Zapier-style automations between your apps, on your own server.
Our pick for people coming from IFTTT. It keeps the same idea, a trigger and what should happen next, and adds more steps, conditions and business apps. You build each flow from menus.
Self-hosted alternatives to IFTTT
Activepieces is a free, open-source IFTTT alternative: pick a trigger, add the steps that follow, and it runs on its own. IFTTT limits how many applets the free plan can run; self-hosted Activepieces has no applet limit.
3 alternatives Free apps Our pick: Activepieces
At a glance
| App | Good for | Code | Import from IFTTT | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Activepieces | Simple to medium automations, closest to how Zapier feels | Code Open source | Import from IFTTT No | Easy |
 Automatisch | Short two- or three-step flows for a small team | Code Open source | Import from IFTTT No | Easy |
 n8n | Busy or complex automations, with branches, loops and AI steps | Code Fair-code | Import from IFTTT No | Some setup |
Why look for an alternative to IFTTT?
IFTTT, short for "if this, then that", links apps and devices with simple rules called applets: when something happens in one service, do something in another. It is popular for personal automations and smart-home devices.
People look for an alternative when they hit the free plan's limits, which allow only a couple of applets, or when they want automations for business work: several steps in a row, conditions, and apps such as CRMs and spreadsheets. A self-hosted tool has no limit on the number of automations and keeps the data they move on your own server.
The alternatives, compared
Simple if-this-then-that flows between your business apps.
Close to IFTTT's simplicity: a trigger and a few steps, filled in from menus. It focuses on business apps rather than smart-home devices.
Automate work between your apps, with no limit on runs.
Far more powerful than IFTTT, with branches, loops, code and AI steps. Choose it when your automations go beyond one trigger and one action.
Moving from IFTTT
Applets cannot be imported, but most are a single trigger and action, so rebuilding them takes a few minutes. Note that IFTTT's smart-home and phone triggers, such as a doorbell press or arriving home, often have no equivalent in these business-focused tools; they work best for web apps, email, forms, spreadsheets and chat.
Questions
What is the best self-hosted alternative to IFTTT?
Start with Activepieces. If you want something simpler, try Automatisch. All 3 are free to self-host. Activepieces and Automatisch are open source; n8n (fair-code) publishes its code under a licence that limits reselling it as a service.
Do these apps work with smart-home devices like IFTTT?
Mostly not. They connect web and business apps such as Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack and CRMs. Some devices can be reached through webhooks or a home automation hub, but that takes extra setup.
How many automations can I run?
As many as your server can handle. There is no applet or flow limit on these self-hosted apps.
Is it really free?
Yes, the apps are free. To run them you need Cloudgate and a server. Use hosted Cloudgate, which can also provide the server, or install Cloudgate on a server of your own for free. Cloudgate's plans and prices are at cloudgate.octabyte.io/pricing. One server can run several apps.
Do I need a developer?
No. Cloudgate installs the app on your server and gives it a secure web address. You use it in your browser.