Devtoolwatch Boardn8n-MCP review
n8n-MCP is an MCP server that gives AI assistants access to n8n node documentation, properties, operations and templates to build n8n workflows.
TL;DR
n8n-MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that connects AI tools like Claude Code, Cursor and Windsurf to n8n. It is for developers who build n8n workflows with AI assistants. It can validate workflows and deploy them directly to an n8n instance. It runs as a hosted service or as a self-hosted MIT-licensed server.
- 23.2kGitHub stars
- +67new stars, week of Oct 25
- ~67.5kdownloads a week, −33% vs 4-week avg
- #56in MCP and agent tools this week
n8n-MCP at a glance
- Category
- MCP and agent tools
- Maintained by
- Romuald Członkowski (individual, @czlonkowski on GitHub)
- License
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript, JavaScript, Shell
- Repository
- github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp
- Website
- www.n8n-mcp.com
- npm package
- n8n-mcp 2.95.0
- Latest release
- v2.95.0 on GitHub, Oct 21, 2026
- First published
- Jun 7, 2025
What n8n-MCP does
- n8n-MCP provides structured access to n8n core and community node documentation, properties and operations.
- n8n-MCP searches workflow templates by keyword, task, metadata or node type.
- n8n-MCP validates node configurations, workflow connections and expressions at several levels before deployment.
- n8n-MCP creates, updates and tests workflows directly in an n8n instance when the n8n API is configured.
- n8n-MCP can auto-fix common errors in deployed workflows and list executions to monitor status.
- n8n-MCP resolves live dropdown values with your real credentials through n8n's native MCP.
- n8n-MCP applies batched partial workflow edits in a single call.
How it works
You can use the hosted dashboard, where you sign up, get an API key and connect your MCP client. You can also self-host with npx, Docker, Railway or a local install. MCP clients such as Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Codex and Antigravity connect to the server. With an n8n API URL and key set, n8n-MCP can manage workflows in your n8n instance.
How to install and start using n8n-MCP
Run with npx
npx n8n-mcpInstall globally with npm
npm install -g n8n-mcpWith Docker
docker run -i ghcr.io/czlonkowski/n8n-mcpRequirements
- Node.js 20.0.0 or later for the npm package
- An n8n API URL and API key for deploying and managing workflows
- n8n 2.34 or later to use n8n's native MCP features, with N8N_MCP_ACCESS_TOKEN set
- An account and API key for the hosted service
First steps
- Sign up at dashboard.n8n-mcp.com, get your API key, and connect your MCP client.
- Follow the setup guide for your IDE, such as Claude Code, Cursor or Windsurf.
- Add your n8n API key to let the AI deploy workflows. Optionally add the instance-level MCP token for native features.
- Call tools_documentation() first to get the recommended best practices.
Who n8n-MCP is for
- Developers building n8n workflows with Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or other MCP clients
- Teams that want AI to validate and deploy workflows directly instead of copy-pasting JSON
- Self-hosters with localhost or private n8n instances the hosted service cannot reach
Limitations to know
- n8n-MCP's README warns never to edit production workflows directly with AI. Copy, test and back up workflows first.
- n8n-MCP's hosted free tier is limited to 100 tool calls per day.
- n8n-MCP does not support n8n instances that serve MCP from a split host (N8N_MCP_BASE_URL).
- n8n-MCP's node operations coverage is partial, and example availability varies by node popularity.
Is n8n-MCP growing? Usage data
In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, n8n-MCP ranked #374 on the Devtoolwatch Board and #56 in MCP and agent tools, with a momentum score of 12 out of 100. Its main package had about 67.5k downloads that week, −33% against its own 4-week average.
