Comparison
selfhost-ai vs n8n
Verdict
Pick selfhost-ai if selfhost-ai offers a self-contained suite for deploying multiple AI tools with automated HTTPS setup and one-command deployment, acting as an open alternative to cloud-based services like Zapier; pick n8n if n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform with native AI features, supporting both visual and code-based integration workflows.
Markdown twin · selfhost-ai alternatives · n8n alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
Trust & integrity
| Signal | selfhost-ai | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (1d since push) As of 6d · github_public_v1 | Very active (0d since push) As of 6d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Personal account As of 6d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 6d · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 6d · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 6d · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- selfhost-ai
- Self-hosted AI automation platform
- n8n
- Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities
Stars
- selfhost-ai
- 897
- n8n
- 196k
Forks
- selfhost-ai
- 228
- n8n
- 59k
Open issues
- selfhost-ai
- 0
- n8n
- 1.4k
Language
- selfhost-ai
- Shell
- n8n
- TypeScript
Adopt for
- selfhost-ai
- selfhost-ai offers a self-contained suite for deploying multiple AI tools with automated HTTPS setup and one-command deployment, acting as an open alternative to cloud-based services like Zapier.
- n8n
- n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform with native AI features, supporting both visual and code-based integration workflows.
Persona
- selfhost-ai
- -
- n8n
- -
Runtime
- selfhost-ai
- -
- n8n
- -
License
- selfhost-ai
- Apache-2.0
- n8n
- Other
Last pushed
- selfhost-ai
- Jul 9, 2026
- n8n
- Jul 11, 2026
Categories
- selfhost-ai
- AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training, Vector Databases
- n8n
- Developer Tools
Trust and health
Days since push
- selfhost-ai
- 1d
- n8n
- 0d
Open issues (now)
- selfhost-ai
- 0
- n8n
- 1.4k
Owner type
- selfhost-ai
- User
- n8n
- Organization
Full report
- selfhost-ai
- Trust report
- n8n
- Trust report
Typed relationship
selfhost-ai alternative n8nBoth are self-hosted AI automation platforms, but kossakovsky-selfhost-ai is an alternative to n8n.
Choose selfhost-ai if…
- selfhost-ai is primarily Shell; n8n is TypeScript.
- License: selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0, n8n is Other.
- Both are self-hosted AI automation platforms, but kossakovsky-selfhost-ai is an alternative to n8n.
- Tags unique to selfhost-ai: ai-agents, chatgpt-alternative, docker, flowise.
- Also covers AI Agents, Model Training, Vector Databases.
- selfhost-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- Self-hosted deployments aiming for centralized AI automation that includes n8n, Ollama, Flowise, RAG, Supabase, and other tools with a single command.
When NOT to use selfhost-ai
- Organizations seeking fully managed AI automation solutions where setup and maintenance are handled by the service provider.
- Businesses preferring to avoid the overhead of managing self-hosted environments, including hardware requirements and system updates.
Choose n8n if…
- n8n is primarily TypeScript; selfhost-ai is Shell.
- License: n8n is Other, selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0.
- Both are self-hosted AI automation platforms, but kossakovsky-selfhost-ai is an alternative to n8n.
- Tags unique to n8n: integrations, workflow.
- When your team prefers a mix of visual and custom code-driven automation and requires more than 400 integrations available out-of-the-box.
When NOT to use n8n
- If the project restricts the use of TypeScript for integration workflows, since n8n is based on TypeScript.
- When a fully managed service with zero infrastructure overhead is required, as managing self-hosted instances may involve additional administrative tasks and monitoring.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (kossakovsky/selfhost-ai) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (kossakovsky/selfhost-ai) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (kossakovsky/selfhost-ai) · observed Jul 9, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 14, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (n8n-io/n8n) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (n8n-io/n8n) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (n8n-io/n8n) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- License file (Other) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 17, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: selfhost-ai 897 · n8n 196k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between selfhost-ai and n8n?
- selfhost-ai: Self-hosted AI automation platform. n8n: Fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose selfhost-ai over n8n?
- Choose selfhost-ai over n8n when selfhost-ai is primarily Shell; n8n is TypeScript; License: selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0, n8n is Other; Both are self-hosted AI automation platforms, but kossakovsky-selfhost-ai is an alternative to n8n; Tags unique to selfhost-ai: ai-agents, chatgpt-alternative, docker, flowise; Also covers AI Agents, Model Training, Vector Databases; selfhost-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; Self-hosted deployments aiming for centralized AI automation that includes n8n, Ollama, Flowise, RAG, Supabase, and other tools with a single command.
- When should I choose n8n over selfhost-ai?
- Choose n8n over selfhost-ai when n8n is primarily TypeScript; selfhost-ai is Shell; License: n8n is Other, selfhost-ai is Apache-2.0; Both are self-hosted AI automation platforms, but kossakovsky-selfhost-ai is an alternative to n8n; Tags unique to n8n: integrations, workflow; When your team prefers a mix of visual and custom code-driven automation and requires more than 400 integrations available out-of-the-box.
- When should I avoid selfhost-ai?
- Organizations seeking fully managed AI automation solutions where setup and maintenance are handled by the service provider. Businesses preferring to avoid the overhead of managing self-hosted environments, including hardware requirements and system updates.
- When should I avoid n8n?
- If the project restricts the use of TypeScript for integration workflows, since n8n is based on TypeScript. When a fully managed service with zero infrastructure overhead is required, as managing self-hosted instances may involve additional administrative tasks and monitoring.
- Is selfhost-ai or n8n more popular on GitHub?
- n8n has more GitHub stars (196,027 vs 897). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are selfhost-ai and n8n open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (selfhost-ai: Apache-2.0, n8n: Other).
- Where can I find alternatives to selfhost-ai or n8n?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at selfhost-ai alternatives and n8n alternatives (selfhost-ai markdown twin, n8n markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, selfhost-ai or n8n?
- selfhost-ai: Very active. n8n: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for selfhost-ai and n8n?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: selfhost-ai trust report; n8n trust report.