“Which automation tool is cheapest?” has no single answer, because Zapier, Make and n8n don’t measure the same thing. Comparing their headline prices is like comparing a taxi fare per kilometre with one per trip. You need to translate your workflow into each tool’s unit first. This guide does that with one realistic example.
How each tool counts usage
These definitions come from each vendor’s own pricing page (checked 23 October 2026).
| Unit | What counts | What doesn’t | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Task | Each successful action in a Zap. Some actions use more than one task. | Triggers and polling for new data, failed actions, and built-in tools like Filter, Formatter and Paths |
| Make | Credit | Each module action: reading data (including from the trigger app or a webhook), searching, creating, updating, transforming, iterating. Most actions use 1 credit. AI features can use more. | Routers and error-handler modules |
| n8n | Workflow execution | One complete run of a workflow, “no matter how many steps are in the workflow or how much data it processes” | Steps inside the run |
So a 10-step workflow costs roughly 9 tasks on Zapier, around 10 credits on Make, and 1 execution on n8n, every time it runs.
One workflow, three bills
Take a common small-business workflow:
A new website enquiry arrives → look the person up in the CRM → create or update the contact → create a deal → alert the sales team → log the lead in a spreadsheet.
That’s one trigger plus five actions.
| Per run | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Units used | 5 tasks (trigger free, 5 actions) | 6 credits (trigger read + 5 modules) | 1 execution |
| Runs per month | Zapier tasks | Make credits | n8n executions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 5,000 | 6,000 | 1,000 |
| 10,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 10,000 |
| 50,000 | 250,000 | 300,000 | 50,000 |
Add a filter on Zapier and it stays free. Add a router on Make and it stays free. Add ten more steps on n8n and it’s still one execution. Each workflow’s shape matters as much as its volume.
What that means in money
Plan prices change often and both Zapier and Make price by usage tier, so check their calculators for the exact tier you need. What we confirmed on 23 October 2026:
| Free plan | Entry paid plan | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | 100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps only | Professional from US$19.99/month billed yearly | Price rises with the task tier you choose. When you hit the limit, you’re switched to pay-per-task at a higher rate if that’s turned on, otherwise Zaps pause. |
| Make | 1,000 credits/month | Paid plans priced by credit volume | Extra credits can be bought in bundles of 1,000 or 10,000. Scenarios stop when credits run out. Incoming webhooks queue until you add credits. |
| n8n Cloud | Free trial (1,000 executions) | Starter €20/month (billed yearly) for 2,500 executions. Pro €50/month for 10,000. | Cloud data is stored in the EU (Frankfurt). The self-hosted Business plan is €667/month (billed yearly) for 40,000 executions. |
| n8n self-hosted (Community Edition) | Free software | You pay for the server and your time | Licensed under n8n’s Sustainable Use License. See self-hosting n8n: the real cost. |
Reading the example against those prices:
- 1,000 runs a month: fits n8n Starter (2,500 executions). On Zapier and Make you’d need a tier covering about 5,000 tasks or 6,000 credits.
- 10,000 runs a month: exactly n8n Pro’s allowance (10,000 executions). Zapier would need about 50,000 tasks and Make about 60,000 credits a month. That gap is where most of the price difference comes from.
- 50,000 runs a month: above n8n’s hosted Pro allowance. You’re looking at self-hosting (free software plus server and maintenance), n8n’s Business or Enterprise plans, or a high Zapier or Make tier. At this volume, also ask whether part of the job belongs in custom code. See native vs automation platforms vs custom code.
The calculator lets you enter your own workflows and the current tier prices you’re quoted.
Beyond price: which one fits your team
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease for non-technical people | Easiest | Visual, more to learn | Most technical |
| App connections | 9,000+ apps (Zapier’s figure) | Large library, plus custom HTTP and API apps | Many built-in nodes, plus HTTP and code for anything with an API |
| Complex logic, loops, data shaping | Possible, can get expensive | Strong | Strong, including code steps |
| Speed of polling triggers | Free: 15 min · Professional: 2 min · Team: 1 min | Depends on schedule and plan | Your choice of schedule. Webhooks are instant on all three. |
| Hosting and data location | Zapier’s cloud | Make’s cloud | n8n Cloud (EU) or your own server |
| AI agents and AI steps | Yes (AI steps use tasks) | Yes (AI modules use variable credits) | Yes (AI agent nodes; on self-hosted you bring your own model keys) |
Pick Zapier when the people building automations aren’t technical, the workflows are short and the volume is modest.
Pick Make when you want visual control over branching and data handling, and your workflows run at moderate volume.
Pick n8n when workflows are long or high-volume, you want the option to self-host or keep data on your own server, or someone on the team is comfortable with technical setup.
Mistakes we see when people choose
- Comparing headline prices instead of translating workflows into units first.
- Forgetting polling and test runs. On Zapier, polling is free. On Make, a scheduled scenario that reads data uses credits even when nothing new arrives.
- Running everything on one platform because it was chosen first. Mixing is fine: native integrations for simple syncs, a platform for multi-step logic.
- No failure alerts. Whatever you choose, make sure failures notify a person. See error handling in n8n. The ideas carry over to any platform.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n really free?
The self-hosted Community Edition is free to use under n8n’s Sustainable Use License. Running it reliably isn’t free: you need a server, backups, updates and monitoring, which costs money and someone’s time. See running n8n in production.
Can we switch platforms later?
Yes, but workflows don’t export from one platform to another. Each one has to be rebuilt. Documenting what each workflow does makes that much easier. See how to document automations.
Which one do you use?
We choose per client, based on the team who’ll maintain it, the volume and where data needs to live. For many small businesses that means native integrations plus one platform, not all three. If you’d like help choosing and building, that’s part of our tech stack service.
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