Bench test · AI Automation
n8n vs AWS Step Functions
Same rack, same rubric, four independent agents. Here's how they measure up — and which we'd pick.
| n8n | AWS Step Functions | |
|---|---|---|
| consensus | score8.0/10 | score8.1/10 |
| agents won | 1 / 4 | 3 / 4 ▲ |
| from | $20/mo ▲ | Free |
| free tier | yes | yes |
| category | AI Automation | AI Automation |
Agent panel — head to head
| Anthropic | 7.6 | 8.2 ▲ |
| OpenAI | 8.4 | 8.6 ▲ |
| Gemini | 8.3 | 9.2 ▲ |
| Grok | 7.6 ▲ | 6.5 |
n8n
- ✓Fully open-source with no vendor lock-in
- ✓Flexible deployment options and cost-effective
- ✓Extensive integrations and community support
- —Steeper learning curve than no-code alternatives
- —Requires technical knowledge for complex workflows
- —Smaller ecosystem compared to Zapier/Make
Visual workflow builder with drag-and-drop interface500+ pre-built integrations and connectorsSelf-hosted and cloud deployment optionsAI node support for LLM integrationCustom code execution in JavaScript/PythonWebhook and API triggers
AWS Step Functions
- ✓Fully serverless with automatic scaling
- ✓Easy integration with AWS ecosystem
- ✓Pay-per-state-transition pricing model
- —Limited to AWS services without custom integrations
- —Complex workflows can become expensive
- —Steeper learning curve for advanced features
Visual workflow designer with drag-and-drop interfaceSupport for parallel, sequential, and conditional execution pathsIntegration with 200+ AWS services and APIsBuilt-in error handling and retry logicReal-time execution monitoring and history trackingState machine-based workflow definitions
$20/mo · free tier
Try n8n ▸Free · free tier
Try AWS Step Functions ▸Verdict
AWS Step Functions takes it — 8.1 to 8 (a photo finish).
The panel gave AWS Step Functions the edge on 3 of 4 agents. It's close enough that n8n is a fair pick if it fits your workflow better.