Zapier vs Make vs n8n: Full Comparison
· By AI Compare
Ease, pricing maths, logic, AI and data control compared, with a pick for every situation.
The short answer
- Choose Zapier if you want the easiest tool, need a niche app integration, and your volume is low.
- Choose Make if you want visual, complex logic at a much lower price than Zapier and do not need self-hosting.
- Choose n8n if you have someone technical, run high volume or long workflows, need data control, or are building AI agents.
The rest of this guide explains why, with pricing maths, feature tables and real trade-offs.
At a glance
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Non-technical users, quick wins | Visual builders, mid volume | Technical teams, high volume, AI |
| Editor | Linear step list | Visual canvas | Visual canvas + code |
| Integrations | 7,000+ | 2,000+ | 1,000+ nodes + HTTP for any API |
| Billing unit | Task (per action) | Credit (per module run) | Execution (per workflow run) |
| Free plan | 100 tasks, 2-step Zaps | 1,000 credits, 2 scenarios | Self-hosted Community Edition is free and unlimited |
| Entry paid plan | From $19.99/mo | About $10–12/mo | From €20/mo (Cloud) |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes |
| Custom code | JavaScript/Python steps | Limited | JavaScript/Python Code node |
| AI agents | AI steps, Agents product | AI modules, AI agents | Native AI Agent, memory, vector stores |
| Learning curve | Lowest | Medium | Highest |
Prices from vendor sites, October 2026.
How each tool thinks
Zapier is a recipe book. You pick a trigger, then actions, top to bottom. It hides data structures from you, which makes it easy but limits what you can do with lists, loops and branching.
Make is a flowchart. Data bundles flow along lines between modules. You can see exactly where each record goes, add routers, iterate over arrays and attach error handlers. It exposes more of the data, which gives power but asks for more understanding.
n8n is a programmable flowchart. It works like Make visually, but every node can use expressions, you can write JavaScript or Python in a Code node, call any API, and run it on your own server.
Pricing: the biggest real difference
Take one workflow: a trigger plus 4 actions.
| Monthly runs | Zapier (tasks) | Make (credits) | n8n Cloud (executions) | n8n self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2,000 | ~2,500 | 500 | $0 + server |
| 2,000 | 8,000 | ~10,000 | 2,000 | $0 + server |
| 10,000 | 40,000 | ~50,000 | 10,000 | $0 + server |
In money terms, the gap widens with volume and steps. At low volume all three are cheap. At 10,000 runs of a 5-step workflow, Zapier usually costs several hundred dollars a month, Make tens of dollars to around a hundred, n8n Cloud Pro €50, and self-hosted n8n the price of a small server. See real pricing compared for the full maths.
Ease of use
Zapier wins. A marketer can build a working Zap in five minutes without understanding JSON. Make takes an afternoon to get comfortable with bundles, mapping and routers. n8n takes longer still, especially if you self-host, but its editor has become much friendlier, and templates help.
Integrations
Zapier's 7,000+ apps is its moat. If you depend on a small niche SaaS, check Zapier first. Make covers most mainstream apps with deeper actions per app. n8n has fewer native nodes, but its HTTP Request node, cURL import and generic OAuth credentials mean you can connect to anything with an API, if you are willing to read API docs.
Logic, data and error handling
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branching | Paths | Router | IF, Switch |
| Loops | Looping by Zapier | Iterator / aggregator | Automatic per item, Loop Over Items |
| Merge branches | Limited | Aggregators | Merge node |
| Error handling | Autoreplay, alerts | Error handler routes | Retry on fail, Error Trigger workflows |
| Sub-workflows | Sub-Zaps | Scenario calls via webhook | Execute Workflow node |
| Versioning | Version history | Version history | Version history; Git on paid self-hosted plans |
AI and agents
All three now offer AI steps. Zapier and Make make it easy to call an LLM in a step. n8n goes further with an AI Agent node that can use tools, memory and vector stores, so you can build chatbots and retrieval systems inside the same workflow builder. If AI agents are central to your plans, n8n is the strongest of the three today.
Security and data control
Zapier and Make are cloud-only: your data passes through their servers (both offer enterprise security features and regional options). n8n can run entirely on your infrastructure, which matters for regulated industries, client data agreements and internal systems behind a firewall.
Which should you choose?
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| Solo founder, few automations, no tech skills | Zapier |
| Marketing/ops team, growing volume, visual thinkers | Make |
| Dev or ops-savvy team, high volume, many steps | n8n |
| Strict data residency or on-prem requirement | n8n self-hosted |
| AI agents and RAG workflows | n8n |
| Agency serving many clients | n8n (self-hosted) or Make |
Can you use more than one?
Yes, and many companies do: Zapier for quick one-off integrations owned by business teams, n8n for heavy core workflows owned by ops or IT. Just document which tool owns which process.