Show the weekly numbers
| Week of | New stars |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 68 |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 75 |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 65 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 49 |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 54 |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 89 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 68 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 49 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 36 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 61 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 51 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 67 |
The Board ranks tools by four signals each week: new stars, new stars for the repo's size, added downloads and download growth beyond the market. How the ranking works.
n8n-MCP alternatives
Other MCP servers and agent tools on the Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum:
| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | REAREA is an MCP server and CLI that lets coding agents reverse engineer native binaries, JavaScript and Electron apps, .NET assemblies,… | 415.5k | 760.6k |
| #2 | ha-mcpha-mcp is an unofficial Model Context Protocol server that lets AI assistants control and manage Home Assistant using natural language. | 5.4k | 118.1k |
| #3 | TregTreg is a registry and proxy that gives AI agents one token for a catalog of paid third-party API endpoints and team-shared tools. | 6.9k | 6.7k |
| #4 | Chrome DevTools MCPChrome DevTools MCP is an MCP server and CLI that lets coding agents control and inspect a live Chrome browser using Chrome DevTools. | 54.6k | 2.7M |
| #5 | codebase-memory-mcpHigh-performance code intelligence MCP server. Indexes codebases into a persistent knowledge graph — average repo in milliseconds. 162… | 47.9k | – |
| #6 | open-computer-use👾 Open Computer Use – Open-Source Alternative to Codex Computer Use | 2.8k | – |
Recent n8n-MCP releases
n8n-MCP FAQ
Is n8n-MCP free and open source?
Yes. n8n-MCP's source code is on GitHub (czlonkowski/n8n-mcp) under the MIT license, so you can use it for free. Its website also links to a pricing page (https://www.n8n-mcp.com/#pricing) for any paid plans.
How do I install n8n-MCP?
Run npx n8n-mcp. It needs Node.js >=20.0.0. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.
Is n8n-MCP still maintained?
Yes. The czlonkowski/n8n-mcp repository was last updated on Oct 21, 2026, and the latest release, v2.95.0 on GitHub, came out on Oct 21, 2026.
How popular is n8n-MCP?
n8n-MCP has 23.2k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 67 new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 61 a week. Its main package had about 67.5k downloads that week, −33% against its own 4-week average. That made it #56 among MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board.
What are the best alternatives to n8n-MCP?
Other MCP servers and agent tools on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: REA (#1), ha-mcp (#2), Treg (#3), Chrome DevTools MCP (#4), codebase-memory-mcp (#5). The alternatives table above has their numbers.
Can n8n-MCP deploy workflows to my n8n instance?
Yes. When the n8n API is configured, n8n-MCP creates workflows with n8n_create_workflow, applies partial updates, validates deployed workflows and tests their execution.
Does n8n-MCP work with n8n behind Cloudflare Access?
Yes. Set N8N_CF_CLIENT_ID and N8N_CF_CLIENT_SECRET. n8n-MCP then sends them as headers only to the N8N_API_URL origin, so the token is not leaked to other hosts.
What is the difference between hosted and self-hosted n8n-MCP?
The hosted service needs no server and offers one-click OAuth and support for multiple n8n instances. Self-hosting runs the same MIT-licensed toolkit on your infrastructure, with no quotas, no account and support for localhost n8n.
Which AI tools and IDEs does n8n-MCP support?
n8n-MCP has setup guides for Claude Code, VS Code with GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Windsurf, Codex and Antigravity. The homepage also lists claude.ai and ChatGPT.
What do I need for n8n-MCP's native MCP features?
You need N8N_MCP_ACCESS_TOKEN, an MCP API key from n8n Settings → Instance-level MCP with MCP status enabled. The homepage notes n8n 2.34 or later. This token is separate from N8N_API_KEY.
Sources
n8n-MCP README badge
Maintainers can show the tool's weekly Board rank in their README:
[](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/n8n-mcp/)How this page is made: Devtoolwatch writes each review from the project's README, releases, package metadata and website, with an AI model, then checks every claim against the source it cites and drops what the sources don't support. The numbers come from Devtoolwatch's daily GitHub snapshots, GitHub's stargazer history, and the npm and PyPI download APIs. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].