n8n AI Agent: The Complete Guide (2025)
A detailed guide to n8n AI Agent: what it is, how it works, tutorials, workflows, tools, pricing, comparisons, and practical examples for automation and business.
Introduction to n8n AI Agent
n8n (pronounced "n-eight-n") is an open-source automation platform that connects apps, APIs, and AI models to create workflows. With its AI Agent capabilities, n8n enables autonomous decision-making, memory-based workflows, and intelligent task execution. AI Agents in n8n can process natural language prompts, use tools like HTTP requests and Google Sheets, store memory and knowledge base, and generate structured outputs.
Is n8n AI Agent Free?
Yes, n8n itself is free and open-source. You can self-host and use the AI Agent without cost. The core platform is open source under the Fair Code License. For teams or enterprises, n8n also offers a cloud-hosted version with pricing plans.
How Does n8n AI Agent Work?
You provide a prompt or instruction, tools (HTTP Request, Google Sheets, Web Search, or custom APIs), memory or knowledge base, and output format. The AI Agent reads the prompt, decides which tools to use, executes actions, and returns results. This is similar to frameworks like LangChain or MCP, but with n8n's drag-and-drop workflow builder.
n8n AI Agent Tutorial for Beginners
Install n8n via Docker, npm, or n8n Cloud. Add the AI Agent node in the workflow editor. Connect your AI provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, or Ollama) and add API keys. Configure tools such as HTTP Request, Google Sheets, and Webhook. Run and test with a prompt like "Get the latest Bitcoin price and store it in Google Sheets."
n8n AI Agent Examples
Web Scraping Agent—scrapes webpages and summarizes content. Customer Support Agent—integrates with WhatsApp or email to auto-reply to FAQs. Financial Data Agent—collects stock prices, analyzes trends, and sends reports. Knowledge Base Agent—searches documents and answers employee queries. Marketing Automation Agent—writes personalized emails and updates CRM.
n8n AI Agent Tools and Pricing
Common tools include HTTP Request, Google Sheets, Webhook, JSON Tool, Knowledge Base Tool, and Custom API Tools. The free self-hosted version is 100% free; n8n Cloud starts at around $20/month; Enterprise plans offer custom pricing.
n8n AI Agent vs Other Frameworks
n8n AI Agent provides a visual drag-and-drop workflow and is the most beginner-friendly. MCP, LLM Chain, and LangChain are more coding-heavy. n8n offers 500+ integrations out of the box. All support memory and context.
Conclusion
The n8n AI Agent is a game-changer for combining automation with artificial intelligence. Whether you're building business workflows, customer service bots, or data analysis agents, n8n provides a low-code, open-source, and scalable platform. Start experimenting with n8n AI Agent today—the future of automation is already here.