Quick Summary
Choose Decisional when:
- •You want managed infrastructure with zero DevOps
- •Workflows require AI reasoning and decision-making
- •Your team works primarily in spreadsheets
- •You prefer natural language over visual builders
Choose n8n when:
- •You need full control over infrastructure
- •Data sovereignty requires self-hosting
- •Technical team comfortable with node-based builders
- •Budget constraints favor open-source solutions
| Feature | Decisional | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Fully managed cloud | Self-hosted or n8n Cloud |
| Configuration | Natural language instructions | Visual node-based editor |
| AI Capabilities | Core feature - runtime reasoning | Available via AI nodes |
| Data Interface | Spreadsheet-native | JSON-based data flow |
| Learning Curve | Minimal - describe what you want | Moderate - understand node logic |
| Infrastructure | Zero maintenance | Requires DevOps (self-hosted) |
| Integrations | Browser + API based | 400+ native nodes |
| Pricing | Usage-based | Free (self-hosted) or Cloud tiers |
| Best For | Operations teams, non-technical users | Technical teams, developers |
Architecture: Managed AI vs Self-Hosted Workflows
n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool that gives you complete control. You can self-host it, customize nodes, and build complex automations using a visual canvas. It's developer-friendly and highly flexible.
Decisional takes a fundamentally different approach: instead of building workflows node by node, you describe what you want done in plain English. AI agents then execute the workflow, reasoning through edge cases and handling variations automatically.
"With n8n, you're the architect drawing blueprints. With Decisional, you're the manager giving instructions to a smart employee who figures out the details."
Technical Comparison
Workflow Configuration
Decisional:
Write instructions like "Read the invoice PDF, extract vendor name, amount, and due date, then add to my spreadsheet." The agent handles parsing, extraction, and formatting.
n8n:
Connect nodes: HTTP Request → PDF Parser → Set node → Spreadsheet node. Configure each node's parameters, map fields between nodes, handle errors.
Error Handling
Decisional:
AI agents reason through unexpected inputs. If an invoice format varies, the agent adapts. Human-in-the-loop checkpoints for uncertain decisions.
n8n:
Configure error workflows, retry logic, and fallback paths explicitly. Each edge case needs anticipation and configuration.
Deployment & Maintenance
Decisional:
Fully managed—no servers, no updates, no scaling concerns. Start using immediately with zero infrastructure setup.
n8n:
Self-hosted: manage Docker/K8s, databases, SSL, backups, updates. n8n Cloud: managed but less flexible than self-hosted.
When n8n is the Better Choice
n8n shines in scenarios requiring technical control:
- Data sovereignty requirements: Self-host on your own infrastructure
- Custom node development: Build nodes for proprietary systems
- Developer-led automation: Teams comfortable with JSON and APIs
- Cost optimization: Free self-hosted option for unlimited workflows
- Complex branching logic: Visual debugging of multi-path workflows
When Decisional is the Better Choice
Decisional excels when AI reasoning adds value:
- Non-technical teams: Operations, finance, sales—no coding needed
- Unstructured data: Documents, emails, varying formats
- Quick deployment: Describe and run, no infrastructure setup
- Spreadsheet workflows: Teams that live in Excel/Google Sheets
- Adaptive automation: Workflows that need to handle variations
AI Capabilities
Both platforms can leverage AI, but the integration depth differs significantly:
n8n's AI approach:
AI is one of many node types. You add an OpenAI or Claude node to your workflow, pass data to it, and use the response. The workflow logic remains node-based—AI is a tool within the workflow.
Decisional's AI approach:
AI is the workflow engine itself. Instead of adding AI nodes, the entire execution is AI-powered. The agent reads your instructions, reasons about what needs to be done, and executes—adapting to inputs as it goes.
By the Numbers
Summary
n8n and Decisional represent different philosophies in workflow automation. n8n gives technical teams powerful, flexible, self-hostable automation with a visual builder. Decisional gives operations teams AI-powered automation with natural language configuration and zero infrastructure overhead.
If you have DevOps resources and need maximum control, n8n is excellent. If you want to describe what you need and have AI handle the complexity, Decisional is the better fit.