Zapier vs Make vs n8n: which automation tool should you use?

If you run a small business, you have probably been told to "just automate it", and then landed on three names: Zapier, Make and n8n. All three connect your apps and move data between them without code. They differ a lot in how they charge, how much control you get, and how much they cost once your workflows grow.

We build automations on all three every week. This is how we choose between them for clients.

The short answer: which one to pick

How each tool charges (this is where most people overpay)

The three tools count usage in completely different ways, so the plan price alone tells you very little.

• Zapier counts tasks. Every action step that runs successfully is one task. A workflow with a trigger and four actions uses four tasks each time it runs.
• Make counts credits. Most module actions use one credit, while routers and error handlers use none. AI features and code steps can use more. Make switched from "operations" to credits in 2025.
• n8n counts executions. One full run of a workflow is one execution, no matter how many steps it has. A 2-step and a 40-step workflow cost the same per run.

That last point is why n8n gets much cheaper as workflows grow, and why Zapier gets expensive for long, busy workflows.

Pricing side by side

Prices are what each company lists for its entry tiers. Higher usage tiers cost more on every platform.

Check the live pages before you buy, as all three change their pricing often: Zapier pricing, Make pricing, n8n pricing.

Zapier: the easiest, and the most expensive at scale

Zapier is where most businesses start, and for good reason. You describe a trigger ("when a new lead fills in my form") and the actions that follow ("add them to HubSpot, then send me a Slack message"), and it works. Its app library is the largest of the three, so the odd tool your business depends on is most likely there.

Where it shines

• Fastest setup, with templates for almost every common job
• The widest range of app connections
• Paths, filters, webhooks, tables and forms on paid plans, plus AI steps and AI agents as an add-on

Where it hurts

• Every action step costs a task, so long workflows burn through a plan quickly
• The free plan only allows two-step Zaps
• Complex logic (loops, heavy branching) is harder to build and read than on a visual canvas

Best for: owners and small teams who want a reliable automation running this week and do not want to learn a new tool.

Make: visual power at a lower price per action

Make shows your workflow as a map of connected bubbles. You can see every branch, filter and loop at once, which makes bigger automations much easier to follow and fix. Each action costs far less than on Zapier, so the same workflow often costs a fraction of the price.

Where it shines

• A visual builder that handles routers, iterators and error paths well
• Low cost per action, with extra credit bundles you can buy when you need them
• Good control over data: you can reshape, split and merge it between steps

Where it hurts

• A steeper learning curve than Zapier
• Credits expire at the end of each billing term
• Scheduled scenarios that check for new data often can use credits even when nothing new arrives, so prefer instant (webhook) triggers

Best for: businesses with a few complex workflows, such as order processing, lead routing or reporting, that want to keep costs low without self-hosting.

n8n: the most control, and the best value for heavy use

n8n is "fair-code": you can run the Community Edition on your own server for free, or pay for n8n's cloud. Because it charges per workflow run instead of per step, long workflows and AI agents that call many tools cost the same per run as a simple two-step job.

Where it shines

• Self-hosting keeps your data on your own servers, with no limit on runs in the Community Edition
• Strong AI features: agent nodes, memory, tool calling and connections to any model
• Code steps (JavaScript or Python) whenever a built-in node is not enough
• An HTTP Request node that connects to any app with an API

Where it hurts

• You need someone technical to set it up, host it and keep it updated
• Fewer ready-made app connections than Zapier, so more work goes through HTTP requests
• Team features such as SSO, Git version control and multiple environments need a paid Business or Enterprise license

Best for: businesses with a developer or an agency partner, high volumes, strict data rules, or plans to build AI agents.

A worked example: one lead workflow, three bills

Say a lead fills in your website form. The workflow then:

1. Looks the company up to enrich the lead
2. Adds the lead to your CRM
3. Posts a message in your sales Slack channel
4. Sends the lead a welcome email

That is one trigger and four actions. At 500 leads a month:

Now double the workflow to eight steps and the Zapier and Make bills roughly double, while n8n's stays the same. That is the whole pricing story in one example.

Common mistakes when choosing

• Comparing plan prices instead of real usage. Count your steps and runs per month first, then price each tool.
• Picking n8n with no one to run it. Self-hosting is free, but an unpatched server that silently stops running costs more than a Zapier plan.
• Polling every minute on Make. Use instant triggers where the app supports them, or your credits drain on empty checks.
• Building everything in one giant workflow. Smaller workflows are easier to fix, and on Zapier and Make you only pay for the branches that actually run.
• Ignoring error alerts. Whatever you choose, set up a failure notification so a broken automation does not quietly lose leads.

Can you switch later?

Yes, but none of them exports workflows in a format the others can import, so a move means rebuilding. The good news is that the logic carries over: if you documented the trigger, the steps and the data you pass along, a rebuild is usually quick. Many of our clients start on Zapier to prove a workflow is worth it, then move their busiest workflows to Make or n8n once the task bill grows.

FAQ

Is n8n really free?

The self-hosted Community Edition is free to use for your own business workflows, with no limit on runs. You still pay for the server it runs on and for someone to look after it. n8n's cloud plans and the Business and Enterprise licenses are paid.

Is Make cheaper than Zapier?

For most workflows with more than two or three steps, yes, often by a wide margin, because each action costs far less. Zapier can still be the better deal if you only run a few simple automations and value the easier setup.

Which is best for AI agents?

n8n, for most businesses building their own agents. It has agent, memory and tool nodes, works with any AI model, and charges per run rather than per step, which matters because agents take many steps. Zapier also offers AI agents as an add-on if you want something simpler.

Do I need to know how to code?

Not for Zapier or Make. For n8n, you can build a lot without code, but hosting it and using its more advanced features goes much better with someone technical.

Can I use more than one?

Yes, and many businesses do. A common setup is Zapier for quick, simple jobs owned by the team, and n8n or Make for the high-volume workflows where cost matters.

Final verdict

If you want results this week and your volumes are modest, start with Zapier. If your workflows have real logic and you want them to stay cheap, use Make. If you have technical help, high volumes, strict data rules or AI agents on the roadmap, n8n gives you the most control and the lowest cost per run.

Whichever you choose, map the workflow on paper first: the trigger, each step, and what happens when something fails. That plan is worth more than the tool.

Want it built for you?

We design and build automations on Zapier and n8n, from AI lead follow-up to AI voice agents. Not sure it is worth automating yet? Take our free AI readiness quiz, or book a free strategy call and we will tell you which tool fits and what it will cost.