Which Better: n8n vs Dify: A Deep Dive into AI Application Development and Workflow Automation Platforms
In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and automation, n8n and Dify emerge as two powerful yet distinct platforms. While both enable the integration of various services and APIs, their core philosophies and target use cases diverge significantly. n8n stands as a versatile workflow automation tool, empowering technical users with extensive integrations and customization, including self-hosting options. Dify, on the other hand, is purpose-built for AI application development, simplifying the creation of LLM-powered agents and RAG pipelines with a user-friendly no-code/low-code approach.
π‘ Key Takeaways
- n8n excels in broad, complex workflow automation with extensive integrations, offering high customization and data control via self-hosting.
- Dify specializes in rapid AI application development, particularly LLM-powered agents and RAG pipelines, providing an intuitive no-code/low-code experience for AI-centric tasks.
- The choice between n8n and Dify depends on whether your primary need is general business process automation (n8n) or focused AI application building (Dify), though they can be integrated for hybrid solutions.
π Overall Rating
n8n βοΈ 9.0
Dify βοΈ 8.5
Comparison Table
| Feature | n8n | Dify | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Workflow Automation & System Integration | AI Application Development & LLM Orchestration | Tie π€ |
| Integrations | 400+ native, 1200+ via community/custom (CRM, ERP, DBs) | AI-focused integrations (LLMs, knowledge bases, model APIs) | n8n π |
| AI Capabilities | Integrates AI via third-party nodes (e.g., OpenAI) as part of workflows | Native multi-LLM support, RAG, prompt engineering, evaluation tools, multi-modal | Dify π |
| Ease of Use (Technicality) | Low-code, requires technical knowledge (devs, IT teams) | Low-code/No-code, intuitive drag-and-drop (business users, PMs) | Dify π |
| Deployment Options | Flexible self-hosted (on-prem, private cloud) & cloud SaaS | Cloud SaaS focused, some self-hosted options (more complex) | n8n π |
| Open Source | Fully open-source (Fair-code license) | Open-source (Modified Apache 2.0 license) | n8n π |
| Community & Support | Large active open-source community, commercial support | Growing developer ecosystem, community forums, priority email/chat (paid) | n8n π |
| Data Handling & Security | Good baseline for data integration, partial role-based permissions | Stronger data governance, advanced isolation/encryption, comprehensive role management | Dify π |
π Market Presence
n8n: 230,000+ active users, 1,609 current customers (workflow automation), ~3.64% market share (Developers, IT teams, automation engineers, enterprises with technical teams)
Dify: 130,000+ AI apps created on cloud service, 18.5k GitHub stars (AI developers, startup teams, product managers, business users, AI enthusiasts)
π£οΈ User Sentiment
n8n (βοΈ 9.0)
- π:
High flexibility and control over workflows, enabling complex logic and custom API integrations.
Open-source and self-hosting options for data privacy and sovereignty.
Value for cost, especially at scale, compared to competitors like Zapier.
Strong community support and extensive range of integrations.
- π:
Steeper learning curve for beginners and non-technical users.
Interface design can be perceived as less intuitive or complex for some.
Self-hosting requires technical skills and ongoing maintenance.
Dify (βοΈ 8.5)
- π:
Exceptional ease of use for creating AI applications and chatbots.
Versatile AI platform simplifying chatbot development and workflow creation.
Strong AI integration capabilities, including RAG and prompt engineering.
Extensive customization options for tailored AI solutions.
- π:
Steep learning curve to master its complex AI features.
Workflow features are somewhat limited compared to general automation tools.
Concerns over potential cost for higher tiers or specific resource usage.
Cloud version may have limitations on variable size or core logic features.
π’ Recent Updates
n8n:
- Version 2.0 released, focusing on enhanced security, reliability, and performance.
- Introduction of an autosave function, improved canvas display, and a revamped sidebar.
- Significant security updates, including default task runners for isolated code execution and more robust security measures.
- Upgraded AI Agent node for better performance and token management, and enhanced HTTP Request node with improved authentication.
Dify:
- Introduction of Parent-child Retrieval for RAG to enhance context and precision in AI responses.
- New error management features providing greater control and flexibility for handling exceptions in workflows.
- Enhanced dataset management tools, including citations, attributions, and a new Dataset API, with support for multiple file formats.
- Added OAuth support and multi-credential management for tools, alongside visual debugging and quick navigation in workflows.
