kitio.ain8n vs BuildShip
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. BuildShip has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $24 for n8n.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Node-based workflow editor
- AI Agent node
- JavaScript and Python code nodes
- MCP client and server
- Self-hosted Community Edition
- Prompt-to-flow generation
- Visual node editor
- Full code access per node
- API endpoint creation
- Tools for AI agents
- Credit usage monitoring
| Feature | n8n | BuildShip |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Source-available workflow automation you can self-host | Visual AI workflow builder for backends, APIs and agent tools |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $24/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 7-day trial |
| Made by | n8n GmbH | BuildShip |
| Based in | Germany | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
BuildShip has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $24 for n8n.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Community
Free
- Self-hosted
- Free and source-available
Starter
$24/mo
- 2.5K workflow executions
- 5 concurrent executions
- 1,600 Assistant credits/month
Pro
$60/mo
- 10K workflow executions
- Up to 50 concurrent executions
- 3 shared projects
Business
€667/mo billed yearly
- 40K workflow executions
- SSO and LDAP
- Self-hosted
Enterprise
Contact sales
- 200+ concurrent executions
- 365 days of insights
- External secret stores
4 plans
Starter
$19/mo
- 20,000 credits a month
- 20 flows and 10 agents
- 3 team members
Pro
$59/mo
- 100,000 credits a month
- 150 flows and 50 agents
- Priority support
Business
$449/mo
- 300,000 credits a month
- 300 flows and 100 agents
- Office hours with engineers
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom credits
- Self-hosting option
- Compliance support
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
n8n
- Free to self-host
- Billed per execution, not per step
- Code steps when no-code falls short
- Self-hosting means owning updates and security
- Short log retention on the cheapest cloud plan
BuildShip
- Mixes no-code nodes with editable code
- Turns workflows into APIs quickly
- Pay-as-you-go credit top-ups
- Cold starts unless you pay for the add-on
- Custom domain costs extra
- Big price jump from Pro to Business
Which one should you choose?
Choose n8n if you want:
- Free to self-host
- Billed per execution, not per step
- Code steps when no-code falls short
Watch out: self-hosting means owning updates and security.
Choose BuildShip if you want:
- Mixes no-code nodes with editable code
- Turns workflows into APIs quickly
- Pay-as-you-go credit top-ups
Watch out: cold starts unless you pay for the add-on.
n8n vs BuildShip FAQ
What is the difference between n8n and BuildShip?
n8n: Source-available workflow automation you can self-host. BuildShip: Visual AI workflow builder for backends, APIs and agent tools. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is n8n or BuildShip cheaper?
BuildShip has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $24 for n8n.
Do n8n and BuildShip have free plans?
n8n: Yes. BuildShip: No, 7-day trial.
Who makes n8n?
n8n is made by n8n GmbH, based in Germany.
Who makes BuildShip?
BuildShip is made by BuildShip.
Which should I choose, n8n or BuildShip?
Choose n8n if you value free to self-host and billed per execution, not per step. Choose BuildShip if you value mixes no-code nodes with editable code and turns workflows into apis quickly.