n8n

n8n is what Zapier should have been if Zapier trusted its users. A self-hostable workflow automation platform with 180k+ stars that lets you build complex automations visually — and actually own them. If you're an indie hacker duct-taping APIs together, n8n replaces your cron jobs, your webhook handlers, and half your backend.

Zapier charges per task and locks you into their cloud. Make (formerly Integromat) is cheaper but still SaaS-dependent. n8n charges per execution, not per step, and you can self-host the community edition for free. The visual editor handles branching, loops, and error handling that would take pages of code.

Use this if you're building automations that touch multiple APIs and you want version control over your workflows. Skip it if you need a no-code team to maintain it — n8n rewards technical users.

The catch: the "fair-code" license isn't OSI-approved open source. You can self-host, but commercial redistribution has restrictions. And the community edition lacks SSO — that's paywalled.