Zapier vs Make vs n8n (2026) — Full Cost & Feature Comparison
The three biggest automation platforms compared head-to-head on pricing, features, integrations, and total cost of ownership. We ran the numbers for three real usage scenarios.
EASIEST
Zapier
Best for: Non-technical users
BEST VALUE
Make
Best for: Visual builders on a budget
CHEAPEST
n8n
Best for: Teams with a developer
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29.99/mo | $10.59/mo | $0 (self-hosted) |
| App integrations | 6,000+ | 1,500+ | 400+ (community) |
| Task/op counting | Per action step | Per operation | Unlimited (self-hosted) |
| Visual builder | Linear (simple) | Visual flowchart | Visual flowchart |
| Branching/logic | Paths (paid) | Routers (free) | IF/Switch (free) |
| Error handling | Basic retry | Advanced (fallback routes) | Advanced (try/catch) |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes (free) |
| Ease of use | Easiest | Moderate | Technical |
| Free tier | 100 tasks/mo | 1,000 ops/mo | Unlimited (self-hosted) |
Pricing Comparison: 3 Usage Scenarios
Scenario 1: Light Usage (500 tasks/month)
| Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Cost/Task |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Professional | $29.99 | $239.88 | $0.060 |
| Make | Core | $10.59 | $127.08 | $0.021 |
| n8n (self-hosted) | Community | ~$5* | ~$60* | $0.010 |
| n8n (cloud) | Starter | $24 | $240 | $0.048 |
*n8n self-hosted cost = VPS hosting only (~$5/mo on DigitalOcean/Hetzner)
Scenario 2: Medium Usage (5,000 tasks/month)
| Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Cost/Task |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Team (2K) + overages | $175-220 | $2,100-2,640 | $0.035-0.044 |
| Make | Core (10K ops) | $10.59 | $127.08 | $0.002 |
| n8n (self-hosted) | Community | ~$10* | ~$120* | $0.002 |
| n8n (cloud) | Starter | $24 | $240 | $0.005 |
*Slightly higher VPS for more execution throughput
Scenario 3: Heavy Usage (50,000 tasks/month)
| Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Savings vs Zapier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Enterprise | $800-1,500+ | $9,600-18,000+ | Baseline |
| Make | Pro (60K ops) | $18.82 | $225.84 | 95-98% |
| n8n (self-hosted) | Community | ~$20* | ~$240* | 97-99% |
| n8n (cloud) | Pro | $60 | $600 | 92-96% |
*Dedicated VPS ($20/mo) handles 50K+ executions easily
When to Choose Each
Choose Zapier if:
- • You need a specific app integration only Zapier has (6,000+ library)
- • Nobody on your team is technical — you need the simplest possible UI
- • You run simple 2-step automations at low volume (<750 tasks/mo)
- • You value setup speed over long-term cost optimization
Choose Make if:
- • You want the best balance of price, power, and usability
- • You build multi-step workflows with branching logic
- • You run 1,000-50,000+ operations per month
- • Your apps are in Make's 1,500+ integration library
Choose n8n if:
- • You have a developer who can manage self-hosting
- • You need unlimited executions at a fixed cost
- • Data privacy requires keeping everything on your own servers
- • You want to write custom JavaScript/Python within workflows
Final Verdict
Make is the best choice for most teams.It offers 90% of Zapier's functionality at 40-95% less cost, with a more powerful visual builder and better error handling. Zapier only wins on app library breadth and simplicity. n8n wins on cost and control but requires technical expertise.
Our recommendation: Start with Make. Switch to n8n if you have a developer and want zero per-operation costs. Only choose Zapier if you need a specific integration nobody else offers.