Proof Holdings vs n8n
n8n is a source-available, self-hostable automation platform with a genuine human-approval step. Proof Holdings is a managed approval API that returns a portable proof token. The real split isn't 'no account' — n8n delivers over Telegram too — it's turnkey plus signed proof versus build-and-host-it-yourself.
n8n pauses a workflow well; Proof makes the pause count. The approval arrives on Telegram or WhatsApp and returns as a signed ES256 token you can hand to an auditor — turnkey, no server to host, 300 free approvals a month.
One API · One key
One key does what a stack of vendors does
Every platform on this page treats human approval as one feature among many. Proof is a single API where the approval is the product — the same flow returns a signed, offline-verifiable ES256 token for each of these:
Flat price · Any asset
One flat price for every asset — phone, email, and domain today, with wallet and social coming soon. No per-seat, no per-MAU, no per-verification tiers — the meter that makes every rival's bill jump.
- Free every month
- 300 proofs
- Pay as you go
- €0.03 / proof
- At volume
- €0.0079 / proof
Feature Comparison
Swipe to compare →
| Feature | Proof Holdings | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Managed approval API → portable proof token | Self-hostable automation (approval is one node) |
| Approval mechanism | One API call → signed decision | 'Send and Wait for Response' node (Approval / Form) |
| Signed, portable proof | ES256 JWT, offline-verifiable | No |
| Approver needs an n8n account | No | No |
| Delivery channels | Telegram, WhatsApp | Slack, Telegram, Gmail, Teams, Discord, WhatsApp |
| Who runs it | Proof (managed API) | You (self-host) or n8n Cloud |
| Record of the decision | Cryptographic token | Execution record in n8n's DB (your instance) |
| Pricing model | Per-proof | Per-execution (or free self-hosted) |
| Free option | 300 proofs/month | Self-hosted Community Edition (free) |
Pricing
Pricing model
Proof Holdings
Per-proof: €0.0079, 300 free/month
n8n
Per-execution: Starter €20 / Pro €50 / Business €667 per mo — or free self-hosted
Cheapest at small scale
Proof Holdings
300 proofs/month free, then €0.0079
n8n
Free — self-hosted Community Edition, unlimited executions
Proof of the decision
Proof Holdings
Portable ES256 token, verifiable by anyone offline
n8n
An execution record inside your own n8n instance
Who operates it
Proof Holdings
Managed — nothing to host or secure
n8n
You host, secure, and patch it (self-hosted)
Where the line actually falls (not 'no account')
It would be easy — and wrong — to say n8n makes approvers sign in. It doesn't. n8n's Send and Wait for Response node posts approve/deny buttons over Slack, Telegram, Gmail, Teams, Discord, or WhatsApp, and the buttons resolve to a public resume URL, so the approver acts as a channel member with no n8n account. On that specific axis, n8n and Proof are alike.
The real differences are two: n8n is a toolkit you host (self-host the Community Edition free, or pay per execution on Cloud), and its record of the decision is an execution log in your own database — no built-in signed, portable proof. Proof Holdings is a managed API with nothing to host, and every approval comes back as an ES256 token any third party can verify offline. Against n8n, the real pitch is *turnkey plus non-repudiation*, not *no login*.
An execution log vs a signature
When an n8n approval completes, the workflow resumes and the decision lives as an execution record in your instance's database. It's trustworthy to the extent your instance is — but it's not a cryptographic artifact, and nobody outside your system can verify it independently.
Proof's output is a signature. The approve/deny is bound into an ES256 token you can hand to an auditor or partner who verifies it with the published public key — no access to your database, no call to Proof. If you're already running n8n and just need to route work, its approval node is great. If the approval itself needs to be evidence, that's Proof's job.
When to use n8n
- You want to self-host and keep all data on your own infrastructure (free Community Edition)
- You need a broad automation platform with a large library of integrations
- You already orchestrate multi-step workflows and want approval as one node among many
- Per-execution or free self-hosted billing fits your volume and team
- You're comfortable hosting, securing, and patching the instance yourself
When to use Proof Holdings
- You want a portable, offline-verifiable proof of every approval
- You want a managed API with nothing to host, secure, or patch
- You need non-repudiation, not an execution log inside your own instance
- You want the approval as a standalone primitive, not a workflow platform
- You want signed approvals over Telegram/WhatsApp with no app install
- You'd rather pay per approval than run infrastructure or count executions
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to try Proof Holdings?
300 free proofs per month. No credit card required.
Building with an AI agent? The 176-tool MCP server and test mode let an agent run a real verification right now — machine quickstart in llms-full.txt.