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AI Tool Comparison
n8n vs Retell AI
A side-by-side breakdown to help you pick the right tool for your workflow.
n8n
Visually connect apps, APIs, and AI models into multi-step automations — free and self-hostable, or run on Cloud with per-execution pricing.
Automation
freemium
Retell AI
Power phone and chat agents that sound natural in conversation, assembled from any mix of LLM, voice, and telephony provider.
Automation
freemium
Bottom Line
n8n edges ahead on rating (4.7 vs 4.5), but the right pick still comes down to which workflow you're running.
Choose n8n if…
Automation
Choose Retell AI if…
Voice AI
| Attribute | n8n | Retell AI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation | Automation |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Pricing Detail | Free (self-hosted) / €20/mo Cloud Starter / €50/mo Cloud Pro | Pay-as-you-go from $0.07-0.31/min / Enterprise custom |
| Rating |
Key Features
n8n
- 400+ integrations
- AI nodes (LangChain)
- Self-hosting option
- Code nodes (JavaScript/Python)
- Complex branching logic
Retell AI
- Inbound and outbound calling
- Visual call flow builder
- CRM integrations
- Call recording and transcripts
- Phone number provisioning
- Real-time analytics
Pros
n8n
- •Open source and self-hostable
- •More powerful than Zapier for technical users
- •AI nodes are excellent
- •Great value vs Zapier
Retell AI
- •Full-stack voice solution, less infrastructure than building from components
- •Visual workflow builder requires no code for call logic
- •Strong integrations with healthcare and real estate tools
Cons
n8n
- Higher technical bar than Zapier
- Self-hosting requires maintenance
- Debugging complex flows can be hard
Retell AI
- Per-minute costs scale quickly at production volume
- Less model flexibility than raw API alternatives