Q: Agentic vs n8n
Is there any differences between Agentic MCP and n8n MCP?

SeanP_AgenticFlowAI
May 13, 2025A: Hey Leandrocastagno!
That's a great, nuanced question. When we talk about "AgenticFlow MCP" vs. "n8n MCP," it's important to clarify what "MCP" refers to in each context, as they use the concept a bit differently though the underlying standard (Model Context Protocol) is the same.
Here's the breakdown:
1. MCP (Model Context Protocol) - The Standard:
First, MCP itself (https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) is an open standard for how AI models (like LLMs) can discover and use external tools and APIs. Both AgenticFlow and platforms like n8n (or Make, Zapier, Composio, etc., who are also adopting it) can build implementations that adhere to this standard.
2. AgenticFlow's Approach to MCP:
AgenticFlow as an "MCP Client": We've built AgenticFlow from the ground up to be a sophisticated client that can consume actions from any MCP-compliant server. This means you can connect an MCP server URL (from various providers or self-hosted) into AgenticFlow.
Agents Using MCP Tools: Our AI Agents are designed to natively understand and utilize the tools (actions) exposed by these connected MCP servers. You tell the agent a goal in natural language, and it intelligently decides which MCP actions to call from its available toolkit. This is core to our "Level 4: Agents using tools" capability.
MCPs as Nodes in Workflows (Coming Very Soon): We're about to release the ability to use specific actions from your connected MCP servers as distinct, drag-and-drop nodes directly within our visual Workflow builder (Level 3). This makes it more like traditional automation tools but leverages the standardized MCP interface. Track it here: https://agenticflow.featurebase.app/p/use-2500-mcp-as-nodes-in-workflow
Our MCP Offerings: We also provide some premium, managed MCP connections (like for native WhatsApp, LinkedIn for Tier 3/4) where we host and manage the server-side part for enhanced reliability and support. And we list community/third-party MCPs (like many on https://agenticflow.ai/mcp).
2. n8n's Approach to MCP (as per emerging support):
n8n as an "MCP Server" (Potentially): Tools like n8n (and Make, Zapier) are increasingly able to expose their existing library of app connectors AS an MCP server. This means you could potentially take your n8n instance (with all its configured nodes and workflows) and have it present itself as an MCP-compliant endpoint.
AgenticFlow Consuming n8n's MCP: If n8n (or Make/Zapier) exposes an MCP server endpoint, you could then connect that endpoint into AgenticFlow. Your AgenticFlow agents could then, in theory, call upon the actions/workflows you've built within your n8n instance as if they were just another tool.
n8n as an "MCP Client" (Less Emphasis Currently): While n8n could also act as an MCP client (consuming tools from other MCP servers), its core strength and historical design are more around its vast library of direct, non-MCP integrations and its visual workflow builder. The "agentic" layer that intelligently chooses tools based on natural language is more central to AgenticFlow's design.
3. Key Differences in How They "Use" MCP:
AgenticFlow: Primarily an intelligent MCP client designed for AI agents to consume tools from various MCP servers. Our strength is the agentic orchestration on top of MCP.
n8n (and similar): Increasingly able to act as an MCP server, exposing their existing automation capabilities to MCP clients (like AgenticFlow). Their internal workflow engine remains their core, with MCP being a new way to interface with it.
In short:
You can connect an n8n MCP server (if they offer one or you set one up based on their evolving support) into AgenticFlow, allowing your AgenticFlow agents to trigger n8n workflows/actions.
AgenticFlow itself is built to be the "brain" that uses tools from various MCP servers (including potentially one hosted by n8n).
The "Agentic MCP" isn't a separate product from AgenticFlow; it's how AgenticFlow integrates with the MCP ecosystem. n8n's "MCP" would be their implementation of an MCP server exposing their actions.
It's about how each platform leverages the open MCP standard to either provide tools or consume and orchestrate tools with AI. AgenticFlow is heavily focused on the latter with an AI-first approach.
Hope this makes the distinction clearer!
— Sean