Alternatives / Zapier
Looking for an open source Zapier alternative? We compared 10 open source workflow automation, orchestration, and webhook platforms by license, self-hosting, integrations, and AI features. They range from visual app connectors to code-first orchestration and webhook delivery, and several are not under standard open-source licenses.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| n8n | Closest workflow builder with 500+ integrations (fair-code license) | Sustainable Use License + enterprise (.ee) files |
| ActivePieces | No-code app automation (Community Edition is MIT) | MIT (Community Edition) |
| Automatisch | Self-hosted app connections (Community Edition) | AGPL-3.0 (Community Edition) |
| Windmill | Code-first scripts, workflows, and apps (partly proprietary) | AGPL-3.0 + Apache-2.0 + proprietary parts |
| Trigger.dev | Long-running tasks and AI agents in TypeScript | Apache-2.0 |
| Hatchet | Durable orchestration and background jobs | MIT |
| ByteChef | AI agents and workflows (smaller integration library) | Apache-2.0 (Community Edition) |
| Automa | Browser automation with AI (AGPL or commercial license) | AGPL-3.0 or Automa Commercial License |
| Svix | Delivering webhooks to your customers | MIT |
| Hook0 | Webhooks as a service (SSPL) | SSPL (source available); SDKs MIT |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with Zapier's core: connecting apps and automating workflows between them. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and self-hosting in its repository. Zapier is a no-code connector with thousands of apps, so the list mixes visual builders, code-first orchestration tools, and webhook infrastructure, and we flag fair-code and source-available licenses. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Zapier connects thousands of apps. n8n offers 500+ integrations and more through nodes, while others such as ByteChef list far fewer. Check that the apps you rely on are supported before migrating, and expect to write some HTTP calls yourself.
n8n uses the Sustainable Use License, a fair-code license, with .ee files that need an enterprise license. Hook0 uses the Server Side Public License. Automa is AGPL or a separate commercial license, and Windmill's community edition includes proprietary parts. Activepieces and Automatisch have MIT or AGPL Community Editions alongside paid enterprise editions.
n8n, Activepieces, Automatisch, and ByteChef are visual workflow builders, and Windmill, Trigger.dev, and Hatchet are code-first platforms for developers. Svix and Hook0 are not general automation tools: they deliver webhooks from your product to your customers. Automa focuses on browser automation with AI.
Trigger.dev is Apache-2.0, and Hatchet and Svix are MIT. Windmill combines AGPL-3.0 and Apache-2.0 code with proprietary parts, and Automatisch and ByteChef have Community Editions under AGPL-3.0 and Apache-2.0.
n8n, Activepieces, Windmill, Trigger.dev, Hatchet, ByteChef, and Hook0 had commits within days of this update. Automatisch's last commit was in February 2026 and Automa's in March 2026, so they are slower.
Zapier is a proprietary hosted service priced by task volume, so costs grow quickly as automations run more often, and your data passes through its platform. Open-source alternatives let you self-host automation, avoid per-task pricing, add code where you need it, and keep credentials and data on your own infrastructure, at the cost of running the platform and a smaller catalog of ready-made app connectors.
n8n is a fair-code platform to build and deploy workflows and AI agents with a visual canvas plus optional JavaScript or Python code, 500+ integrations, and self-hosting as a first-class option. It uses the Sustainable Use License, which is source available rather than standard open source, and files marked .ee need an enterprise license. SSO, RBAC, and audit logs are in the on-premises enterprise path.
Pricing: Free to self-host under the license terms; cloud and enterprise plans are paid.
ActivePieces is an open-source automation platform for building no-code workflows and AI agents. The Community Edition is MIT-licensed and self-hostable via Docker; enterprise features (SSO, advanced permissions) sit behind a separate paid tier.
Pricing: Community Edition free and self-hosted; Cloud and enterprise features (SSO, advanced permissions) are paid.
