n8n is free, self-hosted Zapier alternative. Heavy automation = $0 vs $500+/mo for Zapier. Self-host on $5/mo VPS, unlimited workflows.

Setup (5 Minutes)

1. Go to railway.app → Search "n8n"
2. Click Deploy → Set username/password
3. Or use n8n.cloud ($20/mo) for zero setup

WORKFLOW 1: LinkedIn Lead Gen + Apollo Enrichment

n8n.io/workflows/3791

Pulls leads from Apollo, enriches with LinkedIn data, validates emails.

• What it does: Apollo search → LinkedIn profile scrape → Email validation → Google Sheets
• Best for: B2B prospecting, finding marketing decision-makers
• Requires: io API, RapidAPI (LinkedIn), mail.so for validation
• Output: Name, title, company, verified email, LinkedIn bio, recent posts

WORKFLOW 2: AI Cold Email Personalization

n8n.io/workflows/9629

Generates personalized icebreakers using AI research — ~$0.02/lead.

• What it does: Perplexity researches prospect → Claude writes icebreaker → Updates Google Sheets
• Best for: Scaling personalized outreach without manual research
• Requires: OpenRouter API (Perplexity + Claude)
• Output: Custom first line for each prospect based on real company research