Zapier alternatives: 8 open-source picks
Zapier costs $29.99/mo — $359.88 a year. These 8 alternatives replace it for $0, led by n8n, MCP Servers and Activepieces Community Edition. All 8 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
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
Official reference Model Context Protocol servers (filesystem, git, fetch, memory, and more)
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Zapier with a Docker bill and no task meter.
licenseMIT
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, single-container Docker for testing, or Docker Compose for production
enginesAI pieces connect to providers including OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Gemini
dataFlows and credentials in PostgreSQL; queues and cache in Redis; files use configured persistent or object storage
the catch vs ZapierIts connector catalog, edge-case handling, documentation and vendor support are smaller than Zapier's, and self-hosted OAuth connections can be fiddly.
setupSelf-hosting needs Docker, PostgreSQL, Redis, a public URL and OAuth credentials for many connectors
facts verified 2026-08-10
Flow-based programming in the browser: wire APIs, MQTT, and hardware together with drag-and-drop nodes.
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Declarative YAML workflow orchestration with hundreds of plugins — event-driven automations that live in git.
licenseApache-2.0
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
A smaller AGPL Zapier clone for ordinary trigger-action flows.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
installDocker Compose
dataAutomation definitions and credentials in PostgreSQL; jobs and cache in Redis on the user's server
the catch vs ZapierIt has a far smaller integration catalog and less mature debugging, administration and support than Zapier.
setupDocker plus PostgreSQL, Redis and a public OAuth callback URL for many app connections
facts verified 2026-08-10
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: n8n · MCP Servers · Activepieces Community Edition · Node-RED · Kestra · Windmill
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Zapier 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 8, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving Zapier
- integration catalog
- OAuth maintenance
- retries/history
- nontechnical builder
- app triggers/actions
- uptime
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Zapier alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Sustainable Use License | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 130,000 | 2026-08 |
| MCP Servers | MIT | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 89,000 | 2026-08 |
| Activepieces Community Edition | MIT | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 23,604 | 2026-08 |
| Node-RED | Apache-2.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 21,000 | 2026-08 |
| Kestra | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 18,000 | 2026-08 |
| Windmill | AGPL-3.0 (+EE) | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 15,000 | 2026-08 |
| Automatisch | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 13,923 | 2026-01 |
| Trigger.dev | Apache-2.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 12,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Zapier
They pay because every new app connection is already packaged and maintained. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $359.88 a year.
questions about switching from Zapier
Is there an open-source alternative to Zapier?
Yes: n8n, MCP Servers, Activepieces Community Edition and 5 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Zapier?
Our verdict is YES. n8n (130k stars), MCP Servers (89k stars), Activepieces Community Edition (24k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Zapier — self-host in one command and stop paying $29.99/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/zapier.
What is the easiest open-source Zapier alternative to set up?
n8n — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Zapier alternative?
By GitHub stars, n8n (130,000). MCP Servers is next with 89,000.
