n8n Agents vs Retell AI: 2026 comparison
Open-source workflow automation with first-class AI agent nodes — self-host or use cloud.
n8n Agents vs Retell AI — specs
| Spec | n8n Agents | Retell AI |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Rank | 85 / 100 (S) | 72 / 100 (A) |
| Autonomy | Semi-autonomous | Autonomous |
| Pricing | Free · OSS | Pay per task · Free tier |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Capabilities | Tool use, Memory, Multi-agent | Voice, Tool use, Memory |
| Integrations | 6 apps | 3 apps |
| Verified | Verified | Verified |
| Released | Feb 2025 | Mar 2025 |
Agent Rank breakdown
- Autonomy fit
- 8
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 10
- Pricing value
- 10
- Polish & maturity
- 7
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
- Autonomy fit
- 9
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 4
- Pricing value
- 9
- Polish & maturity
- 5
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
Pros & cons
- +Strongest OSS workflow automation in 2026 — production-ready at any scale
- +Self-host keeps proprietary data on your infra
- +Multi-agent + AI agent nodes are first-class, not bolted on
- −Steeper learning curve than Zapier
- −Cloud pricing is competitive but self-host operational overhead is real
- −Community support primary; commercial SLA is paid tier
- +Lowest per-minute pricing among production voice agent platforms
- +Strong streaming latency (~300ms) competitive with ElevenLabs
- +Per-minute pricing easier to forecast than per-seat
- −Less polished out-of-the-box than Synthflow for non-technical buyers
- −Documentation and tooling still maturing vs ElevenLabs
- −Voice quality varies by model selection
Pricing
- +Apache-2.0 fair-use license
- +Unlimited workflows
- +Full agent node support
- +Hosted runtime
- +Active workflows
- +BYO LLM key supported
- +10K executions/mo
- +Multi-user
- +Workflow versioning
- +~$0.07/min
- +Production-ready API
- +Volume discounts
- +Dedicated infrastructure
- +Custom models
Which one should you pick?
Pick n8n Agents if cost is the main constraint or if auditability or self-hosting matters.
Try n8n Agents →Pick Retell AI if you want the highest autonomy and the verification loop is in place.
Try Retell AI →Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked
Should I pick n8n Agents or Retell AI in 2026?+
Pick n8n Agents if cost is the main constraint or if auditability or self-hosting matters. Pick Retell AI if you want the highest autonomy and the verification loop is in place. Most working teams running both can use n8n Agents for primary work and Retell AI for the workflows where its specific strengths matter.
What's the price difference between n8n Agents and Retell AI?+
n8n Agents starts at Free · OSS; Retell AI starts at Pay per task · Free tier. n8n Agents is the cheaper entry option. For team deployments the TCO can differ — use the AI Agent Rank TCO calculator for your specific volume.
Which is more autonomous, n8n Agents or Retell AI?+
Retell AI is the more autonomous of the two (Autonomous vs Semi-autonomous). Higher autonomy ships throughput faster but requires verification loops in place — see our autonomous-vs-copilot framing for when each tier wins.