License & Deployment Mix: 26 tools – 12 OSS, 5 SaaS. (OSS and SaaS counts can overlap when an open-source tool also offers a vendor-hosted edition.)
What Is Workflow Automation?
Workflow automation connects applications, services, and APIs through structured sequences of steps. A workflow defines triggers (what starts it), actions (what happens), and logic (branching, error handling, retries). The goal is to eliminate manual glue between systems – data moves automatically, events propagate across tools, and humans intervene only on exceptions.
Workflows can be:
- Event-driven – triggered by webhooks, file uploads, or database changes
- Scheduled – run on a cron or interval basis
- Manual – started by an operator or API call
The information on these pages was researched by a combination of human review and large language models. To suggest an addition or correction, please contact us. Prepared by Rhodium Systems Inc., author of the ResorsIT platform — a unified IT operations management platform for IT teams and MSPs that integrates a curated suite of open-source, commercial, and SaaS applications into a single system with shared identity, single sign-on, access control, and a common audit trail. Use this catalogue only as a starting point for your own research, and review any tool carefully against your own requirements before relying on it. Catalogue data version 2026.197.
Comparison
SSO / OIDC Comparison
OIDC is the preferred SSO protocol. The table below shows each tool’s SSO capabilities and Authentik compatibility.
| Tool | OIDC | SAML | LDAP | Authentik Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Yes | Yes | Yes | OIDC provider (native) |
| Node-RED | No | No | No | Reverse-proxy (Authentik proxy) |
| ActivePieces | Yes | No | No | OIDC provider (native) |
| Automatisch | No | No | No | Reverse-proxy (Authentik proxy) |
| Huginn | No | No | No | Reverse-proxy (Authentik proxy) |
| Airflow | Yes | No | Yes | OIDC via Flask-OIDC / FAB |
| Kestra | Yes | No | Yes | OIDC provider (native EE) |
| Prefect | Yes | No | No | OIDC via Prefect Cloud only |
| Temporal | Yes | No | Yes | OIDC via Temporal Cloud or proxy |
| Windmill | Yes | No | Yes | OIDC provider (native) |
| StackStorm | No | No | Yes | LDAP backend or reverse-proxy |
| Camunda | Yes | No | Yes | OIDC via Keycloak/Identity |
| Zapier | Yes | Yes | No | OIDC or SAML (Team/Enterprise) |
| Make | Yes | Yes | No | OIDC or SAML (Enterprise) |
| Power Automate | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Entra ID (M365 tenant) |
| Workato | Yes | Yes | No | OIDC or SAML (native) |
API Comparison
| Tool | API Type | Auth | Programmatic Workflows | SDKs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | REST | API key, OAuth2 | Yes (JSON import) | JS |
| Node-RED | REST | API key | Yes (flow JSON) | JS |
| ActivePieces | REST | API key | Yes (JSON import) | TS |
| Automatisch | GraphQL | API key | Limited | None |
| Huginn | REST | API key | Yes (JSON export) | Ruby |
| Airflow | REST | API key, OAuth2 | Yes (DAG files) | Python |
| Kestra | REST | API key, Basic | Yes (YAML flows) | Java, Python |
| Prefect | REST | API key | Yes (Python code) | Python |
| Temporal | gRPC | mTLS, API key | Yes (code-first) | Go, Java, Python, TS |
| Windmill | REST | Bearer token | Yes (scripts) | TS, Python, Go |
| StackStorm | REST | API key, token | Yes (YAML rules) | Python |
| Camunda | REST | OAuth2, Basic | Yes (BPMN XML) | Java, JS |
| Zapier | REST | OAuth2 | Limited (CLI) | JS |
| Make | REST | API token | Yes (JSON blueprints) | None |
| Power Automate | REST | OAuth2 (Entra) | Yes (JSON definitions) | .NET, JS |
| Workato | REST | OAuth2, API key | Yes (recipe JSON) | Ruby |
Workflow Capabilities
| Tool | Visual Editor | Code-First | Triggers | Connectors | Branching |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Yes (canvas) | JS/Python in nodes | Webhook, cron, event | 400+ | Yes (If/Switch) |
| Node-RED | Yes (flow) | JS in function nodes | HTTP, MQTT, event | 5,000+ (community) | Yes (Switch) |
