Video tutorial coming soon.
🧩 Setup ActivePieces — No-Code Workflow Automation
Deploy ActivePieces on Ubuntu with Docker — an open-source, no-code automation platform that lets teams build workflows visually, add human approval steps, and connect 100+ apps without writing code. The cleanest self-hosted Zapier alternative available.
📦 Resources & Setup Scripts
Grab the automated bash script from GitHub to follow along with the video.
Quick Install:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mhmdali94/Docker/main/automation/activepieces/activepieces-ubuntu.sh
chmod +x activepieces-ubuntu.sh
sudo bash activepieces-ubuntu.shTutorial Steps
1 Download the Script
Fetch the ActivePieces install script from the Prisma Docker library:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mhmdali94/Docker/main/automation/activepieces/activepieces-ubuntu.sh2 Make it Executable
Grant execute permission before running:
chmod +x activepieces-ubuntu.sh3 Run the Installer
The script installs Docker if needed, then deploys ActivePieces with PostgreSQL and Redis as backing services.
sudo bash activepieces-ubuntu.sh4 Access the Web UI
Open your browser and navigate to your server IP on port 8080. Create your admin account, then start building flows from the visual editor.
http://<your-server-ip>:8080Ports Used
| Port | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 8080 | ActivePieces Web UI |
Overview
ActivePieces is an open-source, no-code workflow automation platform designed to be the self-hosted replacement for Zapier. It uses a clean block-based editor where each 'piece' is an integration — over 100 pieces are available covering popular SaaS tools, databases, communication apps, and developer services. Unlike n8n which targets developers, ActivePieces is built for non-technical teams: the UI is approachable, the documentation is beginner-friendly, and there are no code nodes required to build powerful automations. Its standout feature is human-in-the-loop steps, which let you pause a workflow, send an approval request to a team member, and only continue after they approve or reject.
Why Use It
ActivePieces sits in the sweet spot between Zapier's polish and n8n's power. The interface is clean enough for non-developers to use without training, yet the platform is flexible enough for complex multi-step automations with branching, loops, and HTTP requests. Being fully open-source and self-hosted means your data never leaves your server, there are no per-task execution fees, and you can invite unlimited team members. The human-in-the-loop approval feature is unique among free automation tools and makes ActivePieces genuinely useful for business processes that require sign-off.
When You Need It
Who Should Use It
Real Use Cases
Main Features
How to Use After Installation
Security Best Practices
Ports and Firewall Notes
ActivePieces uses port 8080 for its web UI. PostgreSQL uses port 5432 and Redis uses port 6379 — both should be accessible only within the Docker network and never exposed externally. Only port 8080 needs to be proxied, and only through a reverse proxy with HTTPS. For public webhook receivers, use your domain's HTTPS endpoint rather than the bare IP and port.
Backup and Maintenance
Common Mistakes
Troubleshooting
Alternatives
Zapier and Make are the leading cloud alternatives — managed, reliable, but expensive at scale with per-task pricing. n8n is the most powerful self-hosted competitor — better for developers who need code nodes, AI agents, and complex branching, but has a steeper learning curve than ActivePieces. Node-RED is ideal for IoT and hardware automation but lacks the modern SaaS integrations ActivePieces offers. Windmill is developer-first and script-based rather than visual. For purely internal business process automation, Budibase (a low-code app builder) can sometimes replace simple approval flows.
When Not to Use It
If your automations require heavy custom code logic, complex branching, or AI agent capabilities, n8n is a better fit — ActivePieces' code step is limited. For high-throughput event processing (millions of events/hour), a dedicated message queue is more appropriate. If your team needs enterprise SSO, audit logs, and role-based access at scale, consider the ActivePieces Cloud plan or an enterprise-tier alternative. If you're automating IoT sensor data or hardware events, Node-RED's protocol support (MQTT, Modbus) is purpose-built for that use case.
Need Help Setting Up ActivePieces?
PrismaTechWork provides end-to-end infrastructure services — from initial deployment and security hardening to ongoing monitoring, automated backups, and dedicated support. Whether you need a single-server setup or a multi-site network, our team ensures your infrastructure is built right, secured properly, and maintained reliably.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ActivePieces completely free to self-host?
Yes — ActivePieces is open-source under the MIT license, which means you can self-host it for free with no execution limits, no seat fees, and no feature restrictions on the community edition. The paid Cloud plan adds managed hosting, priority support, and enterprise features. For internal automation on your own server, the self-hosted version is entirely free.
How do I add a new integration (piece) to ActivePieces?
Go to your flow editor and click the '+' to add a step, then search for the service you need. If the piece exists, select it and authenticate via the Connection prompt. If the piece doesn't exist yet, you can request it on the ActivePieces GitHub, use the HTTP Request piece to call any REST API manually, or write a custom piece using the TypeScript SDK and install it on your self-hosted instance.
What is the human-in-the-loop feature and how does it work?
The human approval step pauses a flow at a specific point and sends a request (via email, Slack, or another channel) to a designated person asking them to approve or reject. The flow waits — for minutes or days — until a response is received. On approval, execution continues with the next step; on rejection, a different branch runs. This is ideal for expense approvals, content sign-off, access requests, or any process that needs human judgment before proceeding.
Can multiple team members collaborate on flows?
Yes — ActivePieces supports multi-user collaboration. You can invite team members to your project, and they can view, edit, and activate flows depending on their assigned role. Connections (credentials) created by one user can be shared across the team so everyone uses the same authenticated accounts without sharing passwords. The self-hosted version supports unlimited team members at no extra cost.
How does ActivePieces compare to n8n?
ActivePieces is better for non-technical teams — it has a cleaner UI, gentler learning curve, and native human approval steps. n8n is better for developers — it supports JavaScript/Python code nodes, more complex flow logic, AI agent frameworks (LangChain), and a larger integration library (400+ vs 100+). If your primary users are non-developers building business automations, choose ActivePieces. If you need code-level control, AI agents, or high-volume queue-based processing, choose n8n.
How do I expose webhooks publicly while keeping the editor private?
Set WEBHOOK_DOMAIN to your public HTTPS domain in the environment configuration. In your reverse proxy, create rules to proxy the /api/v1/webhooks/ path publicly while restricting the rest of the app to an IP allowlist or VPN. This lets external services like Stripe or GitHub POST to your webhook endpoints while the flow editor remains accessible only to your team.
How do I back up and restore ActivePieces flows?
Full backup: use pg_dump to export the PostgreSQL database — this captures all flows, connections, and execution history. You can also export individual flows as JSON from the flow editor (three-dot menu → Export). To restore, import the pg_dump into a fresh PostgreSQL container, then start ActivePieces pointing to it. Individual flows can be imported from JSON via the flow editor's Import option.
What are the minimum server requirements for ActivePieces?
ActivePieces with PostgreSQL and Redis runs comfortably on a 1 vCPU / 2 GB RAM VPS for small teams with moderate flow activity. For teams running many concurrent flows or flows with large data payloads, 2 vCPU / 4 GB RAM is recommended. The PostgreSQL database grows over time with execution logs — either set a log retention policy or provision adequate disk space (20+ GB for active teams).