- Multimodal knowledge base capabilities to understand both text and images for RAG.
- Introduction of a plugin ecosystem and marketplace for extensible tools, strategies, and models.
Pros & Cons
n8n
β Pros:
- β Extensive integrations (400+ native, 1200+ total) and flexible customization for complex workflows.
- β Open-source and self-hostable, offering full data control and privacy, ideal for regulated environments.
- β Powerful low-code capabilities allowing custom JavaScript/Python code for advanced logic and unique APIs.
- β Cost-effective at scale compared to task-based pricing models of competitors, with a strong community.
β Cons:
- β Steeper learning curve, especially for non-technical users, due to its technical design and JSON handling.
- β Interface design can be less intuitive for beginners, potentially hindering usability and workflow debugging.
- β Self-hosting requires technical expertise and incurs additional costs for infrastructure and maintenance.
Dify
β Pros:
- β Specialized for rapid AI application development, particularly LLM-powered agents, chatbots, and RAG systems.
- β Intuitive low-code/no-code interface with drag-and-drop simplicity, making AI app creation accessible to less technical users.
- β Native support for multiple LLMs, built-in RAG, prompt engineering, and evaluation tools for AI-centric workflows.
- β Centralized management of knowledge bases and multimodal data for RAG applications.
β Cons:
- β Workflow automation features are more limited compared to general-purpose tools like n8n, with fewer trigger options.
- β Can have a steep learning curve for mastering its complex AI features despite its no-code appearance.
- β Deployment is primarily cloud-focused, with self-hosted options requiring more complex setup due to its microservices architecture.
π° Pricing Plans
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| n8n | ||
| Self-hosted Community Edition | Free | β
Unlimited workflows β Unlimited executions β Full data control β No shared projects β No admin roles β No dedicated support |
| Starter Cloud | $24/month (billed monthly) | β
2,500 workflow executions/month β Managed hosting β Basic forum support β Unlimited users & workflows β 20 AI Workflow Builder credits β Limited concurrent executions β Limited insights |
| Pro Cloud | $50/month | β
10,000 workflow executions/month β 3 shared projects β 150 AI Workflow Builder credits β Admin roles β Global variables β Workflow history & execution search |
| Enterprise Cloud | Custom pricing | β
Unlimited shared projects β 200+ concurrent executions β 365 days of insights β 1000 AI Workflow Builder credits β External secret store integration β Log streaming β Dedicated support with SLA β Invoice billing |
| Dify | ||
| Sandbox Plan | Free | β
200 message credits (GPT free trial) β 1 Team Workspace β 1 Team Member β 5 Apps β 50 Knowledge Documents β 50MB Knowledge Data Storage β No custom tools β Limited logs history |
| Professional Plan | $59/workspace/month | β
5,000 message credits/month β 3 Team Members β 50 Apps β 500 Knowledge Documents β 200MB Vector Storage β Supported bulk document upload β 10 custom tools β Unlimited logs history |
| Team Plan | $159/workspace/month | β
10,000 message credits/month β Unlimited Team Members β 200 Apps β 1,000 Knowledge Documents β 1GB Vector Storage β Unlimited custom tools β Priority email & chat support β SSO authentication |
| Enterprise Plan | Contact sales | β
Full capabilities and support for large-scale mission-critical systems β On-premise infrastructure option β Highest security standards (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR) β Dedicated SLA & 24/7/365 support β Professional services and data migrations |
In-Depth Analysis
Core Philosophy and Design Focus
n8n is fundamentally an open-source, general-purpose workflow automation platform. Its design centers around a node-based editor for connecting hundreds of applications, APIs, and services to automate IT and data processes. While it supports AI capabilities, they are typically integrated as part of a broader automation flow through third-party nodes.
Dify, conversely, is an AI-native application development platform. Its core philosophy revolves around providing specialized tools for building, evaluating, and deploying LLM-powered applications with minimal coding. It is designed from the ground up to facilitate AI agent creation, RAG pipelines, and prompt orchestration.
Workflow Automation vs. AI Agent Capabilities
n8n excels in comprehensive business process automation, offering an extensive range of over 400 pre-built integrations and diverse trigger types such as manual, scheduled, and webhooks. It provides robust features for conditional logic, error handling, and data processing, making it suitable for orchestrating complex, mission-critical business processes.
