Short answer: Nod is a free, open-source personal agent released by n8n Labs as a research preview on 10 November 2026. It runs on your Mac or Windows PC inside its own private sandbox and browser, works in your apps and on any website, and asks before it sends, pays, posts or deletes anything you didn’t ask for. You bring the AI provider; Nod shows what every task costs.

By Agent Playbox Editorial · Published

Nod personal agent: n8n Labs goes open source

Key facts

What did n8n Labs release on 10 November 2026?

On 10 November 2026, n8n published “Meet Nod”, introducing Nod as a research preview from n8n Labs, a new team that experiments with ideas outside n8n’s core automation product (n8n blog). The official @n8n_io account announced it on X the next morning, 11 November: “Meet Nod, your own open-source personal agent from n8n Labs” (post on X).

Nod is a standalone app. You don’t need an n8n account, and it is not the n8n AI Assistant (nod.n8n.io). n8n frames the split simply: n8n runs the shared processes of a team or business, while Nod is “for a single player”, one person and their own jobs, whether for work or the household. The company says it doesn’t change n8n’s direction; it is an experiment it wants people to try and shape.

What can Nod actually do for you?

Jobs that end in a result, not a to-do list

Because Nod has its own computer (a sandbox that runs locally) and its own browser, it can finish work a chat tool would hand back to you as instructions (n8n blog). Examples n8n lists: cancel a subscription, turn down the retention offers and ask for a refund; watch a price and tell you when it drops; find a hotel and book it once you say go; sign in to supplier portals each month, download the invoices and file them for your accountant; or pull last week’s numbers from a dashboard with no export.

Your apps, plus websites with no integration

You connect apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Slack, Notion, Drive and Linear, and Nod can read and act in them (Nod docs). For everything else it uses its browser, which you can take over when a site needs you. It also runs scheduled work, like a morning brief or a price check, and can offer jobs it spots in your connected apps.

One conversation, many jobs

You talk to Nod in one chat, in the app or on Telegram or WhatsApp, while it runs several jobs in parallel in the background (n8n blog). It remembers months of conversation, learns how you write when you connect Gmail, and keeps notes on how it finished a task so it can repeat it next time.

How does Nod keep you in control?

Trust is the centre of the launch. Before Nod sends, pays, posts or deletes anything you didn’t ask for, a separate check confirms that you asked for it, and a web page or an email can’t give it orders (n8n blog). Saved logins and cards are encrypted on your machine and entered through private forms the model can’t read, and Nod logs every sign-in, card use and action with what the task cost.

n8n is open about the limits: the permission check is itself a model and can be wrong, which is why Nod asks when your words don’t cover an action. Background work Nod starts on its own only reads and drafts unless you’ve told it otherwise (Nod docs). In n8n’s October tests, none of 216 WhisperBench attempts planted a false memory (n8n on X). Because the code is public under Apache 2.0, anyone can read the rules it follows (GitHub).

How much does Nod cost and what do you need?

Nod is free to download and open source. You connect an AI provider, such as an OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or OpenRouter key, a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan, or a local model, and that provider bills you (n8n community post). n8n says early testers found some tasks cost more than expected, so recent releases focused on bringing cost down. Every task ends with a receipt, you can set a monthly spending limit, Nod checks in once a task passes USD 5 (you can change that), and each schedule shows its estimated monthly cost (n8n blog).

It runs on macOS 14 or later and Windows 11 (in preview), or on your own server for one person; setup takes about ten minutes (nod.n8n.io). On a laptop it stops when the laptop sleeps; a hosted version is on the roadmap. Each install has one owner, and it can’t make phone calls yet.

What does Nod mean for freelancers and small businesses?

n8n says Nod is built “for people who run their own work: client calls, follow-ups, invoices, supplier portals” (nod.n8n.io). That makes it a natural fit for our invoice intake and filing and lead research before calls use cases. If you already use n8n, you can connect your instance and Nod can build, test and run workflows there; a new workflow stays a draft until you say “publish it” (community post).

For home life, the same agent handles errands: a refund, a booking or a subscription audit. The errand runner template and the price tracking skill are good first briefs to hand it.

How does Nod compare with other agents that run on your computer?

The closest neighbour on our site is K-AI, which also keeps memory on your Mac and works on its own virtual computer. Nod adds open-source code, Windows support and a choice of AI provider; see Nod vs K-AI. Bees runs a team of agents on your desktop; compare them in Nod vs Bees.

If you would rather not manage your own provider key, cloud agents such as Grok Bot keep working with your laptop closed. Browse the best personal AI agents of 2026 for the wider field.

What should you watch next?

Watch for the hosted version n8n mentions on its roadmap, cost improvements in new releases, and the Windows preview maturing. n8n is collecting feedback in the n8n Labs category of its community forum. We will keep the Nod profile current as the preview evolves.

Timeline: how did we get here?

Agent snapshot: what do we know so far?

Facts below come from the agent profiles in our directory, each linked to its source.

Nod at a glance

Full Nod profile

K-AI at a glance

Full K-AI profile

Bees at a glance

Full Bees profile

Related comparisons and guides

Agents in this story

Nod

personal agent

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.

K-AI

personal agent

A personal AI agent whose memory lives on your Mac: Kai watches the mail, chat and calendar you choose, runs errands such as reorders, bookings and forms on its own virtual computer inside your Mac, and waits for your OK on payments, deletions and account changes.

Bees

personal agent

Free open-source desktop app that runs a team of AI agents on your computer; bring your own model; asks before risky actions.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nod?

Nod is a free, open-source personal agent from n8n Labs. It runs on your Mac or Windows PC with its own sandboxed computer and browser and does jobs in your apps and on websites.

Do I need n8n to use Nod?

No. Nod is a standalone app and needs no n8n account. If you use n8n, you can connect it so Nod can work with your workflows.

Is Nod free?

The app is free under Apache 2.0. You pay your AI provider for usage, use a ChatGPT Plus or Pro plan, or connect a local model.

Will Nod pay or send emails without asking?

Not for things you didn't ask for: a separate check confirms you asked before it sends, pays, posts or deletes. n8n notes this check is a model and can make mistakes, so Nod asks when your request doesn't cover an action.

Which computers does Nod run on?

macOS 14 or later, Windows 11 in preview, or your own server for one person.

Sources

Updated