n8n

n8n is the automation platform for the slightly-technical solo founder who wants control. Like Make, you wire nodes together on a canvas to connect apps and move data, but n8n is source-available and can be self-hosted, which means a founder who can run a small server avoids per-task pricing altogether and keeps every byte of customer data on their own infrastructure.

For a small business that is the real draw: own your data, predictable cost, no surprise bill when an automation suddenly runs ten thousand times. n8n has leaned hard into AI, with dedicated agent nodes and LangChain-style building blocks, so you can build a flow where a model reads an input, decides what to do, calls tools, and acts inside a larger automation.

Be honest with yourself about the trade. The cloud plan (around $24/mo) is point-and-click enough for most operators, but the free self-hosted edition that makes n8n so attractive on cost takes a technical afternoon-to-days to stand up and maintain. If you are comfortable with a little infrastructure, this is one of the highest-leverage tools a one-person business can run. If “self-hosting” makes you nervous, start on cloud or pick Make instead.