Comparison · June 2026
Rills: the n8n alternative
How n8n and Rills differ on AI oversight, pricing, and mobile approvals.
n8n is yours to host, secure, patch, and babysit. Rills is the same supervised automation, fully managed, with a mobile approval queue instead of a server to keep alive.
- n8n you host, patch, and secure; Rills is fully managed
- n8n Cloud executions cap fast; Rills includes credits and never charges for logic
- Switch if you want supervised automation without running a server
Pick Rills if you want fully managed AI automation with mobile approvals, no servers to run, and workflows that pause at $0.
Pick n8n if you need self-hosting, open source, or full control over data residency and the runtime.
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Why operators choose Rills over n8n
- You don't want to run infrastructure. Self-hosting n8n means you own the uptime, the upgrades, and the 2am page. Rills is fully managed.
- Cloud executions add up fast. n8n Cloud Starter caps at 2,500 runs a month; Rills meters actions, and logic plus approvals are free.
- No phone-first approval queue. n8n has manual steps inside the builder, not a queue you clear between meetings.
- Supervision that learns. Rills scores every execution's confidence, and runs above your threshold clear on their own.
Rills runs Gmail, Stripe, and Notion like n8n does, minus the server to host, patch, and babysit. Every approval is free.
Full comparison
Pricing model
- Rills
- Base subscription from $29/month plus included workflow & AI credits; logic & approvals free
- n8n
- Cloud: Starter from $20/mo annual ($24 monthly, 2,500 executions/mo), Pro from $50/mo ($60 monthly, 10k executions; slider to 50k at $120/mo annual). Past 50k executions it's contact sales or the self-hosted Business plan (from $800/mo annual, 40k executions). Self-hosted: Community edition free
Free / entry
- Rills
- Free trial; paid plans from Starter tier (see rills.ai/pricing for tiers and included credits)
- n8n
- Self-hosted Community edition is free with unlimited executions (you run the server); n8n Cloud offers a trial (see n8n.io/pricing)
AI capabilities
- Rills
- Native AI agents with confidence scoring that learns from approvals
- n8n
- AI Workflow Builder credits on cloud tiers; LLM nodes / AI tooling in workflows
Human oversight
- Rills
- Built-in mobile approval queue; $0 while paused for review
- n8n
- Manual steps possible in a flow, but no phone-first approval queue and no confidence learning loop like Rills
Integrations
- Rills
- Growing catalog (focused on common business tools)
- n8n
- Large node library via community and built-ins (see n8n integrations)
Mobile experience
- Rills
- Approval queue designed for mobile review
- n8n
- Primarily a desktop builder; not mobile-first approvals
Best for
- Rills
- Teams that want AI to propose actions but humans to stay in the loop
- n8n
- Technical teams wanting self-hosting, open source, or per-execution cloud pricing
| Compare | RillsAI automation with human oversight | n8nOpen-source workflow automation |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Base subscription from $29/month plus included workflow & AI credits; logic & approvals free | Cloud: Starter from $20/mo annual ($24 monthly, 2,500 executions/mo), Pro from $50/mo ($60 monthly, 10k executions; slider to 50k at $120/mo annual). Past 50k executions it's contact sales or the self-hosted Business plan (from $800/mo annual, 40k executions). Self-hosted: Community edition free |
| Free / entry | Free trial; paid plans from Starter tier (see rills.ai/pricing for tiers and included credits) | Self-hosted Community edition is free with unlimited executions (you run the server); n8n Cloud offers a trial (see n8n.io/pricing) |
| AI capabilities | Native AI agents with confidence scoring that learns from approvals | AI Workflow Builder credits on cloud tiers; LLM nodes / AI tooling in workflows |
| Human oversight | Built-in mobile approval queue; $0 while paused for review | Manual steps possible in a flow, but no phone-first approval queue and no confidence learning loop like Rills |
| Integrations | Growing catalog (focused on common business tools) | Large node library via community and built-ins (see n8n integrations) |
| Mobile experience | Approval queue designed for mobile review | Primarily a desktop builder; not mobile-first approvals |
| Best for | Teams that want AI to propose actions but humans to stay in the loop | Technical teams wanting self-hosting, open source, or per-execution cloud pricing |
