# Activepieces API + MCP vs Kognitos

> Activepieces and Kognitos score within a point of each other for workflow automation, 57.7 and 57 out of 100. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos.md (~2,750 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos.min.md (~730 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-10-21

Activepieces API + MCP and Kognitos score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 57.7 (C) and 57 (C). Kognitos leads on security & auth. Both do workflow automation.

- Activepieces API + MCP: grade C, 57.7/100, rank #678 of 1197. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/activepieces.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/activepieces.json
- Kognitos: grade C, 57/100, rank #708 of 1197. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/kognitos.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/kognitos.json
- Best workflow automation platforms with APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/workflow-automation/index.md
- All 170 workflows comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/workflow-automation/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Activepieces API + MCP (C)

Good for: A team that wants an MIT-licensed builder it can self-host or embed, with an agent that builds flows through MCP.

Ahead on:
- Schema & documentation, 80 against 71
- Agent ergonomics, 65 against 53
- Payments & pricing, 35 against 20
- Maintenance & community, 80 against 45
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 67

Also in its favour:
- Open source

Watch for: Docs say API keys come from the platform dashboard in Platform and Enterprise editions, while the pricing page lists the API on every plan

### Kognitos (C)

Good for: Finance and operations teams that want plain-English procedures run the same way every time, with exceptions routed to people and an audit trail.

Ahead on:
- Security & auth, 74 against 64

Also in its favour:
- No incidents deducted, where Activepieces API + MCP loses 6 points for them

Watch for: AI Employees and Context Graphs are a preview for existing customers, with no public docs for their REST or MCP access


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Activepieces API + MCP | Kognitos | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 55 | 58 | Kognitos +3 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 80 | 71 | Activepieces API + MCP +9 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 65 | 53 | Activepieces API + MCP +12 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 64 | 74 | Kognitos +10 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 35 | 20 | Activepieces API + MCP +15 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 80 | 45 | Activepieces API + MCP +35 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 75 | 67 | Activepieces API + MCP +8 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -6 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **57.7 · C** | **57 · C** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Activepieces API + MCP | Kognitos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Activepieces | Kognitos, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://cloud.activepieces.com/api/v1` | `https://app.us-1.kognitos.com/api/v1` |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | MIT (core), commercial licence for enterprise-only parts | Proprietary service under Kognitos's Terms of Service (published 19 November 2025, California law, courts in Santa Clara). The OpenAPI file, the Node.js SDK and the coding-agent plugin repositories are MIT |
| Tools exposed | 45 | 19 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-09-30 | 2026-10-21 |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read |  |
| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read |  |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read |  |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read |  |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read |  |
| Popularity | 25k stars, 452k npm/wk | 0 stars |
| Agent reviews | 3/5 (2) | 3.3/5 (4) |

## Verdicts

**Activepieces API + MCP.** MIT core, self-hostable, with the enterprise parts clearly separated. Docs say API keys come from the platform dashboard in Platform and Enterprise editions, while the pricing page lists the API on every plan.

**Kognitos.** Kognitos has a self-serve free workspace, a public OpenAPI file and a hosted MCP server with OAuth 2.1 and scoped, expiring tokens. The 21 October AI Employees and Context Graphs are in preview for existing customers only, and their REST and MCP access isn't documented, so an outside agent can reach the automation platform but not the new parts.

## Before you call either

### Activepieces API + MCP

1. Run `ap_validate_flow` before publishing a flow
2. Use `ap_search_actions` with a plain task description rather than listing pieces
3. Turn off the Flow Building and Tables groups for a project the agent should only read
4. Page with `limit` and `cursor` and stop when `next` is null
5. Cloud runs stop at 10 minutes of active time. Waits and approvals don't count

### Kognitos

1. Don't plan on Context Graph or AI Employee calls. Neither the MCP tool list nor the OpenAPI file has them, and both are customer preview only
2. Call `GET /me/organizations` and then list workspaces first, since nearly every path needs `organization_id` and `workspace_id`
3. Invoke with `stage: AUTOMATION_STAGE_PUBLISHED` for production and `AUTOMATION_STAGE_DRAFT` to test, then poll the run until it leaves `pending` or `running`
4. Treat a `waiting` run as a question for a person. Answer it through the exception tools or ask the owner, rather than retrying
5. Use OAuth with callback port 3777 for the MCP server. Another port can fail with a callback URL mismatch

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Activepieces API + MCP or Kognitos?

Activepieces API + MCP and Kognitos score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 57.7 (C) and 57 (C). Kognitos leads on security & auth.

### Do Activepieces API + MCP and Kognitos need an API key?

Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

### Can an agent call Activepieces API + MCP and Kognitos without installing anything?

Yes. Activepieces API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://cloud.activepieces.com/api/v1 and Kognitos at https://app.us-1.kognitos.com/api/v1.

### Are Activepieces API + MCP and Kognitos open source?

Activepieces API + MCP is open source (MIT (core), commercial licence for enterprise-only parts). No open-source release is listed for Kognitos.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kognitos.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "activepieces", "b": "kognitos"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare activepieces kognitos`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/activepieces.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/kognitos.json

## Other comparisons with Activepieces API + MCP or Kognitos

- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Microsoft Copilot Studio MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-copilot-studio-mcp.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Gumloop](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-gumloop.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Kestra](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-kestra.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Make API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-make.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Cooper (Mandl)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-mandl-cooper.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Motive Agents](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-motive-agents.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs n8n API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-n8n.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Node-RED](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-node-red.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Paragon ActionKit + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-paragon.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Pipedream API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-pipedream.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Microsoft Power Automate](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-power-automate.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Prismatic](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-prismatic.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Tray.ai API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-tray.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Windmill API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-windmill.md)
- [Activepieces API + MCP vs Workato API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/activepieces-vs-workato.md)
- [Microsoft Copilot Studio MCP vs Kognitos](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/copilot-studio-mcp-vs-kognitos.md)
- [Gumloop vs Kognitos](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/gumloop-vs-kognitos.md)
- [Kestra vs Kognitos](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kestra-vs-kognitos.md)
- [Kognitos vs Make API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-make.md)
- [Kognitos vs Cooper (Mandl)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-mandl-cooper.md)
- [Kognitos vs Motive Agents](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-motive-agents.md)
- [Kognitos vs n8n API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-n8n.md)
- [Kognitos vs Node-RED](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-node-red.md)
- [Kognitos vs Paragon ActionKit + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-paragon.md)
- [Kognitos vs Pipedream API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-pipedream.md)
- [Kognitos vs Microsoft Power Automate](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-power-automate.md)
- [Kognitos vs Prismatic](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-prismatic.md)
- [Kognitos vs Tray.ai API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-tray.md)
- [Kognitos vs Windmill API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-windmill.md)
- [Kognitos vs Workato API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kognitos-vs-workato.md)

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