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Open source AI agents: builders you can self-host

4 agent builders you can run on your own server, with each license read line by line.

No. 1: n8n, 9.5/10Prices checked November 15, 2026
n8n logo1. n8nNo. 1 in this ranking
9.5/10Excellent · our score out of 10

From $24/moWorkflow executions · checked Nov 15, 2026

  • Billed per workflow run, not per step: 2,500 runs for $24 a month
  • AI Agent node, MCP and human approval on every Cloud plan
  • Self-hosted Community Edition if you want your data on your own server
  • The catch: It is low-code, not no-code: expect to read JSON and debug expressions. And the license is fair-code, not open source.
Check price at n8nRead the n8n review
Activepieces logo2. ActivepiecesRunner-up
9.4/10Excellent · our score out of 10

From $20/moCredits (one per run) · checked Nov 15, 2026

  • Free forever plan: 1,000 credits a month, 5 users, no card
  • One credit per run however many steps; $20 buys 10,000
  • Open-source edition you can run on your own servers
  • The catch: The catalog is smaller (770+ apps) and the self-hosted Community Edition leaves out Agents and Chat.
Check price at ActivepiecesSee Activepieces in the comparison tool
Langflow logo3. LangflowThird
9.0/10Excellent · our score out of 10

Free, open sourceNo platform fee · checked Nov 15, 2026

  • Free and open source under the MIT license
  • Any major LLM or vector database, with your own keys
  • Each flow is exposed as an API and an MCP server
  • The catch: It is a Python tool for developers: no hosted paid plan, no app catalog, and you run the server yourself.
Get Langflow freeSee Langflow in the comparison tool
Prices checked Nov 15, 2026Read on official pricing pagesPublic scoring formulaAffiliate links disclosed

Open source and self-hosted AI agent builders at a glance

Entry price, billing unit, free access and self-hosting for the 4 tools, in ranking order.

Open source and self-hosted AI agent builders compared
ToolScoreEntry priceBilled inFree plan or trialIntegrationsSelf-hostingOfficial page
n8n logo1. n8nFrom $24/mo · checked Nov 15, 20269.5/10From $24/moWorkflow executionsFree self-hosted edition500+YesCheck price at n8n
Activepieces logo2. ActivepiecesFrom $20/mo · checked Nov 15, 20269.4/10From $20/moCredits (one per run)Free plan770+Yes, limitedCheck price at Activepieces
Langflow logo3. LangflowFree, open source · checked Nov 15, 20269.0/10Free, open sourceNo platform feeFree self-hosted editionNot statedYesGet Langflow free
Dify logo4. DifyFrom $59/mo · checked Nov 15, 20268.7/10From $59/moMessage creditsFree planNot statedYesCheck price at Dify
Compare the top 3 in detailAnswer 3 questions, get a pick

What we compare, and how

People who search for open source AI agents usually want one of two things: a builder with no license bill, or one they can run on their own servers so data never leaves. This page ranks the visual builders that offer the second, and tells you honestly which ones also deliver the first.

Because "open source" is used loosely. Of the tools below, Langflow carries the MIT license and Activepieces publishes an open-source Community Edition. n8n and Dify are source-available: you can read, modify and self-host the code, under licenses that restrict some commercial uses. We read each license on the vendor's own repository or documentation.

Pure code frameworks without an interface are out of scope here. Scores come from the formula on the methodology page.

Open source or source-available: what does each license allow?

n8n's Sustainable Use License allows internal business use and forbids selling n8n as a service. Dify calls its license an Apache-2.0-derivative: no multi-tenant service and no removing the logo without permission. Langflow is MIT. Activepieces' Community Edition is open source, and Activepieces says its paid layer adds Agents, Chat and access controls. If you plan to resell what you build, read the license itself, not a summary.

The 4 tools, one by one

Who each one suits, three strengths, the catch, and the entry price read on Nov 15, 2026.

1Top pick
n8n logo

n8n

Low-code, source-available

Best for technical small teams that run a lot of automations. One run costs one execution, whether the workflow has 3 steps or 300.

  • Billed per workflow run, not per step: 2,500 runs for $24 a month
  • AI Agent node, MCP and human approval on every Cloud plan
  • Self-hosted Community Edition if you want your data on your own server
  • The catch: It is low-code, not no-code: expect to read JSON and debug expressions. And the license is fair-code, not open source.
9.5/10ExcellentCheck price at n8n

From $24/mo · checked Nov 15, 2026

Read the n8n review
2of 4
Activepieces logo

Activepieces

No-code, open source

Best for small teams that want a free start and a way out to self-hosting. A free plan with agents, a $20 plan, and one credit per run.

  • Free forever plan: 1,000 credits a month, 5 users, no card
  • One credit per run however many steps; $20 buys 10,000
  • Open-source edition you can run on your own servers
  • The catch: The catalog is smaller (770+ apps) and the self-hosted Community Edition leaves out Agents and Chat.
9.4/10ExcellentCheck price at Activepieces

From $20/mo · checked Nov 15, 2026

See Activepieces in the comparison tool
3of 4
Langflow logo

Langflow

Developer tool, open source

Best for developers who want no license bill. Free, MIT-licensed, and every flow becomes an API or an MCP server.

  • Free and open source under the MIT license
  • Any major LLM or vector database, with your own keys
  • Each flow is exposed as an API and an MCP server
  • The catch: It is a Python tool for developers: no hosted paid plan, no app catalog, and you run the server yourself.
9.0/10ExcellentGet Langflow free

Free, open source · checked Nov 15, 2026

See Langflow in the comparison tool
4of 4
Dify logo

Dify

Low-code, source-available

Best for technical teams building AI apps around their documents. Workflows, agents and a knowledge base, on Dify Cloud or your own Docker host.

  • Free Sandbox plan, and a self-hosted Community Edition
  • Knowledge bases with document processing built in
  • Every app publishes as a web app or an API
  • The catch: Professional starts at $59 a month for 3 members, and the license forbids reselling it as a multi-tenant service.
8.7/10Very goodCheck price at Dify

From $59/mo · checked Nov 15, 2026

See Dify in the comparison tool

Which one should you choose?

  • You want agents inside business automations, self-hosted: n8n Community Edition.
  • You want the most permissive license and you write Python: Langflow.
  • You want an app studio with a knowledge base: Dify, on its cloud or with Docker.
  • You want simple flows and a free hosted plan to start: Activepieces.
  • You were on Flowise: it was discontinued in 2026; see the Flowise review for a migration path.

Go deeper

Questions about open source and self-hosted ai agent builders

What are the best open source AI agent builders?

Among visual builders you can self-host, we rank n8n, Activepieces, Langflow and Dify. Only Langflow (MIT) and the Activepieces Community Edition are open source in the strict sense; n8n and Dify are source-available.

Is n8n open source?

Not under an OSI-approved license. n8n uses its Sustainable Use License, which it calls fair-code: free to self-host for internal business use, with limits on commercial redistribution.

Can I run an AI agent on my own server?

Yes. All four tools in this ranking have a self-hosted edition. You provide the server and pay your model provider.

What happened to Flowise?

Flowise was wound down by its team: end of life on August 31, 2026, with the repository archived. The Apache 2.0 code can still be forked, without updates from the team.

Is self-hosting really free?

There is no license fee on the editions listed here, but you pay for the server, backups, updates and the time of whoever maintains it, plus model usage.