10 No-Code Workflows for Finding Free Tools with n8n

Tutorials & Methods
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n8n (self-hosted, Docker): Free, open-source workflow automation — drag & drop nodes like RSS → diff → notify, API → Sheets. Unlimited tasks, scalable with queues/workers.

:link: Official site | Docs | GitHub
:movie_camera: Install via Docker (YouTube)

:world_map: One‑Line Flow: Watch → Filter → Ping Yourself → Log It → Repeat

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:rocket: Quick‑Start (First 60 Seconds)

  1. Pick a feed (RSS or JSON).
  2. Add n8n trigger node + filter for free/no‑auth stuff.
  3. Send it to your phone (ntfy) or log in Google Sheets.

:green_circle: Super Simple Tricks You Can Run Today

1. Ping Your Phone When New Free APIs Drop

Use: RSS Feed Trigger → filter for “auth: None” → send to ntfy
Why: So you don’t miss APIs with no sign‑up nonsense
Bonus: Log them to Sheets for future lazy bragging rights

2. Track Any Page That Has No RSS

Use: ChangeDetection.io → emit RSS → watch with n8n
Example: free-for.dev, SaaS pricing pages, or your ex’s startup homepage
Why: See when “free” turns to “gotcha!”

3. Follow YouTube Without the Algorithm Drama

Use: Grab channel ID → use RSS → n8n catches uploads
Example: Dev YouTubers, product updates, or that one guy who won’t stop launching
Why: Sub without subbing. You’re not owned by the bell.

4. Get Earthquake Alerts (Literal and Emotional)

Use: USGS GeoJSON → HTTP poll → filter by location
Why: Alerts + JSON practice = sweet disaster prep and skill flex

5. Snag Hacker News Tools Before They Hit X

Use: hnrss → filter “API”, “free”, “no key” → alert or log
Why: This is where the weird good stuff drops. Shhh.

6. Log Every New Free API That Appears

Use: GitHub RSS for Public APIs → n8n → Sheets
Bonus: Build your own API search engine. Or a shrine. Your call.

7. Watch SEC Filings Without Law School

Use: SEC RSS → n8n → filter company + type → log or alert
Example: When Apple files something spicy, you’ll know

8. Track New Academic Research (No PhD Needed)

Use: arXiv RSS → n8n → append to Sheets
Why: Catch new ML, AI, or physics papers. Or pretend you read them.

9. Build Your Own Free Alert System

Use: ntfy → publish from n8n
Why: 5-minute setup, zero account, infinite smug

10. Monitor Reddit for Keywords

Use: Subreddit + .rss → filter → alert
Example: r/selfhosted + “new tool” = dopamine hits without scrolling

:toolbox: Reusable Building Blocks (aka The Good Stuff)

  • RSS Feed Trigger – sniff for change
  • HTTP Request – hit APIs or notify
  • Google Sheets – keep a brain dump
  • ntfy / Apprise – yell at your phone for free
  • ChangeDetection.io – web watcher for the nosy

:gem_stone: High-Signal Places to Grab Feeds and Tools

Workflows, Nodes & Templates

Turn Anything into RSS

Free API Sources

Open Data Firehoses

Hidden RSS Patterns

:package: Plug-and-Play Recipes (No Assembly Required)

A) Free APIs Radar → Ping Yourself

  1. Trigger

    • RSS: https://github.com/public-apis/public-apis/releases.atom
    • RSS: https://hnrss.org/frontpage

  2. Filter

    • Look for: auth: None, no api key, free tier

  3. Action

    • HTTP POST → https://ntfy.sh/<your-topic>
    • Also: Append row to Google Sheets

Docs to help:

B) Data Watchlist → Sheet + Alerts

  1. Triggers

  2. Process

    • Use code node to track id hash
    • Skip duplicates, only act on new

  3. Action

    • Log to Google Sheets
    • Ping via Apprise (Telegram/Email/etc)

C) No-RSS Page → Diff Watch → Notify

  1. Monitor with ChangeDetection.io
  2. Use RSS output in n8n → filter by title/URL
  3. Send ping via ntfy or Apprise

Scale tip: n8n queue mode

:brain: Reality Check (Things That Might Break or Bite)

  • RSS feeds can disappear without warning (like your motivation)
  • GitHub rate-limits API access—slow down or get slapped
  • ntfy on public topics is, well, public—use random names or self-host
  • ChangeDetection.io can choke on weird page structures

:puzzle_piece: Cheat Sheet: Copy‑Paste Search Phrases

Use these in Google/Bing to sniff out niche data:

  • site:github.com "awesome" "free" "api key not required"
  • site:github.com "n8n" workflow.json
  • site:*.gov "RSS" "feed" filetype:xml
  • site:docs.* "RSS" OR "Atom" "feed"
  • site:youtube.com "@<channel>" "channel_id"

:bullseye: Ask These Next (and They’ll Build Themselves)

  1. 10 no-key APIs for n8n (with rate limits + examples)
  2. Daily crawl of free-for.dev → alert on free tier changes
  3. Academic radar: arXiv + OpenAlex → Sheet + digest
  4. Slack alert for SEC filings on your favorite corporations
  5. Track no-RSS sites (you pick) with ChangeDetection.io
  6. Build niche RSS collections: Reddit, YouTube, StackOverflow
  7. One-click template pack of flows with secrets placeholders
  8. List of 50 high-value feeds (gov, standards, science, alerts)
  9. Add Healthchecks heartbeat so failed jobs alert you
  10. Weekly scan of Public APIs for new “auth: none” entries → auto-log

:baby: How-To: Add a YouTube Channel as RSS in n8n

  1. Open channel page → Right click → View Source
  2. Search for: channel_id=
  3. Use:
    https://www.youtube.com/feeds/videos.xml?channel_id=YOUR_ID_HERE
  4. In n8n:
    RSS Feed Trigger → paste URL → connect to ntfy or Sheets
    Bonus tip: Combine multiple channels using a single topic
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