3 open source alternatives to Zapier
Connect thousands of apps with no-code automations. Here are the open source projects real teams use instead — ranked by fit, with honest pros and cons for each.
What people don't love about Zapier
- Pricing scales with task volume quickly.
- Data flows through Zapier cloud.
- Self-hosting not possible.
Current Zapier pricing (for reference): Free tier (100 tasks/month); Starter from $19.99/month.
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Best for | License | Self-host | Hosted cloud? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
n8n Node-based automation tool — self-host or cloud. |
The most mature and feature-rich open automation platform. | Sustainable Use License (source-available, free for self-host) | ★★☆☆☆ | Yes |
|
Activepieces Open source Zapier alternative with MIT license. |
If you want a strictly MIT-licensed, truly-open alternative. | MIT | ★★☆☆☆ | Yes |
|
Huginn Self-hosted "agents" that watch, scrape, and act. |
Feed monitoring and IFTTT-style agent automations. | MIT | ★★★☆☆ | Self-host only |
1. n8n — The most mature and feature-rich open automation platform.
Node-based automation tool — self-host or cloud.
Strengths
- 400+ integrations out of the box.
- Visual editor plus code nodes for flexibility.
- Active community building templates.
Weaknesses
- License is "fair-code" — not strict OSI open source.
- Cloud pricing scales with active executions.
- Some integrations lag behind Zapier's freshest APIs.
2. Activepieces — If you want a strictly MIT-licensed, truly-open alternative.
Open source Zapier alternative with MIT license.
Strengths
- Properly MIT-licensed and open.
- Visual flows with branching and loops.
- TypeScript-based custom pieces.
Weaknesses
- Smaller integration catalogue than Zapier or n8n.
- Newer project — breaking changes occur.
- Cloud pricing tiers still evolving.
Activepieces homepage · Source on GitHub · Zapier vs Activepieces →
3. Huginn — Feed monitoring and IFTTT-style agent automations.
Self-hosted "agents" that watch, scrape, and act.
Strengths
- Built for IFTTT-style feed monitoring and actions.
- Huge agent library for feeds, weather, email.
- Long-running, stable project.
Weaknesses
- Ruby/Rails stack can feel heavy.
- UI is functional, not polished.
- Not beginner-friendly.
Not what you're looking for?
Browse other tools in Automation & Workflows, or check out open source projects by category on the full category index.
Other SaaS in Automation & Workflows
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