| ActivePieces | Yes (canvas) | TS in code pieces | Webhook, cron, event | 200+ | Yes (Branch) |
| Automatisch | Yes (canvas) | No | Webhook, cron, event | 60+ | Limited |
| Huginn | Yes (graph) | Ruby agents | Schedule, webhook | 50+ (built-in) | Yes (agents) |
| Airflow | DAG view only | Python (DAGs) | Schedule, API, event | 80+ providers | Yes (branching) |
| Kestra | Yes (topology) | YAML + plugins | Cron, webhook, event | 500+ plugins | Yes (If/Switch) |
| Prefect | Dashboard only | Python (flows) | Schedule, event, API | 80+ integrations | Yes (Python) |
| Temporal | Dashboard only | Code (Go/Java/TS/Py) | Signal, schedule, API | Custom activities | Yes (code logic) |
| Windmill | Yes (canvas) | TS/Python/Go/SQL | Webhook, cron, event | 200+ | Yes (Branch) |
| StackStorm | Workflow editor | YAML (Orquesta) | Event rules, webhook | 160+ packs | Yes (tasks) |
| Camunda | Yes (BPMN) | Java/JS | Message, timer, signal | BPMN connectors | Yes (gateways) |
| Zapier | Yes (steps) | JS in code steps | Webhook, schedule, app | 7,000+ | Yes (Paths) |
| Make | Yes (canvas) | No | Webhook, schedule, app | 1,800+ | Yes (Router) |
| Power Automate | Yes (canvas) | Expressions | Trigger, schedule, app | 1,000+ | Yes (Condition) |
| Workato | Yes (canvas) | Ruby/formula | Trigger, schedule, app | 1,200+ | Yes (If/Else) |
Execution Model
| Tool | Event-Driven | Scheduled | DAG | Durable | Error Handling | Retry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Yes | Yes | No | No | Per-node error | Yes (per-node) |
| Node-RED | Yes | Via inject | No | No | Catch nodes | Manual |
| ActivePieces | Yes | Yes | No | No | Per-step error | Yes (per-step) |
| Automatisch | Yes | Yes | No | No | Basic | Limited |
| Huginn | Yes | Yes | No | No | Per-agent retry | Yes (configurable) |
| Airflow | Limited | Yes | Yes | No | Task retry | Yes (per-task) |
| Kestra | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Retry, restart | Yes (per-task) |
| Prefect | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Retry, cache | Yes (per-task) |
| Temporal | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Automatic retry | Yes (built-in) |
| Windmill | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Per-step error | Yes (per-step) |
| StackStorm | Yes | Yes | No | No | Task retry | Yes (per-task) |
| Camunda | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | BPMN error events | Yes (per-job) |
| Zapier | Yes | Yes | No | No | Auto-replay | Yes (auto) |
| Make | Yes | Yes | No | No | Error handler | Yes (per-module) |
| Power Automate | Yes | Yes | No | No | Run-after config | Yes (per-action) |
| Workato | Yes | Yes | No | No | Error monitor | Yes (per-step) |
Deployment & Licensing
| Tool | License | Self-Hosted | Docker | ARM64 | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Sustainable Use | Yes | Yes | Yes | TypeScript |
| Node-RED | Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | JavaScript |
| ActivePieces | MIT | Yes | Yes | Yes | TypeScript |
| Automatisch | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | Yes | No | TypeScript |
| Huginn | MIT | Yes | Yes | No | Ruby |
| Airflow | Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Python |
| Kestra | Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Java |
| Prefect | Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Python |
| Temporal | MIT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Go |
| Windmill | AGPLv3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Rust/TS |
| StackStorm | Apache 2.0 | Yes | Yes | No | Python |
| Camunda | Apache 2.0* | Yes | Yes | No | Java |
| Zapier | Proprietary | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Make | Proprietary | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Power Automate | Proprietary | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Workato | Proprietary | No** | N/A | N/A | N/A |
* Camunda Community is Apache 2.0; Enterprise is proprietary. ** Workato offers On-Prem Agent (OPA) for hybrid connectivity, but the platform itself is SaaS.
