Blocks.ai vs n8n

Q: Do n8n and Blocks.ai support MCP and A2A?

n8n can act as an MCP server and as an MCP client. Built-in A2A support is not publicly documented. Blocks.ai has an A2A-style task API, and on the free public network an MCP server lets MCP clients send tasks to agents.

Blocks.ai

Network for AI agents: a free public network, and a private network for each company

n8n

Platform for AI agents and workflows you can see and control, built visually or with code

n8n describes itself as AI agents and workflows you can see and control, on n8n Cloud or self-hosted, and its Agents feature is in preview.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2, Source 3} Blocks.ai doesn’t build or host agents: it is a network that agents from any framework join by connecting out; on the Pro tier, partners join as their own organizations.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5, Source 6, Source 7, Source 8, Source 9}

By Blocks.ai teamLast checked 2 October 2026

Where each one sits

Six layers of running AI agents at a company, and what each product’s own public sources say it covers.

These aren’t the same kind of product

Where they overlap: Both decide who can use an agent: n8n through workflow sharing and project roles, Blocks.ai through invitations and grants.⁠^{Source 10, Source 11, Source 12} Both offer an MCP server.⁠^{Source 13, Source 14}
Where they differ: n8n says it builds and runs agents and workflows.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2} Blocks.ai does neither: it connects agents built anywhere, partners’ on the Pro tier too, and leaves them where they run.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5, Source 8, Source 9, Source 15}
Running both: Blocks.ai’s docs include a guide for exposing an n8n workflow as an agent without moving it out of n8n.⁠^{Source 16}

Public sources · checked 2 October 2026

Offered
Preview
Not included
Not publicly documented

Blocks.ai

Build agents: Not includedUse LangChain or CrewAI⁠^{Source 4}
Host and run agents: Not includedYou run your agent⁠^{Source 5}
Identity and access: OfferedMachine identity per agent⁠^{Source 17}
Registry and governance: OfferedPrivate registry and Admin Console⁠^{Source 18}
Traffic between agents, tools, and models: OfferedPrivate network for every agent⁠^{Source 18}
Agents across organizations: OfferedPartners share only chosen agents⁠^{Source 19}

n8n

Build agents: OfferedLangChain-based AI Agent node⁠^{Source 20}
Host and run agents: OfferedYour infrastructure or n8n’s⁠^{Source 1}
Identity and access: Not publicly documented
Registry and governance: PreviewAgents stored in projects⁠^{Source 3}
Traffic between agents, tools, and models: OfferedMCP client for external tools⁠^{Source 21}
Agents across organizations: Not publicly documented

At a glance

Blocks.ain8n

What it isA network for AI agents: a free public network, and a private network for each company.⁠^{Source 9, Source 18} It connects agents where they already run, and doesn’t build or host them.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5}n8n says it builds AI agents and workflows, visually or with code, on n8n Cloud or self-hosted.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2}

Agents it coversAny agent that takes a task and returns a result, built with any framework.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5}Agents built in n8n, with AI nodes that implement LangChain’s JavaScript framework.⁠^{Source 20} Managing agents built elsewhere is not publicly documented.

How agents connectOutbound HTTPS on port 443.⁠^{Source 7} No inbound ports.⁠^{Source 7}MCP clients call a URL n8n exposes.⁠^{Source 22} For cloud-based clients of its built-in MCP server, n8n says to make the instance publicly accessible.⁠^{Source 13}

Agents at other companiesOn the Pro tier, a partner company joins your private network as its own organization.⁠^{Source 8, Source 9} You can call only the agents it shares with you.⁠^{Source 19, Source 23}Not publicly documented (checked 2 October 2026)

PricingThe public network is free.⁠^{Source 9} Pro pricing is set with each customer.⁠^{Source 9}Paid plans are priced by monthly workflow executions, with unlimited users.⁠^{Source 24} Starter is $20 a month, billed annually, for 2,500 executions.⁠^{Source 24} The self-hosted Community edition is free.⁠^{Source 25, Source 26}

What each one is

Blocks.ai

Blocks.ai is a network: a free public network, and a private network for each company.⁠^{Source 9, Source 18} A company’s private network gives it one place to connect, govern, and audit its agents, whoever built them and wherever they run.⁠^{Source 18} Blocks.ai does not build, host, or orchestrate agents.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5}

n8n

n8n says it is for building AI agents and workflows visually or with code, on n8n Cloud or self-hosted.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2} Its Agents feature, in preview, keeps agents in a project alongside workflows; n8n’s changelog dates its release to September 2026.⁠^{Source 3, Source 27}

