n8n

A visual workflow automation platform for connecting applications, APIs and AI services, available self-hosted or as n8n Cloud.

Score calculation

(2 + 7 + 7 + 1 + 7) ÷ 5 = 4.8

5 of six dimensions rated. Unrated dimensions are excluded from the average.

Full scoring method ↗

Setup details

n8n workflow automation software, distinguishing a customer-managed self-hosted deployment from n8n Cloud.

What fits your needs

n8n workflow automation software, distinguishing a customer-managed self-hosted deployment from n8n Cloud.

Good fit

Use it to automate repeatable integrations and tasks when a visual workflow is easier to manage than custom glue code.

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Use a local model

The Ollama Chat Model node connects workflows to a local Ollama server. Keep the workflow, model and connected services local if that is your privacy requirement.

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n8n Ollama Chat Model node ↗

Tradeoffs to expect

Tradeoffs

Self-hosting gives control but requires patching, backups and credential security; Cloud processes workflow and integration data and records interface sessions.

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How to switch

Switching

Export workflows and credential references, then recreate connections in another automation service or maintain the self-hosted deployment.

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Practical questions

Before use

Choose self-hosted or Cloud deliberately, review enabled integrations and secrets, and check telemetry opt-out and cloud retention before enabling workflows.

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Energy practices

2/10↑

n8n has identifiable product documentation, but no measured energy footprint or clean-electricity sourcing evidence for the assessed route.

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The official sources describe how n8n is delivered and used. They provide no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product and no evidence tying its requests to clean electricity. The pages reviewed also name no energy-saving workload or compute control.

1 + 1 reporting + 0 electricity + 0 controls = 2/10. This grades documented practices and transparency.

Per-request electricity and water use, regional power mix and independently verified clean-electricity sourcing for n8n remain unpublished.

Reporting1/3: The n8n documentation identifies the service route, but provides no dated, quantitative energy or water report for this product.
Electricity sourcing0/3: No reviewed official source ties this workload to metered, regional or hourly clean electricity; this is an evidence gap.
Resource controls0/3: The reviewed n8n documentation names no energy-saving compute or workload setting for this route; no physical savings are inferred from speed, pricing or general configuration choices.

Water disclosure

Water reporting has not been assessed for this choice.

Training data

N/A↑

Training-data rights vary with the model selected for n8n; check that model’s source and license.

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n8n lets the user select a model; assess that model’s training data separately.

n8n can use different model routes. Its product policy describes how requests are handled, while training-data provenance and permissions depend on the selected model. Review that release’s source disclosure, license and creator controls separately.

The selected model name, version and provider can vary by feature or setting. Those details are needed for a model-specific training-data review.

Your data & privacy

7/10↑

Self-hosted n8n keeps workflow data under the operator’s control, with optional telemetry; n8n Cloud records interface sessions and cannot disable telemetry.

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n8n’s policy distinguishes self-hosted from Cloud. Self-hosted operators can opt out of usage telemetry, while Cloud telemetry cannot be disabled and Cloud interface sessions are recorded (credentials are excluded). n8n says it does not use personal data to train models; de-identified Customer Content may be used to improve Cloud Services.

For self-hosting, review telemetry, backups and connected services yourself. For Cloud, check workflow retention, session capture, subprocessor terms and the current DPA.

Openness

7/10↑

n8n publishes its workflow source and supports self-hosting under the Sustainable Use License. That source-available license restricts some commercial uses and is not an OSI-approved open-source license.

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The cited product pages do not provide a complete source release, reproducible model pipeline and license package for the full assessed service. Individual model licenses and artifacts can differ.

Worker protections

1/10↑

Public sources for n8n describe the product, but do not report pay, worker voice or independent safeguards for the people who build and support it.

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The official pages reviewed for n8n do not report worker pay and conditions, representation or independent follow-through across employees, contractors and AI supply-chain workers. The low evidence score records what those sources leave unanswered; it is not a finding of mistreatment.

1 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 1/10. Documented worker protections; missing disclosure is an evidence gap.

Pay, contractor protections, grievance outcomes and independent checks for n8n's wider workforce remain unreported in the cited product documentation.

Pay & conditions0/3: The reviewed product and legal pages give no qualifying pay or conditions disclosure for AI supply-chain workers.
Worker voice & remedy0/3: No worker representation, grievance or remedy mechanism was established in these cited official materials.
Evidence & follow-through0/3: No independent worker-level assurance covering the product supply chain was established.

Workers rubric ↗

Military ties

7/10Not established↑

No military relationship for n8n was identified in the official sources reviewed for this profile.

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The cited product and policy material does not describe a defense customer or military deployment by n8n. The score reflects an unverified relationship with no published safeguards in these sources, not a confirmed absence.

7 base + 0 safeguard adjustment = 7/10 (0 of 9 safeguard points; every 3 adds 1). No military relationship was established in the cited sources. This ranks above known defense ties without claiming a verified clean record.

This source review does not cover undisclosed customers, contracts, subcontractors or deployments.

Use restrictions0/4: No binding military-specific restriction was found in the cited public pages.
Enforcement & oversight0/3: No military-specific oversight or remedy was established in the cited public pages.
Relationship disclosure0/2: The cited material does not disclose a relevant military relationship.

The official pages reviewed describe the product, service and user terms; they do not identify a defense relationship or deployment. No identity, nationality or unrelated-company inference is used.

Military rubric ↗

BDS targets

Not listed↑

n8n is not named in the two official BNC campaign lists; this is not an endorsement.

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The check is limited to the BNC consumer-boycott guide and No Tech campaign. Neither list names n8n; the result says nothing about other campaigns or suppliers.

This check does not cover every BDS campaign, local campaign, supplier, investment or subsequent list change; it is not an endorsement or clean-record conclusion.

All sources