kitio.ain8n vs Claude Agent SDK
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while n8n is freemium.
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
- Claude Code agent loop
- Built-in file and shell tools
- Hooks and permissions
- Subagents and skills
- MCP support
| Feature | n8n | Claude Agent SDK |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Source-available workflow automation you can self-host | Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starting price | $24/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | n8n GmbH | Anthropic |
| Based in | Germany | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while n8n is freemium.
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
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
Claude Agent SDK
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
- Requires API billing
- Mostly tied to Claude models
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 Claude Agent SDK if you want:
- Proven harness from Claude Code
- Strong for long, tool-heavy tasks
- Fine-grained permission control
Watch out: requires api billing.
n8n vs Claude Agent SDK FAQ
What is the difference between n8n and Claude Agent SDK?
n8n: Source-available workflow automation you can self-host. Claude Agent SDK: Anthropic's SDK for building agents on the Claude Code harness. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is n8n or Claude Agent SDK cheaper?
Claude Agent SDK is completely free, while n8n is freemium.
Do n8n and Claude Agent SDK have free plans?
n8n: Yes. Claude Agent SDK: Yes, fully free.
Who makes n8n?
n8n is made by n8n GmbH, based in Germany.
Who makes Claude Agent SDK?
Claude Agent SDK is made by Anthropic, based in United States.
Which should I choose, n8n or Claude Agent SDK?
Choose n8n if you value free to self-host and billed per execution, not per step. Choose Claude Agent SDK if you value proven harness from claude code and strong for long, tool-heavy tasks.