Foliot vs n8n: a hosted, simpler n8n alternative

n8n is a powerful automation tool for technical teams, with its source code on GitHub. You can host it yourself, it has a large library of integrations, and it's moving fast into AI agents. Foliot shares some of its spirit: webhooks, an HTTP request step, a JavaScript step, branches and loops. But it's hosted only, much smaller on purpose, and built to be calm and quick to learn. This page is for people deciding between the two, or looking for something simpler than n8n without running a server.

At a glance

Prices checked on October 15, 2026, on n8n's pricing page and Foliot's own. n8n prices are in euros, billed annually; Foliot's are in US dollars, before tax.

What a typical workflow costs

Both tools count a whole workflow run as one unit, so the math is simple. A workflow that fires 2,500 times a month, whatever its steps:

• n8n Cloud: 2,500 executions fit the Starter plan, €20/month billed annually. At 10,000 a month it's Pro at €50/month.
• Foliot: 2,500 runs are over the free plan's 500, so it's Pro at $12/month, which covers up to 10,000.
• Self-hosted n8n: the software is free, and you pay for the server and the time to keep it updated, backed up and secure.

When n8n is the better choice

• You want to self-host, for data control, for compliance, or because you already run servers. Foliot is hosted only.
• You need many integrations or app triggers. n8n has built-in nodes and triggers for far more apps. Foliot starts only from a schedule, a webhook or its own form.
• You want AI agents or AI steps. That's where n8n is investing. Foliot has none.
• Your code needs packages, network access or Python. Foliot's Code step is a small, sandboxed JavaScript step; network calls go through the HTTP request step.
• You want a big community: thousands of shared templates, a busy forum and many tutorials.

When Foliot is the better choice

• You want n8n-style building blocks without running a server. Webhooks, HTTP requests, JavaScript, branches and loops, hosted, with nothing to install or update.
• You found n8n too much for simple jobs. Foliot has nine kinds of steps, each named for what it does, and a canvas that lays itself out.
• You want a free hosted plan to start with: 500 runs a month, no card, no trial clock.
• Your jobs are webhook, form or schedule driven: send webhooks to Google Sheets or Slack, email form answers, call an API every hour.

Switching from n8n

There's no import; you rebuild each workflow. Most n8n nodes have a direct counterpart:

• Webhook node → When a webhook is received (Foliot accepts POST requests).
• Schedule Trigger → On a schedule (every N minutes or hours, daily, or weekly, in your timezone).
• n8n Form Trigger → When a form is submitted.
• HTTP Request → HTTP request; If → Filter (stop) or Branch (two paths); Loop Over Items → For each (up to 100 items); Wait → Delay (up to 30 days); Code → Code (JavaScript, no network).
• Send Email, Slack and Google Sheets nodes → Send email, Post to Slack (through a Slack incoming webhook) and Add row to Google Sheets.

Nodes for other apps become HTTP requests to that app's API, with the credentials stored once as an “API credentials” connection.