kitio.ain8n vs Thoughtful
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. n8n has the lower starting price: about $24 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
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
- Multiplayer AI chats
- Shared skills and memory
- Connectors and APIs
- Code execution
- Browser automation
| Feature | n8n | Thoughtful |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Source-available workflow automation you can self-host | Shared AI agent workspace for teams with skills, memory and automations |
| Category | Agents & automation | Agents & automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $24/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Made by | n8n GmbH | Lex, Inc. |
| Based in | Germany | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
n8n has the lower starting price: about $24 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
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
2 plans
Platform
$25/mo
- Per user
- Shared workspace and skills
- Bring your own API keys
- Managed AI credits +$10/user
Custom
Contact sales
- Volume pricing for 25+ seats
- SSO and enterprise features
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
Thoughtful
- Bring your own API keys at no markup
- Whole team works in one chat
- Reusable skills for common tasks
- No free plan
- Per-user fee before any AI usage
- SSO only on custom plans
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 Thoughtful if you want:
- Bring your own API keys at no markup
- Whole team works in one chat
- Reusable skills for common tasks
Watch out: no free plan.
n8n vs Thoughtful FAQ
What is the difference between n8n and Thoughtful?
n8n: Source-available workflow automation you can self-host. Thoughtful: Shared AI agent workspace for teams with skills, memory and automations. Both are agents & automation tools.
Is n8n or Thoughtful cheaper?
n8n has the lower starting price: about $24 a month, against $25 for Thoughtful.
Do n8n and Thoughtful have free plans?
n8n: Yes. Thoughtful: No.
Who makes n8n?
n8n is made by n8n GmbH, based in Germany.
Who makes Thoughtful?
Thoughtful is made by Lex, Inc., based in United States.
Which should I choose, n8n or Thoughtful?
Choose n8n if you value free to self-host and billed per execution, not per step. Choose Thoughtful if you value bring your own api keys at no markup and whole team works in one chat.