Free, open-source alternatives to Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft's workflow automation service. 4 apps you can run yourself instead of Microsoft Power Automate, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.

  1. ActivepiecesBest match

    No-code business automation tool like Zapier or Tray. For example, you can send a Slack notification for each new Trello card.

    25k starsMITUpdated 12 October 2026
  2. n8n

    Free node based Workflow Automation Tool. Easily automate tasks across different services.

    207k starsApache-2.0, Commons-ClauseUpdated 13 October 2026
  3. Node RED

    Browser-based flow editor that helps you wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services to create IoT solutions.

    23.7k starsApache-2.0Updated 12 October 2026
  4. Automatisch

    Business automation tool that lets you connect different services like Twitter, Slack, and more to automate your business processes (alternative to Zapier).

    14k starsAGPL-3.0Updated 15 January 2026

Side by side

AppStarsLicenseActivityRuns on
Activepieces25,025MITDocker
n8n207,158Apache-2.0, Commons-ClauseNode.js
Node RED23,737Apache-2.0Node.js, Docker
Automatisch13,997AGPL-3.0Docker

Why replace Microsoft Power Automate?

Microsoft Power Automate works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.

Questions

What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Power Automate?

Activepieces is the closest open-source replacement for Microsoft Power Automate in our list. n8n and Node RED are worth a look too, depending on what you need.

Can I self-host an alternative to Microsoft Power Automate?

Yes. All 4 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.