CrewAI vs n8n: which AI Agent framework should you use?

CrewAI and n8n both help teams build AI-powered automation, but they approach the problem from different directions. CrewAI is a Python framework for orchestrating teams of AI Agents. n8n is a workflow automation platform that now includes AI capabilities.

This guide breaks down when to choose each — and when neither is the right fit.

Quick comparison

What is CrewAI?

CrewAI is an open-source Python framework for building multi-agent AI systems. You define individual Agents with specific roles, goals, and backstories, then coordinate them through tasks and processes. Think of it as assembling a team of specialists that collaborate on complex problems.

Core concepts:

• Agents — autonomous units with a role, goal, and set of tools
• Tasks — specific objectives assigned to Agents
• Crews — teams of Agents working together on a mission
• Processes — orchestration patterns (sequential, hierarchical)

CrewAI shines when tasks require multi-step reasoning where different Agents contribute different expertise. For example, a research Agent gathers data, an analysis Agent interprets it, and a writer Agent produces a report.

What is n8n?

n8n is a workflow automation platform — the open-source alternative to Zapier. You build automations by connecting nodes in a visual canvas: triggers, data transformations, API calls, and now AI model calls.

Core concepts:

• Workflows — visual sequences of connected nodes
• Nodes — pre-built connectors for 600+ apps and services
• AI nodes — call OpenAI, Anthropic, or local models within workflows
• Code nodes — write custom JavaScript or Python when pre-built nodes aren't enough

n8n's strength is connecting systems. Need to pull data from Salesforce, enrich it with an AI model, and push results to Slack? n8n handles that in minutes with its visual builder.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Multi-Agent coordination

CrewAI: Built for this. Agents can delegate tasks to each other, share context, and coordinate through hierarchical or sequential processes. You can build complex reasoning chains where a manager Agent breaks down work and assigns it to specialist Agents.

n8n: Workflows are fundamentally sequential or branching — not agent-based. You can call AI models at different steps, but there's no concept of Agents with goals that reason about what to do next. AI in n8n is a tool within a workflow, not the orchestrator.

Winner: CrewAI, by a wide margin. If multi-agent reasoning is your need, n8n isn't designed for it.

Integration ecosystem

CrewAI: Integrations come through custom Python tools. You write functions that call APIs, query databases, or interact with services. Powerful but requires development effort for each integration.

n8n: 600+ pre-built connectors. Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, PostgreSQL, Google Sheets — most business tools work out of the box with drag-and-drop configuration.

Winner: n8n. The pre-built connector library saves weeks of development time for standard integrations.

Ease of use

CrewAI: Requires Python proficiency. You define Agents, tasks, and crews in code. The learning curve is moderate for experienced developers but steep for non-technical users.

n8n: Visual drag-and-drop builder. Non-technical users can build workflows within hours. Code nodes are available for complex logic but optional.

Winner: n8n for teams with mixed technical levels. CrewAI for developer-only teams that prefer code-first.

Observability and debugging

CrewAI: Provides crew logs, task outputs, and agent reasoning traces. CrewAI Enterprise adds a dashboard for monitoring agent execution.

n8n: Visual execution history shows data flowing through each node. Easy to spot where a workflow failed and inspect payloads at every step.

Winner: Tie. Different approaches, both effective for their architecture.

Pricing and hosting

CrewAI: Open-source core is free. CrewAI Enterprise pricing is custom and less transparent.

n8n: Self-hosted Community Edition is free. Cloud plans start at $20/month with execution-based pricing — costs scale predictably.

Winner: n8n for pricing transparency. CrewAI for teams that can self-host and want zero cost.

When to choose CrewAI

• You need multiple AI Agents collaborating on complex tasks
• Your team is Python-proficient and prefers code-first development
• The problem involves reasoning and planning, not just data movement
• You want full control over agent behavior and orchestration logic

When to choose n8n

• You need to connect many apps and services with minimal code
• Your team includes non-developers who need to build automations
• Workflows are predictable sequences (trigger → transform → action)
• Integration breadth matters more than AI reasoning depth
• You want fast time-to-value with visual building

When to consider a managed platform instead

Both CrewAI and n8n require your team to build and maintain the system. If you need production-ready AI Agents for customer-facing use cases — support, documentation, sales — a managed platform handles the infrastructure, knowledge ingestion, and deployment.

Inkeep offers multi-agent orchestration (like CrewAI) with a visual builder (like n8n), plus managed RAG, native help desk integrations, and enterprise security out of the box. It's the option for teams that don't want to build AI infrastructure from scratch.

For a broader view of the agent framework landscape, see our complete guide to AI Agent frameworks.