n8n
Portainer
| Feature | n8n | Portainer |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $24/mo | Free / from $12/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | developers, technical-teams, agencies, cost-conscious-teams, ai-builders | devops-engineers, system-admins, small-teams, docker-users |
| Founded | 2019 | 2017 |
| Workflows | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Code Nodes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Agents | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Docker | ✓ | ✗ |
| Container Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stack Deployment | ✗ | ✓ |
| User Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Registry Access | ✗ | ✓ |
| Monitoring | ✗ | ✓ |
| Edge Computing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ n8n Pros
- Free self-hosting (forever)
- Full JavaScript/Python in every node
- AI agent workflow builder
- No per-task pricing when self-hosted
✗ n8n Cons
- Requires technical setup for self-hosting
- 400+ integrations vs Zapier's 7,000+
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier or Make
✓ Portainer Pros
- Visual UI for Docker/K8s management
- Free for up to 5 environments
- Simplifies container deployment
- Role-based access control
✗ Portainer Cons
- Enterprise features are paid
- Can lag behind Docker CLI capabilities
- Limited CI/CD features
The Verdict
n8n is built for developers and technical teams, with a focus on workflows and self-hosting. Portainer targets devops engineers and system admins and leads with container-management and stack-deployment.
On pricing, Portainer is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $12/mo compared to $24/mo for n8n. That $12/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, n8n offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Portainer takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