Dify focuses on AI agent capabilities, with native support for various large language models, built-in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and sophisticated prompt engineering tools. Its strengths lie in creating conversational AI experiences, intelligent customer service agents, and generative AI applications. While it has workflow features, they are more tailored to AI logic and less extensive for general business application integration compared to n8n.
Technical Complexity and Target User
n8n is a low-code platform that offers a visual drag-and-drop interface but often requires technical knowledge for advanced API integrations, JSON handling, and custom code (JavaScript/Python). It is best suited for automation engineers, developers, and IT professionals who need fine-grained control and flexibility.
Dify adopts a low-code/no-code approach with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It aims to simplify the creation of AI agents and workflows for a broader audience, including business users, product managers, and startup teams with less coding expertise, enabling rapid prototyping and deployment of AI apps.
Deployment and Data Control
n8n offers highly flexible deployment options, including robust self-hosted capabilities for on-premises or private cloud environments. This is a significant advantage for organizations with strict data control, privacy, and compliance requirements, as it allows complete data sovereignty. Cloud SaaS options are also available.
Dify is primarily cloud-focused, optimized for scalable AI application deployment and managed infrastructure. While it offers some self-hosted options (e.g., Docker/Kubernetes), its microservices architecture can make self-hosting more complex and resource-intensive than n8n's lighter footprint. Enterprise plans offer private cloud options with SLA.
Buying Guide
Quick Decision Guide
- Automation Engineers & IT Teams βοΈ: n8nγFor extensive system integration, complex workflow logic, and high data control, n8n's robust automation capabilities and self-hosting are superior.
- AI Application Developers & Product Managers (AI-focused) π§ : difyγTo rapidly build, evaluate, and deploy LLM-powered applications, chatbots, and RAG pipelines with an intuitive interface, Dify is the ideal choice.
- Startups & Small Teams (Rapid Prototyping) π: difyγIf the primary goal is quick iteration and deployment of AI-native features with less coding, Dify offers a faster path to MVP.
- Enterprises with Strict Data Compliance π’: n8nγn8n's strong self-hosting options provide full control over data residency and infrastructure, crucial for stringent compliance needs.
- Users with Mixed Automation & AI Needs π§ͺ: n8nγWhile Dify excels in AI, n8n can integrate AI models within its broader automation context, making it a more versatile starting point for mixed requirements. They can also be integrated.
π Top Alternatives
- Zapier: A popular no-code automation tool with a vast number of integrations, known for its ease of use for non-technical users.
- Make (formerly Integromat): A visual automation platform offering robust integration and workflow building capabilities, often seen as a direct competitor to n8n.
- Flowise: An open-source low-code tool for building custom LLM apps and AI chatbots with a visual drag-and-drop interface, similar to Dify.
- LangChain: A framework for developing applications powered by large language models, providing more flexibility for developers to build complex AI systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between n8n and Dify?
n8n is primarily a general-purpose workflow automation tool for connecting various applications and services, while Dify is an AI-native platform specifically designed for building and deploying LLM-powered applications and AI agents.
Can n8n be used to build AI applications?
Yes, n8n can integrate AI capabilities through third-party nodes (like OpenAI) as part of its broader workflow automation, but it is not natively focused on AI application development in the same way Dify is.
Is Dify an open-source platform?
Yes, Dify is an open-source project, utilizing a modified version of the Apache 2.0 license, with cloud-hosted and self-hosted options available.
Which tool is better for non-technical users?
Dify generally offers a more intuitive no-code/low-code interface tailored for AI application development, making it more accessible for business users and those with less coding expertise.
Can n8n and Dify be used together?
Yes, they can be integrated, with n8n handling backend business logic and automation, and Dify specializing in frontend AI interactions and LLM orchestration.
Verdict
In conclusion, the choice between n8n and Dify hinges on your core objectives. For organizations prioritizing comprehensive, flexible, and self-hosted workflow automation with deep system integrations, n8n stands as the superior solution. Its robust capabilities for handling complex logic and providing granular control cater to technical teams. Conversely, for entities focused on rapidly building and deploying AI-native applications, especially those leveraging LLMs, RAG, and AI agents with a more approachable no-code/low-code interface, Dify is the clear winner. Both platforms are powerful within their specialized domains, and for truly advanced use cases, a synergistic integration of n8n for backend automation and Dify for AI orchestration can offer the best of both worlds.
π Official Links
Written by: WhichBetter Editorial Team
π References & Sources
Data in this article is summarized from the following authoritative sources: