tiqline is a process SLA monitoring tool: it turns events from Shopify and your own systems into one case per piece of work, gives every step a time limit and alerts you in Slack or by email when a step runs over.
tiqline vs n8n: build the workflow or watch the case
n8n is workflow automation that you run on n8n Cloud or host yourself, with branches, AI nodes and MCP. tiqline follows each case through the steps you describe and alerts by Slack or email when a step stays open past its time limit. This page compares both, shows when each fits and how they work together.
Sources
What n8n is
n8n lets you build workflows from nodes. A workflow starts from a trigger such as a webhook, a queue or the Shopify Trigger, and IF and Switch nodes split it into branches that can merge again. The Wait node pauses a workflow for an interval, until a time, until a webhook call or until a form is submitted, and offloads the waiting run to the database.
Pricing is by monthly workflow executions, with unlimited users and workflows on the listed plans. The Community Edition is free to self-host. Hosted data is stored in Frankfurt. Audit logging is listed on Enterprise.
What tiqline is
tiqline is SLA monitoring for processes. Events arrive as Shopify webhooks or through the track API and are linked by an ID into one case. You describe the steps and give every step after the first a time limit. When a deadline passes, the case is marked stuck, stuck cases on one step share one incident, and one alert goes to Slack or email. You do not draw a workflow; you describe what should happen and by when.
The main differences
- Purpose: n8n executes steps. tiqline watches steps that other systems execute.
- State: a waiting n8n run knows about one order. tiqline lists every open case with its step and deadline.
- Operation: self-hosted n8n is yours to run and update. tiqline is a hosted service with data in Frankfurt.
- Billing: n8n counts executions. tiqline counts events, and a repeated event is counted once.
When each one fits
When n8n fits
n8n fits when you want to build and own the workflow, write code inside it, or keep everything on your own servers with the Community Edition. It is strong when the answer to a late order is an action: call an API, update a record, open a ticket. With the Wait node and an IF node you can build a single deadline check yourself.
When tiqline fits
tiqline fits when the workflow already exists and you need every open case checked against a deadline, with one alert per stuck step and a log of who changed which time limit. You do not maintain a server or a workflow for it; you describe the steps and the limits.
Side by side
Last checked: 1 November 2026
| Topic | tiqline | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Category | SLA monitoring for processes. Follows each case through your steps and alerts when a step runs past its time limit. | Workflow automation on n8n Cloud or self-hosted, billed by monthly executions, with unlimited users and workflows on the listed plans. Sources |
| Event intake | Shopify webhooks, or a POST to the track API, one event at a time or in a batch. A repeated event is stored once. | Workflows start from webhooks, queues or app triggers. Custom API requests are included on the listed plans. Sources |
| Time limit per step | Every step after the first can have a time limit. The deadline is the time the case reached the step plus the limit. | Built per workflow: the Wait node pauses for an interval or until a time, then an IF node checks the order. |
| Stuck cases | A case past its deadline is marked stuck. Stuck cases on the same step share one incident. | Error workflows run when a workflow fails. A list of all orders past a business deadline is something you build, for example in a database. Sources |
| Process map with branches | The process map shows every step. A branch sends each case down exactly one path, chosen by an event property, and paths can merge again. | IF and Switch nodes split a workflow into branches, and the branches can be merged again. |
| Shopify | Orders created, paid, fulfilled, partially fulfilled and cancelled, fulfillments and refunds. Names, addresses, phone numbers and emails are not stored. You describe the process yourself. | A Shopify Trigger node starts a workflow from events in a Shopify store. Sources |
| Alert channels | Slack through an incoming webhook, email to up to 20 addresses, or both. One alert per incident. A deadline older than seven days is marked without an alert. | A workflow can call any system it connects to, through nodes or custom API requests. Sources |
| MCP / AI agent | Over MCP with OAuth sign-in an agent can set up ID fields, the process and time limits, connect Slack or email, and read usage and the audit log. | The pricing table lists an MCP Server Trigger, an MCP Client and instance-level MCP. Sources |
| Audit log | Every plan includes the audit log, including Free. Publishing a process, changing a time limit and connecting Slack or email are written to the audit log, with who did it. You read the log over MCP; the dashboard has no audit page. | Audit logging is listed on Enterprise, not on Starter or Pro. Sources |
| GDPR and data location | Data is stored in the EU, in Frankfurt. | For n8n Cloud, n8n is controller and processor, with Standard Contractual Clauses in the DPA. Hosted data is stored in Frankfurt. Self-hosted, n8n processes no workflow data. Sources |
| Setup effort | Connect Shopify or send events to the track API, then describe the steps and time limits. No templates. | n8n Cloud needs no installation. The Community Edition is free to self-host. Business is self-hosted only. Sources |
| Pricing | The Free plan includes 5,000 events a month. When the quota is full, alerts pause and events are still stored. Other plans are on the pricing page. | Starter €20 and Pro €50 a month billed yearly, hosted. Business €667 a month billed yearly, self-hosted. Enterprise through Sales. Community Edition free. Sources |
Using both together
Use n8n for the actions and tiqline for the deadlines. An n8n workflow can POST to the track API with a custom HTTP request, so a step in your own system opens or advances a case in tiqline. tiqline applies the time limit and alerts by Slack or email. Your team then handles the stuck cases, and any follow-up you already built in n8n keeps running.
Sources
Example: replacing waiting runs with one process
All numbers in this example are made up for illustration. A shop with a 3PL runs one n8n workflow per order: Shopify Trigger, Wait 24 hours, IF not fulfilled, notify. At around 300 orders a day, several hundred runs are waiting at any time, and when the self-hosted instance restarts during an update, nobody is sure which checks survived.
The team keeps n8n for syncing orders to the warehouse and adds one HTTP request that sends a picked event to the track API. In tiqline the process is paid, picked within 6 hours, fulfilled within 18 hours. When 22 orders miss the pick limit on a Friday, one Slack message names the step and says 22 cases are waiting, and the email lists them. The waiting workflow is retired.
Limits of tiqline
tiqline watches and alerts. It does not run actions in other apps, and alerts go only to Slack and email. It does not explain why a case is stuck, has no ready-made templates, and connecting a shop does not start monitoring by itself. There are no connectors for warehouses or carriers; those steps arrive through the track API. If you need full control over hosting, n8n self-hosted gives you that; tiqline is a hosted service.
Questions
Is tiqline a replacement for n8n?
No. n8n builds and runs workflows. tiqline watches each case against a time limit and alerts by Slack or email.
Sources
Can I build deadline checks in n8n?
Yes, with the n8n Wait node and an IF node per workflow. Keeping a list of all stuck orders and grouping alerts is up to you.
Can n8n send events to tiqline?
Yes. A custom HTTP request or webhook call in n8n can POST the event to the track API with the case ID.
Sources
Which n8n plans include audit logging?
The n8n pricing table lists audit logging on Enterprise. Every plan of tiqline includes the audit log, including Free. It writes publishing a process, time-limit changes and Slack or email connections to that log.
Sources
Where is the data stored?
n8n stores hosted data in Frankfurt; self-hosted, it stays on your servers. tiqline stores data in the EU, in Frankfurt.
Sources
What does tiqline's Free plan include?
5,000 events a month, with alerts by Slack or email. When the quota is full, alerts pause and events are still stored. Other plans are on the pricing page.
Start for free
The Free plan includes 5,000 events a month.