Short answer: Nod: An open-source personal agent with its own computer: it runs in a private sandbox and browser on your Mac or Windows PC, works in your apps and on any website, asks before it sends, pays or deletes, and uses the AI provider you choose. Bees: Free open-source desktop app that runs a team of AI agents on your computer; bring your own model; asks before risky actions.
Nod vs Bees
Sourced facts only. “Unknown” means not verified yet.
Key facts side by side
| Criterion | Nod | Bees |
|---|---|---|
| Type | personal agent | personal agent |
| Vendor | n8n Labs (an experimental team within n8n) | Bees (two-person team per DEV; company legal name unknown) |
| Channels / category | Desktop app for macOS 14+ and Windows 11 (preview); self-hosted server for one person; chat in the app, on Telegram or WhatsApp | Desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux (per bees.bot) |
| Pricing / availability | Free and open source (Apache 2.0). You pay your AI provider (API key or a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan) or use a local model; Nod shows each task's cost, lets you set a monthly limit and checks in once a task passes USD 5 (blog.n8n.io, 10 Nov 2026). | Free (including cloud coordination currently per bees.bot/download); bring your own model — no per-token or per-run fee from Bees |
| Launched | 2026-11-10 | 2026-10-13 |
| Funding (reported) | Part of n8n; no separate funding | Not disclosed in the sources we checked |
| Channels confirmed | Desktop app, Telegram, WhatsApp | Web |
| Verified facts | Released 10 Nov 2026 as a research preview from n8n Labs, a new team that experiments outside n8n's core product; announced on X on 11 Nov 2026; A standalone app, separate from n8n; no n8n account needed; Has its own computer (a private virtual machine on your machine) and browser, so it can finish jobs on websites with no integration; Example jobs: cancel a subscription and ask for a refund, watch a price, book a hotel once you say go, download supplier invoices each month; Before it sends, pays, posts or deletes anything you didn't ask for, a separate check confirms you asked; a web page or email can't give it orders; Saved logins and cards are encrypted on your machine and entered through private forms the model can't read; every sign-in, card use and action is logged; Remembers months of conversation; n8n reports 93.2% on the LongMemEval memory benchmark; n8n reports 98% task completion on 226 simulated errands (3 runs each) with GPT-6.1 Sol in October 2026; Connects Gmail, Calendar, Slack, Notion, Drive, Linear and others; runs scheduled tasks such as a morning brief; Free (Apache 2.0); stops when your laptop sleeps, one owner per install, no phone calls yet; a hosted version is on the roadmap | Went public 13 Oct 2026 as a free open-source desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux; You describe an outcome; Bees plans stages; agents work; a reviewer agent checks before work moves on; you approve before risky actions; Bring your own AI: Codex or Claude Code CLI subscriptions, a hosted provider, or a local model via bundled llama.cpp — Bees adds no fee per token or per run; Files, browser sessions, cookies and passwords stay local; private workspace with no sign-in to try; local memory service; Tools per agent via MCP; file scope per run folder; Company Brain = local search over mapped folders/Google Drive; scheduling for recurring processes; License: MIT or Apache 2.0 (site and DEV); two people built it (DEV); Mac build signed and notarized; Windows and Linux not code-signed yet (SmartScreen warning possible); Requirements: 8 GB RAM for cloud model, 16 GB for local model, 15 GB free disk; Bees 0.2 early; Private org (device-only, no account) or Regular org (free cloud coordination, invite teammates; files stay on each machine); Bees Cloud never receives or stores document contents (company site) |
| Website | https://nod.n8n.io/ | https://bees.bot/ |
| Sources | [1] [2] [3] [4] | [1] [2] [3] |
| Last checked | 2026-11-11 | 2026-11-11 |
Frequently asked questions
What is Nod?
An open-source personal agent with its own computer: it runs in a private sandbox and browser on your Mac or Windows PC, works in your apps and on any website, asks before it sends, pays or deletes, and uses the AI provider you choose.
What is Bees?
Free open-source desktop app that runs a team of AI agents on your computer; bring your own model; asks before risky actions.
How much does Nod cost?
Free and open source (Apache 2.0). You pay your AI provider (API key or a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan) or use a local model; Nod shows each task's cost, lets you set a monthly limit and checks in once a task passes USD 5 (blog.n8n.io, 10 Nov 2026).
How much does Bees cost?
Free (including cloud coordination currently per bees.bot/download); bring your own model — no per-token or per-run fee from Bees
Are Nod and Bees the same type of agent?
Nod is listed as a personal agent and Bees as a personal agent.
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