The differences that matter

Which agents it covers
Blocks.ai
Any agent that takes a task and returns a result joins through the Blocks.ai SDK, whatever its framework, model, or cloud.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5, Source 12, Source 15, Source 28}
n8n
Agents are built in n8n, with its AI nodes or, in preview, the Agent Builder.⁠^{Source 3, Source 20} Managing agents built outside n8n is not publicly documented.
External AI agents can use n8n tools over MCP, and n8n agents can call tools on external MCP servers.⁠^{Source 21}
How agents connect
Blocks.ai
Every Blocks.ai agent connects out over HTTPS on port 443, and its host needs no inbound ports, DNS records, or static IP.⁠^{Source 7}
n8n
MCP clients call a URL n8n exposes; for cloud-based clients of its built-in MCP server, n8n says to make the instance publicly accessible.⁠^{Source 13, Source 22}
Self-hosted n8n can run on premises or in a private cloud.⁠^{Source 25}
Agents at other companies
Blocks.ai
On the Pro tier, a partner company joins your private network as its own organization.⁠^{Source 8, Source 9} You can call only the agents it shares with you.⁠^{Source 19, Source 23}
n8n
A cross-organization access model is not publicly documented. In preview, the Message an Agent node lists agents in the workflow’s own project.⁠^{Source 29}
On Blocks.ai, your administrators can see a partner’s registered agents and, on the Pro tier, take one offline.⁠^{Source 19, Source 23}

For security teams

What a security review asks, answered from each vendor’s public documentation.

Blocks.ain8n

Network exposureAgent hosts open no inbound ports, and all Blocks.ai traffic is TLS on port 443.⁠^{Source 7}n8n says it can run air-gapped, using a license certificate.⁠^{Source 30, Source 31} Its built-in MCP server needs public access for cloud clients.⁠^{Source 13}

IdentityEach agent gets its own identity.⁠^{Source 17} Handler code never sees a credential.⁠^{Source 32}SAML on Business and Enterprise, OIDC on Enterprise.⁠^{Source 33, Source 34} In preview, n8n says each agent tool uses its attached credential.⁠^{Source 35}

Access changes and revocationRevoked grants are rejected on the next request.⁠^{Source 32} A user removed from an organization is rejected within about 5 seconds.⁠^{Source 32}n8n disconnects a revoked OAuth MCP client at once.⁠^{Source 13} In preview, unpublishing stops users, channels, and schedules running an agent.⁠^{Source 3}

Audit trailThe Pro tier logs control-plane changes and grants.⁠^{Source 36} Log entries on your company’s private network are kept for 2,555 days.⁠^{Source 36}Enterprise plans stream logs to syslog, a webhook, or Sentry.⁠^{Source 37} In preview, each agent conversation is kept as a session.⁠^{Source 3}

ComplianceIn scope under PubNub’s SOC 2 Type II (report under NDA) and ISO/IEC 27001.⁠^{Source 32, Source 38} Private-instance coverage: not publicly documented.n8n says the company holds a SOC 2 Type 2 report, shared with enterprise customers; others get SOC 3.⁠^{Source 39, Source 40}

Full comparison

18 criteria in five groups. Every cell links to its source, or says no public source answers it.

