Independent comparison · updated October 2026
The open-source alternative to Activepieces
Kortix is the open-source alternative to Activepieces when the job is open-ended: your agents, skills, memory, and connectors live in one git repo you own, and each session runs on its own cloud computer. Activepieces automates fixed flows between apps. Kortix runs agents that finish work and keeps the whole system in your repo.
Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem
The open-source AI Operating System
kortix_version: 2default_agent: kortixagents: kortix: file: agents/kortix.md connectors: allOne isolated sandbox per session. Each session has its own isolated machine and branch.
Activepieces and the alternatives, side by side
The rival columns state what each vendor publishes, with prices as of October 2026. For the workflow-builder view, read how Kortix compares to n8n.
How Kortix works
Four layers, each one a file or a command you can read. Read the docs for every key.
- 1Agents
An agent is a markdown file
An agent is
agents/<name>.md(behavior) plus anagents.<name>block inkortix.yaml(governance).agents/support.md # agents/support.md---description: Answers support tickets from the help desk.mode: primarypermission: bash: askSource: https://kortix.com/docs/project/agents - 2Memory
The company brain, as files
Your agents, skills, company memory, and connectors live in one git repo you own.
Where the system lives A project is a git repo with kortix.yaml at its root.Agents, skills, memory, tools, triggers and connectors are files in it.Source: https://kortix.com/docs - 3Connectors
Connectors you govern
3,000+ apps in a click, plus MCP, OpenAPI, Postman, GraphQL and raw HTTP. Connector credentials are brokered server-side and never enter the machine.
kortix.yaml connectors: - slug: gmail name: Gmail provider: composio app: gmailSource: https://kortix.com/docs/connect/connectors - 4Change requests
Work lands through review
Session work reaches
mainthrough a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents.terminal kortix projects clone <project_id> my-projectgit checkout -b tighten-triagekortix cr open --head tighten-triage --title "Tighten the triage prompt"Source: https://kortix.com/docs/git
GitHub stars
Open source. Read it, fork it, audit it.
Questions people ask before they switch
How is Kortix different from Activepieces?
Kortix runs agents that do finished work from one git repo you own, while Activepieces automates flows between apps. Where Activepieces meters each flow run in credits, every session runs on its own cloud computer, and Session work reaches main through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents. Pick Activepieces for a fixed, repeatable flow; pick Kortix when the job is open-ended.
Is Kortix open source?
Yes. Kortix is open source: read it, fork it, audit it. Your agents, skills, company memory, and connectors live in one git repo you own. The product runs on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network.
Can I self-host Kortix?
Yes, self-host is free. Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network. Self-host is free. The stack installs on a Linux server you control with the kortix self-host commands, and the source is on GitHub.
Where does the setup live for each tool?
For Kortix, agents, skills, memory, connectors and triggers are files in one git repo you own, versioned and reviewed like code. Activepieces keeps its flows in its product, n8n keeps workflows in the instance you run, and Zapier keeps Zaps in Zapier.
Run your whole company from one repo you own.
Start with one job and grow from there.
Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem