n8n vs Zapier vs Make: which to use, and when

How each one bills

The unit each tool counts decides what a busy workflow costs. Zapier bills each successful action step as a task, while triggers, filters and formatter steps are free. Make bills credits per module operation. n8n Cloud bills one execution per workflow run. Take a workflow with four action steps that runs 300 times a month: that is 1,200 Zapier tasks, at least 1,200 Make credits and 300 n8n executions.

Where Zapier fits

Zapier has the largest library of ready-made app connections and is the easiest for a non-technical team to pick up. For short workflows that run a few times a day, it is often the cheapest option once you count the time it saves.

It gets expensive when workflows grow long and run often, because every step is billed, and AI steps add up quickly. Logic is limited to paths and filters, and an account with hundreds of Zaps built by different people is hard to audit.

Where Make fits

Make shows a workflow as a visual map, which suits branching logic, and it is usually cheaper per operation than Zapier. It handles lists well with iterators and has error handlers on each module.

Loops are where costs surprise people: processing 50 records uses 50 credits per module. Large scenarios also become hard to read, which matters when someone else has to maintain them.

Where n8n fits

n8n counts whole workflow runs rather than steps, lets you write JavaScript or Python inside a workflow, and can run on your own server, so data does not leave your infrastructure. Workflows export as files that can live in Git, which makes changes reviewable.

The trade-off is skill and ownership. n8n expects more technical comfort than Zapier, and self-hosting means someone runs the server, backups and updates. Its Sustainable Use License allows free use for your own internal business purposes; offering n8n to others as a paid service is restricted.

When moving a workflow pays off

Moving costs time, so it should solve a real problem. These are the signals we look for:

• The monthly bill has grown faster than the business, mostly from a few long or frequent workflows.
• Workflows fail silently and someone finds out from a customer.
• Data has to stay on your own infrastructure for clients or regulators.
• The logic has outgrown paths and filters, and people are working around the tool.
• A cheap, stable flow with no complaints is the one to leave where it is.

When a workflow should become code

Workflow tools are excellent glue. They are a weaker fit when a job moves money, needs guaranteed delivery, processes thousands of records at a time or has rules complex enough to need tests. A small service with a queue, retries and a reconciliation check is more reliable and often cheaper to run.

In practice the best setup is often mixed: n8n or Zapier for the glue between apps, and a few pieces of code for the parts that must not fail.

Frequently asked questions