- AgenticOS
- An agent, published as a versioned spec
Licence
- n8n
- Sustainable Use License; .ee files need an Enterprise licence
- AgenticOS
- Apache-2.0
Where it runs
- n8n
- Self-hosted or n8n Cloud in Frankfurt
- AgenticOS
- Your infrastructure
Sign-in
- n8n
- SSO on self-hosted Business and Enterprise, and Cloud Enterprise
- AgenticOS
- OIDC SSO, LDAP and Kerberos in every deployment
Roles
- n8n
- Projects and roles on paid plans
- AgenticOS
- Six roles and per-resource grants in every deployment
Environments and version control
- n8n
- Business and above
- AgenticOS
- Environments and YAML export in every deployment
Spend control
- n8n
- Execution quotas per plan
- AgenticOS
- A budget per agent and per organization, checked before each model request
Audit
- n8n
- Log streaming on Enterprise
- AgenticOS
- Tamper-evident audit log in every deployment
Human approval
- n8n
- Per tool, through nine review channels
- AgenticOS
- Per capability, per tool and per MCP connection, through a shared queue
Pricing
- n8n
- Community free; Cloud from €20 a month for 2,500 executions, billed annually; Business €667 a month, self-hosted
- AgenticOS
- No licence fee; model usage and infrastructure
| Area | n8n | AgenticOS |
|---|---|---|
| Unit of work | Workflows, AI Agent nodes and native agents in preview | An agent, published as a versioned spec |
| Licence | Sustainable Use License; .ee files need an Enterprise licence | Apache-2.0 |
| Where it runs | Self-hosted or n8n Cloud in Frankfurt | Your infrastructure |
| Sign-in | SSO on self-hosted Business and Enterprise, and Cloud Enterprise | OIDC SSO, LDAP and Kerberos in every deployment |
| Roles | Projects and roles on paid plans | Six roles and per-resource grants in every deployment |
| Environments and version control | Business and above | Environments and YAML export in every deployment |
| Spend control | Execution quotas per plan | A budget per agent and per organization, checked before each model request |
| Audit | Log streaming on Enterprise | Tamper-evident audit log in every deployment |
| Human approval | Per tool, through nine review channels | Per capability, per tool and per MCP connection, through a shared queue |
| Pricing | Community free; Cloud from €20 a month for 2,500 executions, billed annually; Business €667 a month, self-hosted | No licence fee; model usage and infrastructure |
Choose n8n when it fits the job.
- The job is moving data between many systems, with branches, retries and schedules.
- You want its large integration library and visual canvas. AgenticOS also has a visual workflow canvas; node libraries and execution semantics differ.
- You need review channels such as Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp or Gmail, or its evaluation metrics.
Run the platform. Make it your own.
- Your team wants to operate the platform and choose its infrastructure and model providers.
- You want shared Projects, configurable specialist agents and explicit workflows in one workspace.
- You want open-source software you can inspect and extend, and accept responsibility for operating it.
Before changing your setup
An n8n workflow can call an AgenticOS agent over the HTTP API and get the answer back, with the agent's budget checked and the run recorded. An AgenticOS webhook trigger can start an agent when n8n posts to it.
What people ask before they switch.
Is AgenticOS an open-source alternative to n8n?
For AI agents, yes. AgenticOS is Apache-2.0, while n8n uses the Sustainable Use License. For moving data between many systems on a visual canvas, n8n fits better, and the two work well together.
Does n8n have native AI agents?
Yes. Its official documentation describes native agents in preview on Cloud and self-hosted plans from n8n 2.32.3, alongside the AI Agent workflow node. Compare both products on your actual task rather than treating n8n as a workflow-only tool.
Is n8n open source?
Not in the OSI sense. Its Sustainable Use License allows internal business, non-commercial and personal use, and features in .ee files need an n8n Enterprise licence.
How does n8n pricing compare with AgenticOS?
n8n Cloud starts at €20 a month for 2,500 executions, billed annually, and counts each agent turn as one execution. AgenticOS has no licence fee and meters model cost against each agent's budget.
Can n8n call an AgenticOS agent?
Yes. An n8n workflow can call the AgenticOS HTTP API and get the answer back. The agent's budget is checked and the run is recorded in run history.
Make the choice on your own task
One useful agent.
Start there.
Bring a handbook question, a recurring report or a small research task. Build one agent and decide whether this is the workspace you want to run.
Try it on your own infrastructure
Start with the installation guide and a model connection. No software licence fee; infrastructure and model usage are separate.
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vstorm-co/agenticos/main/scripts/quickstart.sh | bashComparison by Vstorm, the team building AgenticOS. Vendor sources checked 21 October 2026.
Documented capabilities, not a head-to-head benchmark. Read the sources and comparison scope.