Automa is a no-code platform that combines AI agents with robotic process automation, running in the browser for tasks such as invoices and reconciliation. Its source is variously licensed under the AGPL or the Automa Commercial License, and it is aimed at business users rather than developer pipelines. Its last commit was in March 2026.
Pricing: Free under the AGPL; commercial use and enterprise features need a commercial license.
Windmill is a self-hosted platform for turning scripts into workflows and internal apps, with a code-first approach for TypeScript, Python, Go, and more. Its source is under AGPL-3.0 and Apache-2.0, but the community edition also includes proprietary parts. It is free to use internally, while commercial redistribution or managed services need a commercial license.
Pricing: Free to use internally; commercial redistribution and enterprise features need a paid license.
Trigger.dev is an Apache-2.0 platform for long-running tasks and AI agents written in TypeScript, with retries, scheduling, and full run logs. It is usage-priced as a managed platform, and self-hosting is possible.
Pricing: Free to self-host; the managed platform is usage-based.
Automatisch is an open-source, self-hosted workflow automation tool positioned as a lightweight Zapier alternative. The Community Edition is AGPL-3.0 licensed, with enterprise-only features under a separate license.
Pricing: Community Edition free and self-hosted; paid Cloud and enterprise tiers available.
Hatchet is an MIT-licensed orchestration platform for running background tasks, durable workflows, and AI agents, with queues, scheduling, and observability. It is not a UI builder: it targets workflow and task execution for developers.
Pricing: Free to self-host; Hatchet Cloud is paid.
Svix is an MIT-licensed webhook delivery platform with retries, signed payloads, multi-tenancy, and monitoring, available as a self-hosted open-source server or a managed cloud. It delivers webhooks to your customers' endpoints and is not a general app automation tool.
Pricing: Free to self-host; the managed cloud is paid.
ByteChef is an open-source, low-code platform for API orchestration, workflow automation, and AI agent integration. The core platform is Apache-2.0 licensed, with enterprise-only features under a separate license.
Pricing: Community Edition free and self-hosted; enterprise features under a separate commercial license.
Hook0 is an open-source webhooks-as-a-service platform that makes it easy for online products to provide webhooks, written in Rust. Its main code is under the Server Side Public License, which is source available rather than open source, while its client SDKs are MIT. It is developed on GitLab.
Pricing: Free to self-host under the SSPL; check the website for hosted plans.
| Alternative | Type | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Visual workflows | Sustainable Use License + EE | Yes | Technical teams |
| ActivePieces | No-code automation | MIT (Community) + EE | Yes | App automation |
| Automa | Browser automation | AGPL-3.0 or commercial | Browser extension | RPA with AI |
| Windmill | Scripts and workflows | AGPL-3.0 + proprietary parts | Yes | Developers |
| Trigger.dev | Task platform | Apache-2.0 | Yes | Long-running tasks |
| Automatisch | App connector | AGPL-3.0 (Community) + EE | Yes | Simple automations |
| Hatchet | Orchestration | MIT | Yes | Background jobs |
| Svix | Webhook delivery | MIT | Yes | Customer webhooks |
| Hook0 | Webhooks as a service | SSPL | Yes | Webhook infrastructure |
| ByteChef | AI workflow platform | Apache-2.0 (Community) + EE | Yes | AI agents and workflows |
Want the closest visual workflow builder
n8n offers a visual builder with 500+ integrations and optional code, but its Sustainable Use License is fair-code, not standard open source.
Want a no-code builder under a permissive license
Activepieces offers a drag-and-drop builder with many connectors, with an MIT Community Edition and paid enterprise features.
Prefer code over drag and drop
Windmill runs scripts in Python, TypeScript, Go, and Bash as workflows and apps, but part of it is proprietary.
Need durable background jobs and agents
Hatchet is an MIT orchestration platform with retries and parallel work, aimed at engineering teams.
Need to send webhooks to your own customers
Svix provides signed, retried webhook delivery as a self-hosted server or managed cloud, under MIT.