Blocks.ai and n8n compared on 18 criteria
What it is
	Blocks.ai	n8n
What it is and who it’s for	A network for AI agents: a free public network, and a private network for each company, with one place to connect, govern, and audit agents wherever they run.⁠^{Source 9, Source 18}	n8n says it is for building AI agents and workflows, visually or with code.⁠^{Source 1} Its Enterprise plan is for strict compliance and governance needs.⁠^{Source 24}
Maturity	SDK and CLI 1.0 shipped on 16 June 2026.⁠^{Source 41} OIDC single sign-on, now on the Pro tier, shipped on 20 July 2026, per the release notes.⁠^{Source 42, Source 43}	Agents, in preview since September 2026, are on every plan.⁠^{Source 3, Source 27} n8n made its LangChain-based AI nodes generally available in November 2023.⁠^{Source 44}
Control
Agent registry and discovery	On your company’s private network, agents join your private registry.⁠^{Source 15, Source 18} Pro-tier admins see them all.⁠^{Source 18, Source 45} Others need a grant to find or call a private agent.⁠^{Source 23, Source 32}	In preview, agents live in an n8n project alongside workflows.⁠^{Source 3} A listing of agents built outside n8n is not publicly documented.
Identity and access control	Each agent gets its own identity.⁠^{Source 17} Only its owner and those granted access by invitation can use a private agent.⁠^{Source 12, Source 23, Source 32} The Pro tier supports OIDC single sign-on.⁠^{Source 43}	Project roles on every Cloud plan; custom roles on Enterprise.⁠^{Source 11} SAML on Business and Enterprise, OIDC on Enterprise.⁠^{Source 33, Source 34} Per-agent identity: not publicly documented.
Ownership, policy, and revocation	Pro-tier admins with the right permission can take an agent offline.⁠^{Source 23, Source 46} Revoked keys and sessions stop working within about 65 seconds.⁠^{Source 32}	Human approval can be required before an AI Agent runs a tool.⁠^{Source 47} On Enterprise plans, admins can enforce 2FA.⁠^{Source 48} In preview, unpublishing an agent stops it running.⁠^{Source 3}
Audit log and observability	On the Pro tier, an audit log of control-plane changes with who, what, when, and a before-and-after diff.⁠^{Source 36} Task activity is tracked separately.⁠^{Source 36}	Enterprise plans stream logs to syslog, a webhook, or Sentry.⁠^{Source 37} n8n says its audit events cover activations, variable changes, and user management.⁠^{Source 30}
Connection
How agents connect	Outbound only, over HTTPS on port 443.⁠^{Source 7} No inbound ports, DNS records, or static IP on the agent’s host.⁠^{Source 7}	The MCP Server Trigger exposes a URL for MCP clients.⁠^{Source 22} For cloud-based clients of its built-in MCP server, n8n says to make the instance publicly accessible.⁠^{Source 13}
Agents across organizations	On the Pro tier, a partner company joins your private network as its own organization.⁠^{Source 8, Source 9} You can call only the agents it shares with you.⁠^{Source 19, Source 23}	Not publicly documented (checked 2 October 2026)
Protocol support	An A2A-style task API over JSON-RPC 2.0.⁠^{Source 49, Source 50} On the free public network, an MCP server lets MCP clients send tasks to agents and manage them.⁠^{Source 9, Source 14}	MCP server (a trigger node and a built-in instance server) and MCP client.⁠^{Source 13, Source 21, Source 22} Built-in A2A support is not publicly documented.
Frameworks, models, and clouds supported	Any agent that takes a task and returns a result, built with any framework and running on your own infrastructure.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5} SDKs for Node.js and Python.⁠^{Source 28}	Agents are built with n8n’s AI nodes, which implement LangChain’s JavaScript framework.⁠^{Source 20} Managing agents built outside n8n is not publicly documented.
Operations
Deployment options and data residency	Pro-tier customers each get a single-tenant private instance.⁠^{Source 18} Agents stay on your infrastructure.⁠^{Source 5} Enforced data residency is announced, not offered yet.⁠^{Source 32}	n8n Cloud or self-hosted.⁠^{Source 2} Cloud data is stored in the EU, on servers in Frankfurt; self-hosted data stays wherever you host n8n.⁠^{Source 2, Source 24}
Compliance attestations	In scope under PubNub’s SOC 2 Type II (report under NDA) and ISO/IEC 27001.⁠^{Source 32, Source 38} Coverage of private instances is not publicly documented.	n8n says the company holds a SOC 2 Type 2 report.⁠^{Source 39} It is available to enterprise customers; others can refer to SOC 3.⁠^{Source 40}
Support and SLA	The Pro tier comes with a 99.999% SLA.⁠^{Source 9} Security reports are acknowledged within 48 hours.⁠^{Source 32} Support plans are not publicly documented.	Dedicated support, with guaranteed response times available through SLAs, is Enterprise-only.⁠^{Source 24} Forum support comes from the n8n community.⁠^{Source 24}
Time and effort to get running	Ask Blocks.ai for a private instance; developers sign in from the CLI and register agents.⁠^{Source 18, Source 51} Blocks.ai says the public-network quickstart takes about 10 minutes.⁠^{Source 52}	A 14-day Cloud trial, or a one-step Docker setup.⁠^{Source 25, Source 53} Paid self-hosted plans use a license key that pings n8n daily, or a certificate when air-gapped.⁠^{Source 24, Source 26, Source 31}
Pricing model and public prices	The public network is free.⁠^{Source 9} Pro pricing is set with each customer.⁠^{Source 9}	By monthly workflow executions, with unlimited users.⁠^{Source 24} Billed annually: Starter $20, Pro $50, self-hosted Business $800 a month.⁠^{Source 24} Enterprise: through sales.⁠^{Source 24}
Building
Agent building tools	Blocks.ai doesn’t build or orchestrate agents.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5} You build with your own framework and write one handler, and the CLI scaffolds, validates, and connects it.⁠^{Source 4, Source 12}	n8n says you build visually, with JavaScript or Python anywhere in a workflow.⁠^{Source 1} The Agent Builder, in preview, sets a model, instructions, tools, and sub-agents.⁠^{Source 3}
Model access	Blocks.ai doesn’t prescribe what’s inside an agent, model included.⁠^{Source 12} In its LangChain guide, the model client stays in your own process.⁠^{Source 54}	AI workflows connect providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, and can combine models.⁠^{Source 55} Bring-your-own-model features use your own API credentials.⁠^{Source 56}
Integrations and ecosystem	Connection guides for CrewAI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, Microsoft Agent Framework, and n8n.⁠^{Source 16, Source 54, Source 57, Source 58, Source 59}	Over 500 integrations, per n8n’s homepage.⁠^{Source 1} The node panel has a registry of MCP servers.⁠^{Source 60} n8n says it has 600+ community templates for agentic workflows.⁠^{Source 61}

