⚙️ Automation Comparison
IFTTT vs n8n
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Last updated: 2026-02-07
IFTTT
Free tier, paid from $2.99/mo
Strengths
- + Very easy to use for non-technical users
- + Strong smart home and IoT integrations
- + Affordable Pro plan at $2.99/mo
Weaknesses
- − Limited to simple trigger-action logic on free plan
- − Fewer business app integrations than Zapier or Make
n8n
Self-host free, cloud from $20/mo
Strengths
- + Self-hostable
- + More powerful than Zapier/Make
- + 70k+ GitHub stars
Weaknesses
- − Steeper learning curve
- − Self-hosting needs technical skill
The verdict
Which one is right for you?
Choose IFTTT if you want
- → Very easy to use for non-technical users
- → Strong smart home and IoT integrations
In depth
About each tool
IFTTT
Simple if-this-then-that automations connecting 800+ apps and smart devices
IFTTT (If This Then That) lets you create simple automations between apps, devices, and services. It is especially strong for smart home and IoT use cases, connecting devices like Philips Hue, Ring, and Google Home. The free plan supports up to 5 applets with single trigger-action pairs, while Pro ($2.99/mo) and Pro+ ($8.99/mo) unlock multi-step applets, faster execution, and filter code.
n8n
Open source workflow automation
n8n is automation for people who want control. Founded by Jan Oberhauser in 2019, it’s “fair-code” — source is open, you can self-host free, but can’t commercialize it. 70k GitHub stars. Quadrupled revenue in 8 months after pivoting to AI automation. Europe’s 25th fastest-growing startup in 2024.
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