The open source engine that kept Zapier's clean builder
Activepieces is an open source automation tool that decided the open source options were too intimidating for normal users. Its builder is clean and close to Zapier's feel, its connectors are called pieces, and AI agents are built in from the start rather than bolted on.
The important detail is that it is genuinely MIT-licensed. Unlike n8n's fair-code license, MIT lets you do essentially anything with the code, including self-hosting it for free with unlimited flows. That combination, a friendly builder plus a permissive license, is rare.
The cloud is priced in an unusual way too. Instead of metering tasks or operations, the free tier gives you 10 active flows with unlimited runs, and paid usage is billed per active flow. You pay for how many automations you keep live, not for how often they fire.
The teams that get furthest on Activepieces
- Small teams who want an open source Zapier feel without a steep learning curve
- Anyone who wants to self-host automation under a truly permissive license
- Builders who want AI agents and steps native to the tool from day one
- People whose automations run often, since cloud runs are unlimited
Ten hosted flows free, then priced at $5 a flow
As of July 2026, there are two free routes. Self-hosting the MIT Community Edition gives you unlimited flows, unlimited runs, AI agents, and the full connector library on your own server. The hosted cloud free tier gives you 10 active flows with unlimited runs, fully managed, with unlimited MCP servers and tables.
What free does not include: beyond 10 active flows on the cloud you pay $5 per active flow per month, and enterprise controls like SSO, custom RBAC, and audit logging sit on the custom Ultimate plan.
A younger connector library, and the limit that is not runs
The connector library is younger and smaller than Zapier's or Make's. Activepieces is catching up quickly and the pieces are open source so you can add your own, but if you need an obscure app today, check before you commit.
Self-hosting is free but still a developer task: a Docker setup plus your own updates and backups. It is easier than most, but it is not a click-and-go signup.
The per-active-flow pricing is friendly for busy automations and less friendly if you keep many rarely-used flows live. Count your active flows, not your runs, when you estimate cost.
Two free doors, where n8n has only one
Activepieces is the open source automation tool we would hand to someone who found n8n's canvas intimidating. The MIT license, the clean builder, and the unlimited-runs free tier make it a strong free Zapier alternative, whether you self-host or start on the cloud. Just verify your specific connectors exist first, because that is the one place it still trails the incumbents.
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