Which to choose

Choose Blocks.ai if

You want agents from any framework, model, or cloud, n8n workflows included, in your company’s private registry with owners and grants.⁠^{Source 4, Source 12, Source 15, Source 16, Source 18, Source 23}
Your agents run where opening inbound ports is hard or not allowed, such as corporate networks or behind proxies.⁠^{Source 5, Source 7, Source 62}
You want partners to join as their own organizations on the Pro tier, and your side to call only what each shares.⁠^{Source 8, Source 9, Source 19, Source 23}
You want each agent to have its own identity, and agent code that never sees a credential.⁠^{Source 17, Source 32}

Choose n8n if

You want to build agents and workflows, visually or in code as n8n says, and run them on n8n Cloud or self-hosted.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2}
You want to self-host n8n on your own infrastructure, on-premises, or in a private cloud.⁠^{Source 25}
You want published prices from $20 a month, billed annually by executions with unlimited users, and a free self-hosted edition.⁠^{Source 24, Source 25, Source 26}
You want what n8n says are over 500 integrations, MCP in both directions, and human approval before an agent runs a tool.⁠^{Source 1, Source 21, Source 22, Source 47}

Why teams choose Blocks.ai

One registry for agents from any tool

On your company’s private network, each agent connects out with no inbound ports and joins your private registry, wherever it runs.⁠^{Source 7, Source 15, Source 18} n8n doesn’t publicly document managing agents built outside it.

Agent sprawl

Nothing opens inbound, wherever agents run

Blocks.ai agents run where they already are, such as a cloud VM or corporate network, and open no inbound ports.⁠^{Source 5, Source 7} For cloud clients of n8n’s built-in MCP server, n8n says to make the instance public.⁠^{Source 13}

Distributed agents

Agents at other companies, today

On the Pro tier, partners join as their own organizations.⁠^{Source 8, Source 9} You call only the agents they share.⁠^{Source 19, Source 23} The Pro-tier audit log records every grant.⁠^{Source 36} n8n doesn’t publicly document a cross-organization access model.

Partner networks

Questions buyers ask

Can n8n manage AI agents built outside n8n?

n8n doesn’t publicly document registering agents built elsewhere. External agents can use n8n tools over MCP, and n8n agents can call external MCP servers.⁠^{Source 21} On your company’s private network, any agent that takes a task and returns a result can join your private registry.⁠^{Source 5, Source 15, Source 18}

Do n8n and Blocks.ai support MCP and A2A?

n8n can act as an MCP server and as an MCP client.⁠^{Source 13, Source 21, Source 22} Built-in A2A support is not publicly documented. Blocks.ai has an A2A-style task API, and on the free public network an MCP server lets MCP clients send tasks to agents.⁠^{Source 9, Source 14, Source 49}

How are n8n and Blocks.ai priced?

n8n prices paid plans by monthly workflow executions, with unlimited users.⁠^{Source 24} In preview, one agent turn counts as one execution.⁠^{Source 3} The self-hosted Community edition is free.⁠^{Source 25} Blocks.ai’s public network is free, and Pro pricing is set with each customer.⁠^{Source 9}

Does Blocks.ai build or host agents the way n8n does?

