Let’s be honest:

Manual, repetitive tasks are killing your productivity.

In fact, a study by Smartsheet found that

Over 40% of workers spend at least a quarter of their workweek on manual, repetitive tasks.

That’s a huge amount of time that could be spent on more important things.

And while there are a ton of workflow automation tools on the market, most of them have a major flaw:

They’re either too simple (and not powerful enough) or they’re way too expensive.

That’s where n8n comes in.

Here’s the deal: n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool that gives you the flexibility to automate just about anything.

And in this guide, I’m going to show you exactly how to use it to save time, reduce errors, and scale your business.

So, what is n8n? (And Why It’s a Game-Changer)

So, what is n8n, exactly?

Standard answer is: n8n is a free and open-source workflow automation tool.

But that’s just scratching the surface.

Think of it like this:

You have a bunch of different apps and services that you use every day (like WhatsApp, Google Sheets, and your CRM).

n8n allows you to connect all of those apps and services together to create automated workflows.

For example, you could create a workflow that:

• Adds new leads from your website to your CRM
• Sends a welcome email to each new lead
• Notifies your sales team in Slack

And these are just a simple example.

We can even create incredible workflows that has multiple agents, multiple apps, API, custom logic, and of course AI.

The bottom line?

n8n is a powerful tool that can help you automate just about any business process you can think of.

What makes n8n special ?

Now, you might be thinking:

“There are a lot of automation tools out there. What makes n8n so special?”

That’s a great question. Here’s what makes n8n different:

First, n8n is open-source and self-hostable.

This means you can download it for free, install it on your own server, and have complete control over your data.

(A huge plus if you’re in a regulated industry or just care about data privacy.)

Second, n8n is incredibly flexible.

Unlike other tools that lock you into a rigid, no-code environment, n8n gives you the option to write custom code (in JavaScript or Python) at any point in your workflow.

This means you’re never limited by the platform’s pre-built integrations or functionality.

If you can dream it, you can build it with n8n.

And finally, n8n has a thriving community of users who are constantly creating new integrations, sharing their workflows, and helping each other out.

So if you ever get stuck, there’s a good chance that someone in the community has already solved the same problem.

7 n8n Features That Will Make You an Automation Superhero

Now that you know what n8n is, let’s take a look at some of its most powerful features.

These are the features that will turn you into an automation superhero.

1. The Visual Workflow Builder 

This is your mission control for creating and managing your automations.

It’s a drag-and-drop interface that lets you visually map out your workflows.

And it’s incredibly intuitive.

Even if you’ve never used an automation tool before, you’ll be able to create your first workflow in minutes.

And if you have used other automation tools before (e.g. RPA, UIPath), you know what I am saying.

But don’t let the simplicity fool you.

The visual workflow builder, although simple, is also mighty.

You can create complex workflows with branching logic, error handling, and more.

It’s the best of both worlds: easy to use and powerful.

2. Code Integration 

This is where n8n really shines.

n8n allows us to write custom code (in JavaScript or Python) at any point in your workflow.

This is a HUGE deal.

Why?

Because it means you’re never limited by the platform’s pre-built integrations or functionality.

If there is any function that n8n didn’t provide, or if you need to perform a custom action, or integrate with a niche service, you can simply write your own code to do so.

It’s like having a secret weapon that you can pull out whenever you need it.

3. 500+ Integrations (Your Army of Robots)

n8n has a massive library of over 500 pre-built integrations for a wide range of popular apps and services.

Think of these integrations as your own army of robots.

They can do everything from sending emails, creating calendar events to updating your CRM and posting to social media.

And new integrations are being added all the time as custom nodes, thanks to the active n8n community.

So there’s a good chance that n8n already integrates with all of your favourite tools.

4. AI Powered Workflows 

n8n is at the forefront of AI-powered automation.

You can easily integrate with popular AI services like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Hugging Face to perform tasks like:

• Natural language processing
• Image recognition
• Machine learning
• Sentiment analysis

It’s like having a crystal ball that can help you make smarter decisions and automate tasks that were previously thought to be the exclusive domain of humans.

5. Self-Hosting 

Unlike most other automation tools like Zapier or Make, n8n actually gives us the option to self-host on our own infrastructure.

This means you can keep your data on your own servers and have complete control over your automation infrastructure.

It’s like having your own personal fortress of solitude where your data is safe and secure.

And the best part?

The self-hosted version of n8n is 100% free, and updated regularly.

6. Huge template library (1700+ and counting)

Not sure where to start? No problem.

n8n has a library of over 1,700 pre-built workflow templates for a wide range of common use cases.

Think of it as your own personal automation cookbook.

You can browse the templates, find one that’s similar to what you want to do, and then customize it to fit your specific needs.

It’s a great way to get started quickly and to see what’s possible with n8n.

Of course, if you are looking for premium and managed solutions, you can always checkout supern8n.com