Free picks · Windows · Open source
Best free open-source automation tools for Windows (2026)
Every pick is listed under Automation in our directory, runs on a Windows PC and is free to use and tagged open source. We rank them by our rating and popularity, then favour tools made mainly for automation and apps built for Windows.
Short answer
The best free open-source automation tools for Windows are gptme, Node-RED and Cline for Desktop, the top three of 13 matches in our directory. All 10 are tagged open source in our directory. 9 of the 10 picks are completely free and the other one has a free plan.
Updated
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At a glance
Counted from the top 10 picks, except the total.
- Matching tools
- 13
- Completely free
- 9
- Open source
- 10
- Work offline
- 5
- Native apps
- 8
Comparison table
“Free plan” means a free tier with paid upgrades. A dash in Licence means our directory does not list the tool as open source.
| # | Name | Pricing | Platforms | Licence | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | gptme | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Your agent in your terminal, equipped with local tools. |
| 2 | Node-RED | Free | Linux, Windows, macOS | Open source | Free, open-source low-code tool for wiring together devices, APIs and online services. |
| 3 | Cline for Desktop | Free | macOS, Windows | Open source | The open-source Cline coding agent as a native desktop app. |
| 4 | Cerebro | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | A productivity booster and a global search tool. |
| 5 | Onorca | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Free desktop workspace for running Claude Code, Codex and other coding agents in parallel. |
| 6 | n8n | Free plan | Web, Linux, macOS, Windows | Open source | Open-source automation you can host and shape yourself. |
| 7 | OpenMausBot | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | An open-source team of AI bots you chat with, each with its own computer. |
| 8 | Genie | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Wishes in, PRs out — a CLI agent that interviews you and ships code. |
| 9 | slackcli | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Slack CLI for humans and AI agents — read, send, search and reply from the terminal. |
| 10 | Minimal | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Run your agent in a Minimal box — isolated sandboxes on your own computer. |
Why each pick made the list
Every reason is taken from the tool's own listing: its categories, platforms, features, rating and pricing.
Our top Windows pick, rated 4.6/5, the highest here. Listed mainly under AI Productivity, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. Its listing says it works offline, is privacy-focused and has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 1.
Watch out for: Terminal-first workflow
Number 2 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.6/5. Automation is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Windows PC, and also on Linux and macOS. Its listing says it works offline. On our Mac list it is number 2.
Watch out for: You install and host it yourself
Number 3 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.5/5. Listed mainly under AI Productivity, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS. Its listing says it has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 3.
Watch out for: Currently in beta
Number 4 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.3/5. Automation is its main purpose in our directory. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. On our Mac list it is number 5.
Watch out for: Can consume notable system resources with many plugins
Number 5 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.4/5. Automation is its main purpose in our directory. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. Its listing says it has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 6.
Watch out for: Built for developers who already use CLI coding agents
Number 6 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.6/5. Automation is its main purpose in our directory. Runs on a Windows PC, and also on Web, Linux and macOS. Its listing says it works offline, is privacy-focused and has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 7.
Watch out for: Steeper learning curve than Zapier
Number 7 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.5/5. Listed mainly under AI Productivity, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. Its listing says it works offline, is privacy-focused and has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 9.
Watch out for: Needs an existing Claude or Codex subscription
Number 8 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.4/5. Listed mainly under AI Productivity, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. Its listing says it has AI features. On our Mac list it is number 10.
Watch out for: Early-stage project
Number 9 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.4/5. Listed mainly under Communication, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. It is not in the Mac top 10 (11th for Mac).
Watch out for: Terminal-only interface
Number 10 of 10 for Windows, rated 4.4/5. Listed mainly under AI Productivity, it also covers automation. A desktop app that runs on a Windows PC, and also on macOS and Linux. Its listing says it works offline, is privacy-focused and has AI features. It is not in the Mac top 10 (12th for Mac).
Watch out for: Early-stage project
Running these on Windows
Counted from each pick's listing type and platforms.
- By listing type, the 10 Windows picks are 8 desktop apps (gptme, Cline for Desktop, Cerebro, Onorca and 4 others) and 2 automation tools (Node-RED and n8n).
- 8 of 10 are apps you install on a Windows PC; the other 2 are web or cloud tools listed for Windows.
- Every Windows pick here also runs somewhere else. n8n reaches furthest, on 3 other platforms besides Windows.
- None of these Windows picks is listed on Android.
How this list compares
The same search on other platforms, and the other price filter. Only the differences are named.
- Free open-source automation tools for Mac
8 of these 10 Windows picks also make the Mac top 10. 2 are on this list only: slackcli (11th for Mac) and Minimal (12th for Mac). In their place the Mac list has Capsomnia and Quicksilver; neither is listed for Windows.
- Free automation tools for Windows
Fine with closed source? The wider free Windows list ranks 18 tools that run on a Windows PC, open source or not, led by gptme, Raycast and Node-RED.
More matches
3 more free open-source automation tools for Windows in our directory, in ranked order.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free open-source automation tool for Windows?
- gptme is our first pick. Your agent in your terminal, equipped with local tools. Yes. gptme is free to use.
- Are these automation tools really free?
- Yes, every pick is free to start. gptme, Node-RED, Cline for Desktop, Cerebro and 5 others are completely free. n8n has a free plan with paid upgrades.
- Do these open-source automation tools work on other platforms too?
- All 10 picks also run elsewhere, including gptme (macOS and Linux), Node-RED (Linux and macOS) and Cline for Desktop (macOS).
- Which ones work offline on a Windows PC?
- gptme, Node-RED, n8n, OpenMausBot and Minimal are listed as working offline. The others need an internet connection for at least some features.
- How many free open-source automation tools for Windows are in the directory?
- 13 match: listed under Automation, available on a Windows PC and free to start, and tagged open source. This page ranks the top 10 and names up to 20 more under More matches. The Automation category page has every listing, paid ones included.
Keep exploring
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