Category: Automation/Workflow
Self-host it in the UK. The best data answer in automation.
n8n is an automation platform aimed at technical users, with a node-based canvas, native code steps, queue mode for scale, Git integration and a command-line interface. It is billed per workflow execution rather than per step or task, which makes multi-step automations dramatically cheaper than the alternatives. There is a free community edition you can self-host, and the cloud version hosts in Frankfurt. It ships both an MCP server trigger and instance-level MCP exposing the platform itself, included on every tier, alongside being a client. It raised twice in eighteen months and took a strategic investment from SAP in 2026 at a multi-billion valuation.
The best answer in this category for a UK team with real data requirements, and the reason is simple: you can self-host it, which means your automation data and credentials never leave infrastructure you control. The cloud version sitting in Frankfurt is the next best thing. Billing per execution rather than per step is the other structural advantage, and for a workflow with twenty steps it is dramatically cheaper than Zapier. MCP is included on every tier in both directions. Three caveats. There is a real technical floor here, with code steps and self-hosting assuming someone capable, so it is not a Zapier substitute for a non-technical team. Pricing is in euros only, so UK buyers carry the exchange rate. And there is a licensing question worth checking if you are an agency: wording requiring an enterprise licence for hosting clients' workflows appeared and was then removed in late 2026, so get the current position in writing before building a client business on it.
Best for: Technical teams who want automation they can self-host, and anyone whose workflows have enough steps that per-task billing hurts.
Pricing: From EUR 20/mo, or self-host free (Freemium)
Rating: 4.5/5