diy tool · alternative
A n8n alternative for businesses that need custom AI automation, not a SaaS.
n8n is open-source workflow automation you can self-host — code nodes, ai agent nodes, branching. Solidus designs and builds the entire custom AI automation network around your business — productized engagements starting at $4,500.
What is n8n?
Open-source workflow automation you can self-host — code nodes, AI agent nodes, branching.
Positioned for: Engineering-led teams who want Zapier capability with self-hosting and code-level escape hatches.
Where n8n wins
- ✓Self-hostable (much cheaper than Zapier at scale)
- ✓Open source — full visibility into how workflows execute
- ✓Built-in AI agent nodes (Anthropic + OpenAI integrations native)
- ✓Code nodes for the cases visual builders can't handle
Where Solidus wins
- ✓n8n is a great tool, but you still need someone who knows how to architect with it — most teams hire us specifically to do the architecture
- ✓Self-hosting adds infrastructure ops to your plate (hosting, scaling, backups)
- ✓AI agent nodes are connectors, not designed prompts — you still need the prompt engineering layer
- ✓Visual builders still get unreadable past 15-20 nodes
The honest read
We frequently deploy n8n FOR clients — it's often part of our stack recommendation. The difference is we design the architecture, write the agent prompts, build the custom UI on top, and hand off documentation. n8n is a tool. Solidus is the team that picks the right tools (often including n8n) and builds the system around them.
Start with the $4,500 audit.
Pay, fill an intake, get a Claude Opus-written strategic roadmap inside a week. No sales call required.
Questions
How is Solidus different from n8n?+
We frequently deploy n8n FOR clients — it's often part of our stack recommendation. The difference is we design the architecture, write the agent prompts, build the custom UI on top, and hand off documentation. n8n is a tool. Solidus is the team that picks the right tools (often including n8n) and builds the system around them.
Is n8n ever the right answer?+
Yes — when engineering-led teams who want zapier capability with self-hosting and code-level escape hatches.. Self-hostable (much cheaper than Zapier at scale) Open source — full visibility into how workflows execute. For everyone else, owned custom AI automation tends to be a better fit at the price points we operate at.
What does Solidus cost vs n8n?+
Solidus offers productized engagements: $4,500 for an Audit + Roadmap, $25,000 for a Single-Workflow Build, $75,000-$150,000 for a Full Automation Network. n8n starts at $20/mo.