ToolRankBest open-source AI agent and workflow platforms
Updated 16 Oct 2026 · Prices from vendor pages only · How we rank →
The short answer
These platforms publish open-source code you can self-host, with optional paid cloud plans. n8n comes first: developer-friendly automation with unlimited steps per execution and a self-host option. The cheapest verified paid plan here is Flowise Starter ($35/month). 4 of the 5 have a free plan we could confirm. Every price below is from the vendor’s own page, checked 16 Oct 2026.
Ranked shortlist
- n8n: Developer-friendly automation with unlimited steps per execution and a self-host option. Plan: Not yet verified
- CrewAI: Multi-agent orchestration framework plus hosted platform. Plan: Basic: Free
50 executions/month - Dify: Open-source platform for building LLM apps and agent workflows visually. Plan: Sandbox: Free
200 message credits - Flowise: Open-source drag-and-drop builder for LLM agents. Plan: Free: $0/month
2 flows & assistants - Langflow: Open-source visual builder for agents and RAG. Plan: Free and open source, plus a free cloud account
Order follows ToolRank’s editorial ranking in Automation & Agents, filtered to tools that fit this page. Anything we couldn’t confirm on a vendor page says “Not yet verified”.
Side by side
| Rank | Tool | Relevant plan | Starting price | Free plan | Best for | Main limitation | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | n8n | Not yet verified | €20/month (Starter, billed annually) | ✕ None listed | Technical teams building complex workflows and AI agents | Cloud plans count workflow executions (2.5K/month on Starter); steeper learning curve. | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #2 | CrewAI | Basic: Free 50 executions/month | Not yet verified | Basic: free, 50 workflow executions/month | Developers building multi-agent workflows | Paid self-serve tier not shown; Enterprise is custom | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #3 | Dify | Sandbox: Free 200 message credits | $590/workspace/year (Professional) | Sandbox: free, 200 message credits; open-source Community edition free to self-host | Teams building LLM apps with a visual builder | Cloud plans are billed per workspace per year | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #4 | Flowise | Free: $0/month 2 flows & assistants | $35/month (Starter) | Free: $0/month, 2 flows and assistants | Visual LLM flow building | Free cloud plan is limited to 2 flows | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #5 | Langflow | Free and open source, plus a free cloud account | Not yet verified | Free and open source, plus a free cloud account | Building and deploying agents and MCP servers visually | Cloud limits are not published on the homepage | 16 Oct 2026 |
Prices as listed by each vendor on the last-checked date, USD, before tax. Plans and limits change, so follow the sources below.
Who should pick which
Pick n8n for technical teams building complex workflows and AI agents (€20/month (Starter, billed annually)); think twice if you want the simplest no-code setup. Pick CrewAI for developers building multi-agent workflows (Basic: Free). Watch out: paid self-serve tier not shown; Enterprise is custom. Pick Dify for teams building LLM apps with a visual builder (Sandbox: Free). Watch out: cloud plans are billed per workspace per year. Pick Flowise for visual LLM flow building (Free: $0/month). Watch out: free cloud plan is limited to 2 flows. Pick Langflow for building and deploying agents and MCP servers visually (free plan: Free and open source, plus a free cloud account). Watch out: cloud limits are not published on the homepage.
FAQ
Which of these is cheapest?
Flowise Starter ($35/month) is the lowest paid price we verified on this list (https://flowiseai.com, checked 16 Oct 2026). Check the vendor page for tax, billing period and usage limits.
Which of these have a free plan?
CrewAI: Basic: free, 50 workflow executions/month; Dify: Sandbox: free, 200 message credits; open-source Community edition free to self-host; Flowise: Free: $0/month, 2 flows and assistants; Langflow: Free and open source, plus a free cloud account.
How were these tools chosen?
They are the tools in ToolRank's rankings with open-source or self-hosted edition stated by the vendor, confirmed on the vendor's own website on 16 Oct 2026. Tools we could not verify are left out rather than guessed, and anything unconfirmed is marked Not yet verified.
Sources
- n8n: n8n pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- CrewAI: CrewAI pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Dify: Dify pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Flowise: Flowise pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Langflow: Langflow pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
Related comparisons
Profiles: n8n · CrewAI · Dify · Flowise · Langflow
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