When to choose Rills
- You want fully managed cloud, with no servers, upgrades, or infra to run
- You want AI agents plus a mobile approval queue, with $0 cost while paused
- You prefer a base plan with included workflow + AI credits, free logic and approvals
- You want workflows that learn from your approval patterns, reducing reviews over time
When to choose n8n
- You want self-hosting or need full control over data residency and the runtime
- You prefer open-source software you can extend with custom nodes and code
- You have the team to operate, secure, and upgrade your own n8n deployment
- You value n8n's per-execution cloud pricing model or unlimited self-hosted community use
Pricing comparison
Rills
Base subscription from $29/month plus included workflow & AI credits; logic & approvals free
- Starter $29/month: 10,000 workflow credits & 1,000 AI credits/mo (included)
- Professional $99/month: 50,000 workflow & 5,000 AI credits/mo
- Business $349/month: 200,000 workflow & 20,000 AI credits/mo
- Human approvals and workflow logic never consume credits
- $0 while workflows are paused awaiting approval
- Enterprise: custom pricing and credit pools (see /pricing)
n8n
Cloud: Starter from $20/mo annual ($24 monthly, 2,500 executions/mo), Pro from $50/mo ($60 monthly, 10k executions; slider to 50k at $120/mo annual). Past 50k executions it's contact sales or the self-hosted Business plan (from $800/mo annual, 40k executions). Self-hosted: Community edition free
- Cloud Starter: from $20/mo annual (~$24 monthly), 2,500 executions/mo (n8n.io/pricing)
- Cloud Pro from $50/mo (10k executions, slider to 50k); past that: contact sales or self-host
- Business (from $800/mo annual, 40k executions) is self-hosted, not cloud; Community edition is free, unlimited executions
- An execution is one full workflow run; you also own uptime, upgrades, and security
n8n Cloud Starter gives 2,500 executions for about $24/mo, then you upgrade as you grow. Self-hosting drops the fee but adds a server you patch and secure. Rills includes workflow and AI credits in the base plan, charges nothing for logic or approvals, and runs the infrastructure for you.
Calculate your own numbers — compare plans at your volume →
Sources, verified June 2026: Rills pricing · n8n pricing
Rills runs the servers so you don't. You're never billed for workflow logic or for approving an action, a paused workflow costs $0, and you decide from your phone in about five seconds. No Docker, no upgrades, no security patches on your plate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rills a good n8n alternative?
Rills is a fit if you want supervised AI automation without running your own server. n8n is excellent if you want open source and self-hosting; Rills is fully managed, with a mobile approval queue and confidence scoring instead of infrastructure to maintain.
Can I self-host Rills like n8n?
No. Rills is a fully managed cloud product; there is no self-hosted edition. That is the trade: you give up running the server, and in return you get managed uptime, upgrades, and security, plus the mobile approval queue. If self-hosting or data residency control is a hard requirement, n8n's Community edition is the better choice.
Is Rills cheaper than n8n?
It depends on usage. Self-hosted n8n can be very cheap on raw fees if you have the team to operate it. Against n8n Cloud, Rills is competitive because logic and approvals are free and paused workflows cost $0, so you pay for outcomes rather than every execution. See rills.ai/pricing.
Does n8n have a mobile approval queue?
n8n supports manual steps inside the builder, but it is a desktop-first tool without a phone-first approval queue. Rills is built around a mobile queue you clear in seconds.
Do I have to manage servers or upgrades with Rills?
No. Rills handles hosting, scaling, upgrades, and security. There is no Docker to run, no database to back up, and no 2am page when a node version changes.
Approve from your phone. Pause without paying.
14-day trial, no card. Plug in one workflow, watch it ask before it acts.
No credit card to start. Cancel anytime, export your data, no lock-in.
Compare Rills with other tools
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Last updated: June 2026
n8n is a trademark of its respective owners. Rills is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of these companies. Product information was accurate as of the date shown and may have changed. Visit each product's website for current pricing and features.