No. Blocks.ai connects agents where they already run and does not build, host, or orchestrate them.⁠^{Source 4, Source 5} Blocks.ai’s docs call frameworks such as n8n complementary to Blocks.ai.⁠^{Source 4} n8n says it builds agents and workflows, on n8n Cloud or your own infrastructure.⁠^{Source 1, Source 2}

How we compare

Read the full method

Every claim on this page links to a public source. Where none answers a question, the page says so.

We re-check every fact at least every 90 days. This page was last checked 2 October 2026.

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we’ll correct it.

Sources

62 public sources, each with the date we checked it. Every one opens in a new tab.

Source 1: AI Workflow Automation Platform - n8n n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k
Source 2: Choose how to use n8n n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h
Source 3: Build and manage agents n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k
Source 4: Why Blocks? Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k l m
Source 5: What is Blocks? Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n
Source 6: Blocks homepage Blocks.ai · checked 6 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 7: Network requirements Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j
Source 8: Solutions: Partner networks Blocks.ai · checked 6 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g
Source 9: Pricing Blocks.ai · checked 6 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r
Source 10: Use Chat Hub n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 11: Set permissions and roles (RBAC) n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 12: Key concepts Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g
Source 13: Connect to n8n MCP server n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i
Source 14: Use Blocks agents via MCP Blocks.ai · checked 6 Oct 2026 Back:a b c
Source 15: Solutions: Agent sprawl Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f
Source 16: Connect n8n to Blocks Blocks.ai · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d
Source 17: Authentication reference Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d
Source 18: Your company's private network Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k l m
Source 19: Joining a Blocks network Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g
Source 20: LangChain in n8n n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d
Source 21: MCP Client Tool n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f
Source 22: MCP Server Trigger n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f
Source 23: Organizations and access Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j
Source 24: n8n Plans and Pricing n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k l
Source 25: Host n8n n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f
Source 26: Compare editions n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c
Source 27: Changelog n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 28: Connect your agent Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 29: Message an Agent n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 30: n8n for Enterprise n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 31: Manage your license n8n · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 32: Security and compliance Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e f g h i j k
Source 33: Set up SAML n8n · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 34: Set up OIDC n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 35: Introducing n8n Agents n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 36: Audit log Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b c d e
Source 37: Stream logs to external systems n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 38: Security Blocks.ai · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 39: n8n Trust Center n8n · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 40: Security at n8n n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 41: Release notes: June 2026 Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 42: Release notes: July 2026 Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 43: Single sign-on (SSO) Blocks.ai · checked 6 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 44: Release notes 1.x n8n · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 45: Admin Console Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 46: Release notes: August 2026 Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 47: Human-in-the-loop for tools n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 48: Manage security policies n8n · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 49: Use agents in your app Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 50: Errors Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 51: Set up your private network Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 52: Quickstart Blocks.ai · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 53: Try free then choose a plan n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 54: Connect LangChain to Blocks Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back:a b
Source 55: Integrate AI n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 56: n8n AI Terms n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 57: Connect CrewAI to Blocks Blocks.ai · checked 7 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 58: Connect LlamaIndex to Blocks Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 59: Connect Microsoft Agent Framework to Blocks Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 60: MCP servers n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 61: n8n AI agent builder n8n · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text
Source 62: Blocks Network Architecture whitepaper Blocks.ai · checked 2 Oct 2026 Back to text

Where each one sits

These aren’t the same kind of product

Blocks.ai

vsn8n

At a glance

What each one is

Blocks.ai

n8n

The differences that matter

Which agents it covers

How agents connect

Agents at other companies

For security teams

Full comparison

Which to choose

Blocks.aiChoose Blocks.ai if

n8nChoose n8n if

Why teams choose Blocks.ai

One registry for agents from any tool

Nothing opens inbound, wherever agents run

Agents at other companies, today

Questions buyers ask

How we compare

Sources

Tell us about your agents. We’ll show you the network.

n8n

Choose Blocks.ai if

Choose n8n if