Verdict: Zapier gets you to a working automation fastest and has the largest app library, but costs the most per automated action at real volume. Make offers a better balance of power and price for anyone comfortable with a slightly steeper learning curve. n8n is by far the cheapest at scale — genuinely free if self-hosted — but expects basic comfort with server setup unless you pay for its cloud plan.
Last updated: August 2026, based on hands-on setup of real automations in all three tools, with pricing verified against each provider’s official pricing page.
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing unit | Task (1 completed action step) | Operation/Credit (1 module run) | Execution (1 full workflow run) |
| Free plan limit | 100 tasks/mo, 2-step Zaps only, 5 Zaps max | 1,000 credits/mo, 2 active scenarios | Unlimited (self-hosted, free) |
| Cheapest paid plan | $19.99/mo (annual), 750 tasks | $9/mo, 10,000 credits | €24/mo Cloud Starter, 2,500 executions (or ~$5-7/mo self-hosted, unlimited) |
| Integration count | 7,000+ apps | ~2,000 apps | 500+ integrations, plus custom via API/code nodes |
| Time to first automation | ~10 minutes | ~20-25 minutes | ~1-2 hours (self-hosted setup) or ~15 minutes (Cloud) |
| Best for | Simple, fast setup | Complex/branching logic | Cost at scale, technical users |
Zapier: Fastest Setup, Largest App Library
Zapier’s core strength is breadth and simplicity: pick a trigger app, pick an action app, map the fields, done. With 7,000+ supported apps, it’s the most likely of the three to already support whatever niche tool you use. The free plan (100 tasks/month) is genuinely useful for learning, but its restriction to 2-step Zaps and a 5-Zap cap means real production use almost always requires the $19.99/month Professional plan, which unlocks multi-step Zaps, filters, and 750 tasks/month.
- Pros: fastest setup, largest integration library, most beginner-friendly interface
- Cons: most expensive per task at scale, free plan too limited for real workflows
Make: Best Power-to-Price Ratio
Make’s visual, node-based canvas shows your entire workflow as a flowchart, which makes branching logic (if X, do Y, otherwise do Z) considerably easier to build and debug than in Zapier’s more linear step list. The free plan’s 1,000 monthly credits is more forgiving than Zapier’s 100 tasks for testing real automations before paying, and the $9/month Core plan’s 10,000 credits go further than Zapier’s $19.99/month 750 tasks for equivalent workflows. The tradeoff is a genuinely steeper first session — expect 20-25 minutes to build your first scenario versus Zapier’s 10.
- Pros: better price-to-power ratio than Zapier, visual builder handles complex logic well, generous free plan
- Cons: steeper learning curve, smaller app library than Zapier (~2,000 vs 7,000+)
n8n: Cheapest at Scale, Best for Technical Users
n8n’s Community Edition is open-source and free with unlimited workflow executions when self-hosted on your own server (typically $5-7/month for basic VPS hosting) — a fundamentally different cost structure than Zapier or Make’s per-task/credit billing. At real volume (thousands of monthly executions), this makes n8n dramatically cheaper than either alternative. The catch is setup: self-hosting requires basic comfort with Docker and server administration (see our step-by-step self-hosting guide), or you can skip that entirely with n8n Cloud starting at €24/month for 2,500 executions.
- Pros: genuinely free and unlimited when self-hosted, cheapest option at real scale, open-source with no vendor lock-in
- Cons: self-hosting requires basic technical setup, smaller integration library than Zapier
Which One Should You Pick?
- First automation ever, want it working today → Zapier
- Comfortable with a slightly longer setup for better long-term value → Make
- Running dozens of automations monthly and cost matters → n8n self-hosted
- Want n8n’s pricing without managing a server → n8n Cloud
- Need an obscure app integration neither Make nor n8n supports → Zapier, for its larger library
If your Zapier bill has grown faster than expected, see our 9 free Zapier alternatives roundup for more budget-friendly options beyond just these three.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Zapier or Make?
Make, at nearly every volume level. Make’s $9/month Core plan includes 10,000 credits, compared to Zapier’s $19.99/month Professional plan for 750 tasks — Make delivers substantially more automated actions per dollar.
Is n8n really free?
Yes, if self-hosted — the Community Edition is open-source with unlimited executions, and you only pay for server hosting (typically $5-7/month). n8n Cloud, which removes the need to manage a server yourself, starts at €24/month instead.
Do I need coding skills for any of these?
No — all three are visual, no-code workflow builders. n8n additionally supports optional code nodes for advanced users, but they’re never required to build a working automation.
Can I import my Zapier automations into Make or n8n?
No, there’s no direct import between platforms. Switching means manually rebuilding each automation in the new tool, which is worth factoring in before committing to a platform for anything business-critical.
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