# OpenWOP vs n8n

> Source: https://openwop.dev/comparisons/n8n/ · OpenWOP, the open-source protocol for multi-agent workflow orchestration.

n8n is a visual, low-code automation platform with thousands of integrations; OpenWOP is an open protocol for developers who build or call workflow hosts. For most automation needs, and for anyone who wants to build workflows on a canvas, n8n is the better choice.

Checked 4 October 2026. Figures for n8n come from its own docs, licence, repository and blog.

## At a glance

| Property | OpenWOP | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A wire protocol plus a conformance suite | A low-code workflow automation platform with AI features ([docs](https://docs.n8n.io/welcome.md)) |
| Licence | Spec CC BY 4.0, code Apache 2.0 (OSI-approved) | Sustainable Use License, "fair-code"; n8n says "we do not call ourselves open source" ([FAQ](https://docs.n8n.io/n8n-community-license/community-license/license-faq.md)) |
| Who it's for | Developers building hosts and clients | Builders on a visual canvas, plus code nodes |
| Integrations | Signed packs; 44 in the reference app | 2,285 listed on its [integrations page](https://n8n.io/integrations/) |
| Where state lives | An append-only event log per run ([events](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/events.html)) | Execution data in SQLite or Postgres |
| Human approval | Approval interrupts ([interrupt](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/interrupt.html)) | Send-and-wait approvals and human review of AI tool calls ([docs](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/app-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.slack/approvals.md)) |
| Replay | Fork without repeating side effects on hosts that advertise replay ([replay](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/replay.html)) | Retry executions and debug past runs in the editor ([docs](https://docs.n8n.io/build/understand-workflows/understand-executions/debug-executions.md)) |
| Portability | One run API across compatible hosts | Workflow JSON that runs on n8n |
| Adoption | New: the spec repo started in May 2026 | About 206,000 GitHub stars |

## When to choose n8n

- You want to automate business processes visually, connecting SaaS tools without writing a service.
- You need a large integration catalogue and templates now.
- Non-developers on your team will build and maintain the workflows.

## When OpenWOP fits

- You are a developer building an agent platform or runtime and want a defined run contract: approvals, event log, replay and conformance.
- You need the same run behaviour across hosts, not inside one product.

OpenWOP is months old, has one steward, and no independent organisation has implemented a host yet.

## Using them together

An OpenWOP step could call an n8n workflow through its webhook trigger, and an n8n HTTP node could start an OpenWOP run; both also support MCP. Nothing has been built yet.

## Common questions

### Is OpenWOP an n8n alternative?

Not for most n8n users. n8n is a product for building automations visually; OpenWOP is a protocol for developers who build or call workflow hosts.

### Is n8n open source?

n8n describes itself as fair-code under the Sustainable Use License, not open source. OpenWOP's code is Apache 2.0 and its spec is CC BY 4.0.

## Sources

- [n8n overview](https://docs.n8n.io/welcome.md), [licence FAQ](https://docs.n8n.io/n8n-community-license/community-license/license-faq.md), [licence](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/LICENSE.md), [integrations](https://n8n.io/integrations/)
- [Approvals](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/app-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.slack/approvals.md), [debugging executions](https://docs.n8n.io/build/understand-workflows/understand-executions/debug-executions.md)
- OpenWOP: [events](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/events.html), [interrupt](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/interrupt.html), [replay](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/replay.html), [packs](https://openwop.dev/spec/v2/core/packs.html)