Dify vs n8n
You are picking between an all-in-one AI agent platform (Dify) and a workflow automation tool with native AI nodes (n8n). They overlap but solve different problems.
Dify
Open-source platform for agentic AI apps — RAG pipelines, agent workflows, and model management in one stack.
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n8n
Open-source workflow automation with 400+ integrations and native AI agent nodes — self-host or cloud, no lock-in.
Read review →Our take
For AI-first products 鈥?chatbots, RAG apps, agent-driven features inside your software 鈥?Dify. It bundles agents, RAG, and model management into one platform you can self-host. For workflow automation that happens to use AI 鈥?lead routing, internal ops, glue between SaaS tools 鈥?n8n. Most teams that need both end up running both.
- Dify wins 2
- n8n wins 1
- Ties: 5
Side-by-side
| Dify | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | AI agent / RAG apps | Workflow automation with AI nodes |
| Self-host | Yes (Apache 2.0 + restrictions) | Yes (Sustainable Use License) |
| RAG / knowledge bases | First-class, built-in | Possible via vector store nodes, less polished |
| SaaS integrations | Limited (API + custom) | 400+ native integrations |
| Visual flow builder | Polished, agent-shaped | Polished, workflow-shaped |
| Model management | Built-in routing across providers | Per-node model config |
| Pricing model | Free OSS / cloud freemium | Free OSS / cloud per execution |
| Lock-in | Medium (license restrictions on reselling) | Medium (n8n-specific nodes) |
FAQ
- Which is better, Dify or n8n?
- For AI-first products 鈥?chatbots, RAG apps, agent-driven features inside your software 鈥?Dify. It bundles agents, RAG, and model management into one platform you can self-host. For workflow automation that happens to use AI 鈥?lead routing, internal ops, glue between SaaS tools 鈥?n8n. Most teams that need both end up running both.
- What are the main differences?
- Primary use case: Dify — AI agent / RAG apps; n8n — Workflow automation with AI nodes. Self-host: Dify — Yes (Apache 2.0 + restrictions); n8n — Yes (Sustainable Use License). RAG / knowledge bases: Dify — First-class, built-in; n8n — Possible via vector store nodes, less polished. SaaS integrations: Dify — Limited (API + custom); n8n — 400+ native integrations. Visual flow builder: Dify — Polished, agent-shaped; n8n — Polished, workflow-shaped. Model management: Dify — Built-in routing across providers; n8n — Per-node model config. Pricing model: Dify — Free OSS / cloud freemium; n8n — Free OSS / cloud per execution. Lock-in: Dify — Medium (license restrictions on reselling); n8n — Medium (n8n-specific nodes).
- Is Dify cheaper than n8n?
- Dify: Free OSS / cloud freemium. n8n: Free OSS / cloud per execution.