n8n vs Windsurf: which one to choose in 2026?

Community ratings, features, pricing and free plans: the complete head-to-head between n8n and Windsurf to find the right tool for your needs.

Screenshot of n8n
Verified

n8n

4.7 (258)

n8n is an automation platform that connects your apps together through a visual workflow editor. Open source and self-hostable, it stands out with AI nodes that let you build intelligent agents connected to more than 500 services, without the pricing limits of proprietary alternatives.

Workflow ManagementDeveloper Tools
Screenshot of Windsurf
Verified

Windsurf

4.4 (167)

Windsurf is an agentic IDE created by Codeium and now owned by Cognition (the maker of Devin), which rebranded it as Devin Desktop in June 2026. Its local agent, Cascade — now Devin Local — analyzes your entire project, plans changes, edits multiple files and runs commands to carry out development tasks end to end. It stands out for its deep understanding of large codebases (Fast Context, Codemaps) and free access to its in-house SWE-1.6 model.

Code AssistantDeveloper Tools

Comparison table

Criterionn8nWindsurf
Average rating4.74.4
Number of reviews258167
Free planNoYes
PlansCommunity, Starter (Cloud), Pro (Cloud)Free, Pro, Max
CategoriesWorkflow Management, Developer ToolsCode Assistant, Developer Tools
Last updatedJuly 8, 2026July 8, 2026

See all tools in these categories: Developer Tools

Our verdict

n8n or Windsurf?

With an average rating of 4.7/5 (258 reviews), n8n comes out ahead of Windsurf (4.4/5, 167 reviews) with our community.

Budget-wise, Windsurf offers a free plan to get started, while n8n does not appear to offer one.

Positioning-wise, n8n stands out in Workflow Management, while Windsurf focuses on Code Assistant.

Features head to head

n8n

  • Visual drag-and-drop workflow editor
  • More than 500 native integrations plus custom HTTP requests
  • AI nodes for building agents and chaining language models, with MCP protocol support
  • Free self-hosting with available source code
  • JavaScript or Python code for advanced use cases

Windsurf

  • Devin Local agent (formerly Cascade): whole-project understanding, multi-file edits and command execution
  • Plan mode and parallel agent sessions to tackle several tasks at once
  • Supercomplete and Tab completions included even on the free tier
  • Codemaps and Fast Context to map and navigate large codebases
  • Memories and custom rules to remember your project conventions and preferences

Pricing compared

n8n

Community

  • Free when self-hosted
  • Unlimited workflows and executions
  • Source code available

Starter (Cloud)

  • Around €24 per month
  • 2,500 workflow executions per month
  • Managed hosting, no maintenance

Pro (Cloud)

  • Around €60 per month
  • 10,000 executions per month
  • Concurrent executions and expanded team roles

Windsurf

Free

  • Light agent usage quota
  • Tab and Supercomplete completions
  • Unlimited access to the in-house SWE-1.6 model

Pro

  • $20 per month
  • Larger quotas and frontier models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google)
  • Access to the accelerated version of SWE-1.6

Max

  • $200 per month
  • Substantially higher quotas than the Pro plan
  • All Pro plan features included

Prices are indicative and may change — check the official sites for up-to-date pricing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between n8n and Windsurf?

Both tools share the Developer Tools space, but n8n also covers Workflow Management, while Windsurf adds Code Assistant.

n8n or Windsurf: which one is rated higher?

n8n earns the better average rating: 4.7/5 (258 reviews), versus 4.4/5 (167 reviews) for Windsurf.

Can you use n8n or Windsurf for free?

N8n does not offer a free plan as far as we know, and Windsurf offers a free plan.

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