Agentic AI Comparison:
n8n vs Restack
vs
Introduction
This report provides a comprehensive comparison between n8n and Restack, two automation and integration platforms. The evaluation is based on key metrics: autonomy, ease of use, flexibility, cost, and popularity, offering clarity for businesses or developers considering these solutions.
Overview
Restack
Restack is a platform focused on simplifying AI application deployment, with an emphasis on orchestrating AI agents, managing LLMs, and enabling team collaboration. It delivers a no-code, drag-and-drop interface, strong enterprise-grade security standards, multi-agent capabilities, and easier onboarding for business users. It directly supports modern AI workloads, knowledge bases, and RAG, blending flexibility and accessibility.
n8n
n8n is a fair-code, open-source workflow automation tool built primarily for developers and tech-savvy users. It offers a node-based interface for designing automations, supports 700+ integrations, and enables significant customization through scripting and custom nodes. Its core strength lies in developer-focused extensibility and a rich community, but it lacks native AI agent capabilities and advanced enterprise features.
Metrics Comparison
autonomy
n8n: 5
n8n provides extensive automation capabilities but does not offer built-in autonomous agents or native AI-driven decision making. Users must manually configure workflows, and while some AI integration is possible, it requires custom setup and coding.
Restack: 9
Restack is purpose-built for orchestrating LLM-powered agents, supporting agent-based workflows, multi-step orchestration, and autonomous AI operations directly in the platform, often with minimal manual intervention.
Restack substantially exceeds n8n in autonomy due to its native, no-code support for agent orchestration and AI models, while n8n is strictly user-driven and lacks built-in autonomous logic.
ease of use
n8n: 6
n8n's node-based editor is powerful but caters to technical users—building workflows frequently requires JSON handling and scripting. Onboarding is gradual, and there is no drag-and-drop canvas for rapid prototyping.
Restack: 9
Restack offers a drag-and-drop visual builder, rapid agent deployment, and no-code functionality. It enables business teams and non-technical users to create complex workflows without coding, significantly reducing learning curves.
Restack is markedly easier for beginners and business users, while n8n is more suited to technical professionals comfortable with programming.
flexibility
n8n: 8
n8n provides high flexibility regarding workflow design, integration with 700+ services, extensibility via custom code/nodes, and the ability to self-host. However, it is lacking in native LLM orchestration and parallel logic in the UI.
Restack: 8
Restack is highly flexible in its support for LLMs, RAG, internal data sources, parallel logic, and multi-agent orchestration. Its no-code approach supports diverse use cases, but deep custom scripting or integration options may be less extensive than in a developer-first tool like n8n.
Both platforms are highly flexible, though they emphasize different types of extensibility: n8n favors programmable integrations, while Restack focuses on AI agent and workflow flexibility.
cost
n8n: 8
n8n is open-source with a strong free offering and paid plans only for enterprise features or managed hosting. Self-hosting is available at no cost, making it attractive for budget-conscious users.
Restack: 7
Restack is SaaS-based with usage-based pricing and enterprise plans, which may involve higher ongoing expenses, especially for resource-intensive AI workloads. There may be private deployment options, but less alignment with pure open-source economics.
n8n is potentially more economical, especially for small teams or those able to self-host; Restack's enterprise focus and advanced features come with higher costs.
popularity
n8n: 9
n8n has established a large open-source community, widespread adoption among developers, and extensive documentation and plugin libraries, making it well-recognized in the automation ecosystem.
Restack: 6
Restack is newer and focused on the AI adoption segment. While rapidly growing in interest due to the rise of LLM workloads, it currently lacks the community size and legacy of n8n in the broader workflow automation market.
n8n is significantly more popular and battle-tested, while Restack is up-and-coming but not as widespread in general automation circles.
Conclusions
n8n excels in flexibility, economy, and has a vibrant open-source community but is best suited for developers and traditional, non-autonomous automation. Restack stands out in agent-based autonomy, AI workflow orchestration, ease of use, and enterprise readiness, making it ideal for businesses embracing LLM-driven automation. The choice depends on whether AI-agent autonomy and ease for non-technical users is paramount (Restack), or if deep programmability and open-source economics are critical (n8n).