n8n vs Power Automate
Power Automate is the right choice if your business runs on Microsoft 365. n8n is more capable for everything else — and significantly more cost-effective at scale.
Quick answer: If your business runs on Microsoft 365 and Azure, Power Automate is the natural fit — it connects natively with Teams, SharePoint, Outlook and Dynamics 365 without custom connectors. Outside the Microsoft ecosystem, n8n is more capable, more cost-effective and more flexible for complex workflows.
What is the difference?
n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform with 400+ integrations, self-hosting capability and native LLM support. Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud automation tool tightly integrated with the Microsoft 365 suite — ideal for SharePoint, Teams and Office workflows, less suited to complex multi-system data transformation.
Feature-by-feature comparison
n8n vs Microsoft Power Automate across the dimensions that matter most.
| Feature | n8n | Microsoft Power Automate |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosting | Yes — Docker, Kubernetes or n8n Cloud. | No — Microsoft cloud only. |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Available via connectors — works but not native. | Native — first-class integration with Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, Dynamics 365. |
| AI / LLM integration | Native LLM nodes — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, LangChain agents. | Copilot Studio for AI flows — improving but less flexible than n8n. |
| Pricing model | Self-hosted: infrastructure cost. Cloud: from €20/month flat. | Per-user plan from $15/user/month. Per-flow plan from $100/month for 5 flows. |
| Conditional logic depth | Full JavaScript in nodes — arbitrary logic, loops, sub-workflows. | Visual conditions and switch steps — limited for complex branching. |
| Open source | Yes — source-available with self-host option. | No — proprietary Microsoft platform. |
| Learning curve | Moderate — visual builder plus optional code nodes; good documentation. | Low for M365 users — familiar Microsoft UI; steep for non-Microsoft scenarios. |
| Non-Microsoft app support | 400+ integrations — Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Postgres, REST APIs. | 1000+ connectors — broad but many are premium; non-Microsoft quality varies. |
When to choose each
Choose n8n when:
- Your systems are not Microsoft-centric — Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, custom APIs.
- You need complex data transformation or conditional logic that exceeds visual builders.
- You want self-hosting for data sovereignty or cost control.
- You are integrating LLMs into automation workflows.
- You need predictable flat pricing that does not scale with workflow volume.
Choose Microsoft Power Automate when:
- Your organisation is a Microsoft 365 shop — Teams, SharePoint, Outlook and Dynamics are core.
- End users need to build their own automations via a familiar Microsoft UI.
- You want SharePoint list triggers and approvals with no custom connectors.
- You already pay for Power Platform licences and want to maximise existing spend.
Cost comparison
n8n
Self-hosted n8n: infrastructure cost only (from ~$10/month on a small VPS). n8n Cloud: from €20/month for 2,500 workflow executions. No per-execution pricing on self-hosted.
Microsoft Power Automate
Power Automate per-user plan: $15/user/month (included in some M365 plans). Per-flow plan: $100/month for 5 flows. Premium connectors incur additional charges. Costs scale significantly with usage.
n8n handles complex data transformation and high-volume workflows more efficiently, especially when self-hosted. Power Automate performs well for simple M365 trigger-action flows but can be slow and brittle for multi-system orchestration with many steps.
Self-hosted n8n keeps all data within your own infrastructure — no third-party data processing. Power Automate processes flow data through Microsoft's cloud infrastructure under standard M365 data handling terms. Both offer audit logging. For highly regulated data, self-hosted n8n or Microsoft's GCC/GCC High for Power Automate are the appropriate options.
Common use cases
Common questions
Frequently asked questions about n8n vs Microsoft Power Automate.
Related services
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Every business has different requirements
Integration, security and scalability constraints vary by organisation. The right choice depends on your existing stack, team size, compliance requirements and the specific workflow you are trying to automate or build.
Talk to our engineering team. We will assess your situation and recommend the approach that fits — not the one that sounds most impressive.
Reviewed by the Ascii-Core Engineering Team — specialists in AI engineering, workflow automation, product development and enterprise software architecture. Content reviewed regularly to reflect current technologies and implementation practices. · Updated June 2026