Automate Basics

n8n vs Make vs Zapier

Pick up to 4 tools and see their free plans, entry prices, platforms and limits in one table. Every fact comes from each vendor's own pages, checked 23 September 2026.

Written head to head: Zapier vs Make · Make vs n8n · Zapier vs n8n, with when to choose each side.

Compared on
n8n

Free plan · from $20/mo

VisitRemove
Make

Free plan · from $9/mo

VisitRemove
Zapier

Free plan · from $19.99/mo

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What it isWorkflow automation and AI agent builder you can self-host or use in the cloudVisual no-code tool for building automated workflows and AI agents across appsNo-code tool that connects web apps and runs automated, AI-assisted workflows
Free planSelf-hosted Community Edition only: free to run on your own server under n8n's Sustainable Use License; there is no free tier on n8n Cloud1,000 credits per month; 2 active scenarios; 15-minute minimum interval between scheduled runs100 tasks per month; two-step Zaps only; unlimited Zaps, Tables and Forms
Cheapest paid plan$20/mo billed annually (Starter)n8n pricing$9/mo billed annually (Core)Make pricing$19.99/mo billed annually (Professional)Zapier pricing
What it covers2,500 workflow executions/month, hosted by n8n.For 10,000 credits/month; price rises with credit volume.For 750 tasks/month; price rises with the task tier.
Free trialFree trial of n8n Cloud with Pro-level features, capped at 1,000 executions, no credit card required; 14-day free trial of the self-hosted Business plan (credit card required)None stated14-day free trial of the Professional plan for new accounts, no credit card required
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, APIWeb, APIWeb
Integrations (vendor's figure)500+ integrations3,000+ apps9,000+ apps
Open sourceYes, self-hostableNoNo
Good for
  • Building an AI agent that answers questions from internal documents
  • Automating lead enrichment and CRM updates with custom logic
  • Running automations on a company's own server to keep data in-house
  • Syncing new e-commerce orders into accounting tools and spreadsheets
  • Routing incoming leads to different teams based on form answers
  • Scheduling recurring reports that pull data from several apps
  • Sending new web-form leads into a CRM and a Slack channel
  • Copying email attachments to cloud storage automatically
  • Adding new orders or calendar events to a shared spreadsheet
Watch out for
  • No free tier on n8n Cloud; free use means self-hosting the Community Edition
  • SSO, Git-based version control and multiple environments require the Business or Enterprise plan
  • Cloud plans cap monthly executions (2,500 on Starter, 10,000 on Pro) and concurrent executions
  • Free plan: 1,000 credits a month, 2 active scenarios and a 15-minute minimum interval between runs
  • Each module action uses a credit, so multi-step scenarios use credits faster
  • Team roles and shared scenario templates require the Teams plan or higher
  • Free plan allows only two-step Zaps and 100 tasks a month
  • Every Zap step, AI step, code run and connector call draws from one shared monthly task allowance
  • Multi-step Zaps, premium apps and webhooks require a paid plan
Made byn8nMake (part of Celonis)Zapier, Inc.

Entry prices are the cheapest paid plan, as each vendor publishes it; “What it covers” says what that price is per (a user, a channel, a brand, a number of contacts). The sources are listed on each tool's page.

Every tool in workflow automation tools is on its category page, with the written head-to-heads on Compare.