n8n
n8n GmbH
7.7
Overall Score / 10
Bardeen
Bardeen Inc.
7.2
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose n8n if:
- —Developers who want self-hosted automation
- —Teams with data privacy/compliance requirements
- —Power users who need custom code in workflows
Choose Bardeen if:
- —People wanting browser-native automation without leaving their tab
- —Sales and recruiting teams automating web research
- —Non-technical users wanting AI to build automations
The biggest difference: n8n is a self-hostable workflow engine for developers connecting APIs and databases with custom code nodes. Bardeen runs automations inside your browser, scraping pages and automating UI interactions that server-side tools like n8n cannot reach.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | n8n | Bardeen |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $20/mo (Starter)Source: n8n GmbH pricing page → | $99/mo (Starter)Source: Bardeen Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes Self-hosted community edition is free and unlimited | Yes 100 credits/month, basic automations only. Paid plans start at $99/month. |
| Value for Money | 9 | 7 |
| Ease of Use | 4 | 8 |
| Feature Power | 10 | 6 |
| Setup Ease | 3 | 9 |
| Migration Ease | 5 | 7 |
| Transparency | 10 | 7 |
| Deployment | hybrid | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted (Docker) | Web (Chrome extension) |
| Compliance | Self-hosted: full data control, SOC 2 (cloud) | GDPR, SOC 2 Type II |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
15 features compared · 15 differences
| Feature | n8n | Bardeen |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Chrome extension | None | Full |
| Credential sharing | Full | None |
| Self-hostable | Full | None |
| Version control | Full | None |
| Visual builder | Full | None |
| Advanced | ||
| AI agent nodes | Full | None |
| AI-powered playbook creation | None | Full |
| Custom code (JS/Python) in any node | Full | None |
| Magic Box (natural language automation) | None | Full |
| Scheduled automations | None | Full |
| Templates library | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| 400+ integrations | Full | None |
| Integrations with popular web apps | None | Full |
| Web scraping | Full | None |
| Webhook triggers | Full | None |
Pricing Comparison
n8n Pricing
Unlimited; self-host required
2,500 executions, cloud-hosted. Note: all cloud prices are in EUR.
10,000 executions, unlimited workflows, global regions
Unlimited, SSO, audit logs, dedicated support
Bardeen Pricing
100 credits/month, unlimited non-premium automations
15,000 credits/year, unlimited seats, premium automations
120,000 credits/year, unlimited seats, team management
500,000+ credits/year, dedicated support, custom integrations
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose n8n
Best for
- Developers who want self-hosted automation
- Teams with data privacy/compliance requirements
- Power users who need custom code in workflows
Avoid if
- You want zero-code simplicity
- You don't want to manage infrastructure (use cloud version)
- You need the broadest pre-built integration catalog
Who should choose Bardeen
Best for
- People wanting browser-native automation without leaving their tab
- Sales and recruiting teams automating web research
- Non-technical users wanting AI to build automations
Avoid if
- You need complex multi-step backend automation
- You need enterprise governance and audit trails
- You need automations to run without a browser open
Switching Guidance
Switching from n8n
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need more pre-built integrations
- •Don't want to manage infrastructure
Potential blockers:
- •Self-hosted data sovereignty
- •Custom code nodes
- •Infrastructure investment
Switching from Bardeen
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need backend automation that runs without browser
- •Need enterprise features
- •Need complex multi-step workflows
Potential blockers:
- •Playbook library built over time
- •Team familiarity with browser automation
- •Web scraping configurations
Try n8n
Start free — no credit card required
Try Bardeen
Start free — no credit card required