Reviewers mostly see n8n as a flexible, developer-friendly automation tool that handles complex, multi-step workflows, API integrations, and custom JavaScript better than Zapier or Make. Self-hosting, privacy control, and avoiding recurring license costs come up repeatedly, especially for agencies and teams linking internal systems. Users also like the visual builder for making advanced logic easier to read and debug. The main drawback is a real learning curve, particularly for non-technical users, plus some requests for stronger version control, collaboration, scaling, and a few missing integrations or features.