n8n vs Zapier vs Make: The Complete 2026 Comparison

The Honest Comparison Nobody Asked For

I've used all three platforms extensively. Here's what the marketing pages won't tell you.

Pricing: The Real Numbers

| | n8n (self-hosted) | n8n Cloud | Zapier | Make | |---|---|---|---|---| | Free tier | Unlimited | 300 executions | 100 tasks/mo | 1,000 ops/mo | | Pro plan | $5/mo (Railway) | $24/mo | $29.99/mo | $10.59/mo | | Business | Same $5 | $60/mo | $99.99/mo | $18.82/mo | | Executions at scale | Unlimited | 10K/mo | 2K tasks/mo | 10K ops/mo |

Winner: n8n self-hosted. At $5/month on Railway with unlimited executions, nothing comes close.

Features Comparison

Workflow Builder

AI Capabilities

Self-Hosting

When to Use Each

Choose n8n if: You're technical, want unlimited executions, need self-hosting, or are building complex AI workflows. Browse pre-built templates on FlowStore to get started fast.

Choose Zapier if: You need the widest app selection and your workflows are simple (trigger → action).

Choose Make if: You need visual branching logic and moderate pricing with a good UI.

The Migration Reality

Moving from Zapier to n8n takes 1-2 weeks for a typical business with 10-20 workflows. The biggest challenge isn't the tool — it's re-thinking workflows without Zapier's app-specific triggers.

Our Complete Guide to Selling Automation Workflows Online covers how to build n8n workflows that others will pay for.

Bottom Line

For developers and technical founders, n8n self-hosted at $5/month is the obvious choice. The unlimited executions alone save most businesses $50-200/month compared to Zapier.

For non-technical users who need simplicity, Zapier is still the safest bet — you're paying for the ecosystem.

Related Articles

• The Developer's Guide to n8n Workflow Templates
• How to Automate Your Entire Business for Under $120/Month