Windmill vs n8n: Which Automation Platform to Self-Host?

Quick Verdict

Windmill is the better choice for developer teams who want to build internal tools, scripts, and data pipelines with a code-first approach. n8n is better for business workflow automation with its visual editor and 400+ pre-built integrations. They target different audiences despite both being “automation platforms.”

Overview

Windmill is an open-source developer platform for building scripts, workflows, and UIs. It’s code-first — you write Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, or SQL scripts, and Windmill handles scheduling, error handling, approval flows, and auto-generated UIs. Think Retool + Temporal + Airflow combined.

n8n is a visual workflow automation platform for connecting apps and services. It’s UI-first — you drag and drop nodes, configure connections, and build automations without necessarily writing code. Think self-hosted Zapier with code superpowers.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Windmill	n8n
Primary paradigm	Code-first (scripts + flows)	Visual-first (nodes + connections)
Supported languages	Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL, PowerShell	JavaScript, Python (in code nodes)
Built-in integrations	Scripts connect to anything via code	400+ pre-built connectors
Visual editor	Flow editor + script editor	Canvas node editor
Auto-generated UIs	Yes (from script parameters)	No
Approval flows	Built-in (suspend/resume)	Via external triggers
Scheduling	Cron-based	Cron + interval + trigger-based
Error handling	Retries, error handlers per step	Error workflows, retry logic
Worker architecture	Dedicated worker containers	Single process or queue mode
Multiplayer editing	Yes (real-time collaboration)	No
Version control	Git sync (native)	Built-in workflow versioning
License	AGPLv3 (EE features paid)	Sustainable Use License
Docker services	4-6 (server, workers, DB, Caddy, LSP)	2 (n8n + PostgreSQL)

Installation Complexity

Windmill has a complex Docker setup. The official docker-compose.yml runs 6 services: Windmill server, default workers (3 replicas), native workers, PostgreSQL, Caddy reverse proxy, and an LSP service for in-browser code completion.

services:
  windmill_server:
    image: ghcr.io/windmill-labs/windmill:1.639.0
  windmill_worker:
    image: ghcr.io/windmill-labs/windmill:1.639.0
    deploy:
      replicas: 3
  windmill_worker_native:
    image: ghcr.io/windmill-labs/windmill:1.639.0
  db:
    image: postgres:16
  caddy:
    image: ghcr.io/windmill-labs/caddy-l4
  lsp:
    image: ghcr.io/windmill-labs/windmill-extra

Workers run as privileged containers with Docker socket access for Docker-in-Docker execution. PostgreSQL needs 1GB shared memory (shm_size).

n8n needs 2 services — n8n and PostgreSQL:

services:
  n8n:
    image: docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n:2.8.3
  postgres:
    image: postgres:16

Winner: n8n. Dramatically simpler deployment. Windmill’s multi-service architecture is powerful but complex.

Performance and Resource Usage

Metric	Windmill	n8n
RAM (full stack)	~2 GB (server + 3 workers + DB + extras)	~350 MB
CPU	Medium-High (workers are compute-heavy)	Low
Disk	~1 GB	~500 MB
Concurrent jobs	Limited by worker count and resources	Hundreds per process
Cold start	Fast (native workers: sub-100ms)	Instant (event-driven)

Windmill is significantly heavier because it runs actual isolated script executions. Each worker container can consume substantial resources depending on the scripts it runs. n8n is lightweight because it’s essentially an event loop making API calls.

Community and Support

Metric	Windmill	n8n
GitHub stars	15k+	60k+
Release cadence	Multiple times per week	Weekly
Documentation	Good (windmill.dev/docs)	Excellent (docs.n8n.io)
Community	Discord (active)	Forum + Discord (large)
Commercial backing	Windmill Labs	n8n GmbH
Enterprise features	SAML, audit logs, priority support	SSO, environments, Git sync

Both have active development and commercial backing. n8n has a much larger user community.

Use Cases

Choose Windmill If…

• You’re building internal developer tools and scripts
• You need to run Python/TypeScript/Go/SQL scripts on schedules
• You want auto-generated UIs from script parameters
• You need approval workflows (human-in-the-loop)
• You’re building data pipelines or ETL jobs
• Your team writes code and wants version control with Git
• You need multiplayer real-time editing

Choose n8n If…

• You’re replacing Zapier/Make for business workflow automation
• You want 400+ pre-built integrations without writing code
• You need a lightweight, simple deployment
• Your users are non-technical or semi-technical
• You’re connecting SaaS apps (CRM, email, chat, etc.)
• You want a drag-and-drop interface
• Resource efficiency matters (VPS or Raspberry Pi)

Final Verdict

These tools solve different problems. Windmill is an internal developer platform for running scripts, building tools, and orchestrating complex jobs. n8n is a workflow automation tool for connecting apps and services visually.

If you’re a developer team that needs to run scheduled scripts, build internal tools with auto-generated UIs, and orchestrate multi-step data pipelines — pick Windmill. It’s more powerful than n8n for code-heavy workflows.

If you’re automating business processes — syncing data between apps, processing webhooks, sending notifications — pick n8n. It’s simpler to deploy, lighter on resources, and has far more pre-built integrations.

Some teams run both: Windmill for backend scripts and data jobs, n8n for app-to-app integrations.

FAQ

Can Windmill replace n8n?

For code-heavy workflows, yes. For visual automations connecting SaaS apps with pre-built connectors, no. Windmill requires you to write scripts to connect to each service, while n8n provides ready-made nodes.

Why do Windmill workers need privileged mode?

Windmill runs user scripts in isolated containers for security. Workers need Docker socket access to spawn these execution containers. This is similar to CI/CD runners — the trade-off is powerful script execution at the cost of requiring Docker-in-Docker privileges.

Can n8n run Python scripts like Windmill?

n8n has a Python code node, but it’s limited to inline scripts within a workflow. Windmill treats scripts as first-class citizens with full dependency management, package installation, and proper IDE features (LSP, auto-complete).

Which is cheaper to run?

n8n by a significant margin. It runs comfortably on a $5-10/month VPS. Windmill’s multi-worker architecture needs at least 4 GB RAM for a reasonable setup, putting it in the $15-20/month range.

Related

• How to Self-Host n8n
• How to Self-Host Windmill
• n8n vs Activepieces
• n8n vs Node-RED
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to Zapier
• Best Self-Hosted Automation Tools
• Docker Compose Basics