Pricing Summary
| Tool | Self-Hosted Cost | Cloud / SaaS Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| n8n | Free (SUL) | From $24/mo (Starter) |
| Node-RED | Free (Apache) | FlowFuse from $15/mo |
| ActivePieces | Free (MIT) | From $0 (free tier) |
| Automatisch | Free (AGPL) | N/A |
| Huginn | Free (MIT) | N/A (self-hosted only) |
| Airflow | Free (Apache) | Astronomer from $300/mo |
| Kestra | Free (Apache) | Kestra Cloud pricing TBD |
| Prefect | Free (Apache) | Prefect Cloud from $0 |
| Temporal | Free (MIT) | Temporal Cloud from $200/mo |
| Windmill | Free (AGPL) | Windmill Cloud from $10/mo |
| StackStorm | Free (Apache) | N/A (self-hosted only) |
| Camunda | Free (Community) | Enterprise custom pricing |
| Zapier | N/A | From $0 (free, 100 tasks) |
| Make | N/A | From $0 (free, 1,000 ops) |
| Power Automate | N/A | From $15/user/mo |
| Workato | N/A | Custom pricing |
Tools
20 tools.
ActivePieces
ActivePieces is a visual workflow automation platform positioned as the open-source alternative to n8n, Zapier, and Make.
License: MIT (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: SAML
Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow is the industry standard for programmatic workflow orchestration, originally developed at Airbnb and now an Apache Software Foundation top-level project.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker, k8s · SSO: OIDC
Automatisch
Automatisch is an open-source alternative to Zapier, with over 7,000 GitHub stars and 60+ built-in integrations. It provides a canvas-based visual editor for building multi-step workflows that connect applications and APIs.
License: AGPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
Camunda
Camunda is a BPMN 2.0 process automation engine built on the Zeebe workflow engine. The Community Edition (Zeebe) is Apache 2.0 licensed and provides the core workflow execution engine.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: docker, k8s · SSO: none
Corteza (Workflow / Low-Code)
Corteza is a low-code platform with a built-in BPMN 2.0 workflow builder. While primarily positioned as a CRM platform, its automation engine is a core component that supports visual workflow design, trigger-based process automation, and an…
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native · SSO: OIDC, SAML
Corteza CRM
Low-code platform with CRM capabilities; build custom CRM apps visually; Go backend, Vue.js frontend, Postgres or MySQL.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: docker, native, saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
Evaluated under CRM / SFA.
Creatio
No-code platform with strong CRM capabilities; formerly bpm’online; .NET on SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or Oracle.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: SAML
Evaluated under CRM / SFA.
Creatio (Workflow / BPM)
Creatio (formerly bpm’online) is a no-code platform built around a BPMN-based workflow engine. The workflow capabilities are not an add-on – they are the core of the platform.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Huginn
Huginn is an agent-based event automation system named after one of Odin’s ravens in Norse mythology. With over 44,000 GitHub stars, it is historically one of the most popular open-source automation tools.
License: MIT (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
Kestra
Kestra is a declarative workflow orchestration platform with 15,000+ GitHub stars that bridges the visual and code-first paradigms. Workflows are defined in YAML and rendered as an interactive topology view in the web UI.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker, k8s · SSO: none
Make
Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual scenario-based automation platform with 1,800+ app integrations. It uses a unique canvas editor where users build “scenarios” by connecting modules on a visual workspace.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
n8n
n8n is the most popular visual workflow automation platform, with over 64,000 GitHub stars and 400+ built-in integrations (called “nodes”).
License: LicenseRef-SustainableUse (source-available) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: SAML
Node-RED
Node-RED is a flow-based programming tool originally developed by IBM’s Emerging Technology Services team, now a project of the OpenJS Foundation.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
Power Automate
Power Automate is Microsoft’s workflow automation platform and a core component of the Power Platform (alongside Power Apps, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents).
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
Prefect
Prefect is a modern Python workflow orchestration framework with 18,000+ GitHub stars, positioned as the next-generation alternative to Apache Airflow.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
StackStorm
StackStorm is an event-driven IT automation platform with 6,000+ GitHub stars, often described as “IFTTT for ops.” It connects monitoring alerts, ChatOps commands, and system events to automated remediation and operational workflows.
License: Apache-2.0 (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
Temporal
Temporal is a durable execution engine with 13,000+ GitHub stars designed for building reliable distributed applications.
License: MIT (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker, k8s · SSO: none
Windmill
Windmill is a scripts-to-workflows platform with 12,000+ GitHub stars that turns scripts into production-grade workflows and internal tools.
License: AGPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, docker · SSO: none
Workato
Workato is an enterprise integration platform as a service (iPaaS) with 1,200+ connectors. It uses a recipe-based approach where users build automated workflows called “recipes” through a visual editor.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
Zapier
Zapier is the market-leading SaaS workflow automation platform with 7,000+ app integrations. It connects web applications through automated workflows called “Zaps” that move data between apps based on triggers and actions.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
