Relay.app alternatives: 5 open-source picks
Relay.app costs $19/mo — $228 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Activepieces Community Edition, n8n and Windmill. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Visual workflows with approval steps and human input, without paying per successful handoff.
Node-based workflow automation with 400+ integrations, AI agent nodes, and code steps, self-hosted via Docker
licenseSustainable Use License
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Turns Python/TypeScript/Go/SQL scripts into workflows, cron jobs, and internal apps with a low-code UI builder
licenseAGPL-3.0 (+EE)
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
The most literal open-source Zapier: pick a trigger app, pick an action app, connect. Docker compose install.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Open-source background jobs and durable workflows for TypeScript with retries, queues, and observability
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Activepieces Community Edition · n8n · Windmill · Automatisch · Trigger.dev
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Relay.app alternative
Easiest to get running
n8n — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
n8n, with 130,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving Relay.app
- polished approvals, AI steps, integrations, shared workflows, and managed execution
- thousands of connectors
- maintained OAuth applications
- schema-drift handling
- high-scale durable execution and support
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Relay.app alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activepieces Community Edition | open source | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 23,604 | 2026-08 |
| n8n | Sustainable Use License | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 130,000 | 2026-08 |
| Windmill | AGPL-3.0 (+EE) | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 15,000 | 2026-08 |
| Automatisch | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 12,000 | 2026-08 |
| Trigger.dev | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 12,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Relay.app
People still pay for Relay.app because one automation is easy; maintaining hundreds of connectors and making every run recoverable is the business. The recurring cost buys OAuth review, token refresh, webhooks, polling, schemas, retries, idempotency, queues, secrets, rate limits, observability, and upgrades, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $228 a year.
questions about switching from Relay.app
Is there an open-source alternative to Relay.app?
Yes: Activepieces Community Edition, n8n, Windmill and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Relay.app?
Our verdict is YES. n8n (130k stars), Activepieces Community Edition (24k stars), Windmill (15k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Relay.app — self-host in one command and stop paying $19/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/relay-app.
What is the easiest open-source Relay.app alternative to set up?
n8n — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Relay.app alternative?
By GitHub stars, n8n (130,000). Activepieces Community Edition is next with 23,604.
