n8n

Automation without the per-task bill

Zapier and Make made workflow automation accessible, then made it expensive. Every task, every step, every month, the meter runs. n8n gives you the same drag-and-drop automation with over 400 integrations, running on your own infrastructure, with no per-task pricing and no workflow limits. Node deploys, manages and supports n8n as a production service hosted in the UK.

What n8n is

n8n is a workflow automation platform built around a visual editor: you connect triggers, applications and logic as nodes on a canvas, and n8n executes the workflow whenever the trigger fires. It ships with more than 400 integrations covering CRMs, email, messaging, databases, cloud storage, marketing tools and developer services, plus generic HTTP and webhook nodes that connect to anything with an API.

Where n8n differs from pure no-code tools is that code is always available when you need it. Drop a JavaScript or Python node into any workflow to transform data, apply business rules or call libraries that no pre-built integration covers. Your team builds visually for speed and writes code only where it adds value.

n8n is source-available software, published under the Sustainable Use License rather than a traditional open source licence. The practical consequence matters: the full source code is open for inspection and the platform is self-hostable, which is exactly why Node can run it for you on UK infrastructure rather than routing your business data through a third-party cloud.

Why self-hosted n8n instead of Zapier or Make

No per-task pricing: SaaS automation platforms charge for every task or operation a workflow executes. As automation succeeds and volume grows, the bill grows with it. Self-hosted n8n runs unlimited executions on a flat, predictable managed service.

Your data stays on your infrastructure: every workflow execution in Zapier or Make passes your business data through the vendor's cloud. With n8n managed by Node, customer records, financial data and internal communications never leave infrastructure you control.

No workflow limits: no caps on the number of workflows, steps per workflow or polling frequency. Build the automation your business actually needs rather than the automation your subscription tier permits.

GDPR and data residency: UK hosting with a clear answer to where your data is processed and who processes it. For organisations in regulated sectors, or any business that takes data protection seriously, self-hosting removes an entire category of compliance questions.

AI agent workflows

n8n has become one of the most capable platforms for putting AI to work inside business processes, with native LangChain nodes for building AI logic directly into workflows.

AI agents that call tools: build agents that receive a request, reason about it with an LLM, and call your systems as tools: querying a database, looking up a customer record, raising a ticket or sending a reply. The agent decides the steps; n8n executes them with full logging of every action.

Chatbot triggers: n8n workflows can be triggered from chat interfaces, so a question asked in a support channel can kick off a workflow that retrieves data, drafts a response and routes it for approval.

Document and data processing: classify incoming emails, extract structured data from documents, summarise reports and enrich records, all as steps within ordinary workflows.

Because n8n is self-hosted, the AI behind these workflows can be too. We pair n8n with private AI infrastructure and PrivateGPT so that prompts and documents are processed by models running on your infrastructure, not sent to a public API. Sensitive data gets AI capability without leaving your environment.

Integrations across your business systems

n8n acts as the connective layer between the systems your business already runs.

Business applications: connect your CRM, ERP, accounting, HR and project management tools. n8n complements the open source applications we manage: a new deal closed in your CRM can automatically create a project, raise an invoice and notify the delivery team.

Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams and email nodes let workflows notify people, request approvals and respond to messages, putting automation where your team already works.

Databases and webhooks: native nodes for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB and others, plus webhook triggers that let any external system start a workflow the moment something happens.

The wider automation stack: n8n and Apache Airflow solve different problems and work well together. Airflow orchestrates scheduled data pipelines: heavy, code-defined, batch-oriented work. n8n handles event-driven business automation: a form submitted, an order placed, a message received. For high-volume event streaming between systems, Apache Kafka feeds events that n8n workflows act on.

Keycloak and single sign-on

For organisations running Keycloak for identity and access management, n8n integrates for centralised authentication. Your team accesses n8n with their corporate credentials, MFA and session policies are enforced consistently, and leavers lose access the moment they are removed from your identity system. Workflow automation touches sensitive systems by design, so access to the platform itself should be governed properly.

How Node runs n8n for you

We operate n8n as a fully managed service, not a server you have to babysit.

Deployment: we deploy n8n in a production configuration with queue-mode workers for high availability, so workflow execution continues even during maintenance or component failure.

Upgrades and maintenance: n8n releases frequently. We test and apply upgrades, manage database migrations and keep your instance current and secure without disrupting running workflows.

Monitoring and support: we monitor execution health, queue depth and failures, and our team is available when a critical workflow needs attention.

Your infrastructure or ours: hosted on Node's UK infrastructure or deployed into your own environment, on-premises or in your cloud accounts, with the same managed service either way.

Workflow development: beyond running the platform, we design and build workflows with you, from quick wins to complex AI-driven processes.