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It's a split decision.
Choose ComfyUI for adjustable, node-based AI workflows, importing models on Creator or above, and API deployments. Choose n8n for rule-based automations and AI agents with optional code, human approvals, and self-hosting. The pricing pages list ComfyUI from $16/month on annual billing ($20 monthly) and n8n Cloud from $20/month annually ($24 monthly); n8n also has a free self-hosted Community Edition. These are different jobs, so there is no universal winner.
01Side by side
| ComfyUI | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $16/month annual equivalent; $20 month-to-month | $20/month annual equivalent; $24 month-to-month |
| Free plan | 5 free real-GPU runs; new-user Agent credits | Free self-hosted; executions limited by your server |
| Best for | Custom visual AI workflows, models, and API deployment | Rule-based automation paired with AI judgment calls |
| Core strength | Visible, adjustable nodes for AI models and processing | Step-by-step agent visibility, approvals, and error recovery |
| Learning curve | More control; review says skip it for a simple prompt box | Visual builder with optional code; review ease score 7 |
| Integrations & deployment | Workflow APIs, desktop app, or Comfy Cloud | Self-host via Docker or on-prem; source on GitHub |
| Team/seat costs | Team: $630/month annual equivalent; up to 50 members | Community: free, unlimited users; Business: $800/month annual equivalent |
| Support | Support terms not published on the vendor's site | Enterprise includes dedicated support with SLA; Community has none |
ComfyUI Choose ComfyUI if
- Choose ComfyUI if you need adjustable visual AI pipelines.
- Choose ComfyUI if you want to import your own models.
- Choose ComfyUI if you plan to deploy workflows as APIs.
n8n Choose n8n if
- Choose n8n if you combine rule-based workflows with AI decisions.
- Choose n8n if you need human approvals in AI workflows.
- Choose n8n if you want self-hosting and optional code.
02Pricing compared
These prices cover different things: ComfyUI sells credits and workflow capacity, while n8n Cloud charges by workflow executions. ComfyUI’s Standard plan is $20 monthly or $16 per month with annual billing. Creator, which adds importing your own models, is $35 monthly or $28 annually. Its free option includes five runs on real GPUs and free Agent credits for new users. n8n Cloud Starter costs $24 monthly or $20 per month annually, with 2,500 executions per month and a hard cap; there are no overages, so more use requires an upgrade. Pro starts at $60 monthly or $50 annually for 10,000 executions. n8n also has a free self-hosted Community Edition, limited by your own server rather than a published execution quota. Don’t compare these prices without comparing the workload and hosting you need.
03Features and depth
ComfyUI is the more specialized choice for building visual AI workflows. Its canvas connects models, processing steps, and outputs, and lets you inspect and adjust each step. You can start from community workflows, use Comfy Agent to plan and run a workflow from a task description, or deploy workflows as APIs. Creator and higher plans include importing your own models. API capacity varies by plan: Standard and Creator list five builds and two deployments, while Pro lists ten builds and five deployments.
n8n is aimed at broader workflow automation, including AI agents alongside rule-based steps. Its visual builder can be extended with code; users can add human approvals, inspect agent runs, and rerun a broken step. It can run in n8n Cloud or be self-hosted, including via Docker. The Community Edition does not include SSO, LDAP, queue mode, or admin roles. In short, ComfyUI gives more of its workflow surface to custom AI pipelines; n8n offers more general automation controls.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product is a simple prompt box. ComfyUI exposes workflow steps as nodes you connect and adjust, which gives you control but means learning the workflow structure. Comfy Agent can plan and build workflows from a task description, and community templates offer a starting point; the published review rates ease of use 5/10.
n8n’s visual builder makes steps and errors visible, and its docs describe adding code when the visual controls are not enough. Cloud avoids managing your own infrastructure; Community Edition requires you to self-host and manage a server. The published review rates ease of use 7/10. Choose based on the workflow you need to understand and maintain, not on the assumption that either tool removes setup work.
Questions people ask
Why is n8n so popular?
The published material does not include adoption data, so we can’t verify why it is popular. It does list features that may appeal to teams: visual automation, optional code, AI agents, human approvals, self-hosting, and step-level error recovery. Those make it usable for more than AI-only workflows.
Is n8n obsolete now?
The published information does not establish whether n8n is obsolete, and it gives no release history or market comparison. It describes current Cloud and self-hosted plans, AI agent workflows, human approvals, and error recovery. Those features alone are not evidence of market status or future support.
Who makes n8n?
The published product information identifies n8n as a workflow automation platform and says its source code is available on GitHub. It does not name the company or people behind the product, so we can’t confirm the maker from these sources.
Is n8n reliable?
The published material does not include uptime figures or incident history, so it cannot establish reliability. It does list run visibility, error detection, and rerunning broken steps. Enterprise includes dedicated support with an SLA, but the SLA terms are not published here.