n8n vs. Zapier vs. Make: which automation tool to choose
Zapier is the simplest, Make offers the best balance of features and price, and n8n is the most flexible and the only one you can run for free on your own server. For simply connecting a few apps, Zapier is enough. For more complex scenarios at a reasonable price, Make is a good choice. For companies with larger volumes, AI agents or a need to control their data, we recommend n8n.
What these tools do
All three connect apps without writing a whole program. You set up “when X happens, do Y”: when an order arrives, add it to a spreadsheet and notify the team. They differ in how complex the scenarios can be, how you pay and where they run.
Zapier
- Pros: the easiest to use, a huge number of ready-made app integrations, fast to set up.
- Cons: priced by the number of tasks, so it gets expensive quickly at higher volumes. More complex logic is less convenient.
- Who it suits: small companies and simple automations with lower volumes.
Make (formerly Integromat)
- Pros: a visual scenario editor, branching, loops and data handling, usually much cheaper than Zapier for the same volume.
- Cons: a steeper learning curve, priced by the number of operations.
- Who it suits: companies that need more complex scenarios and want to keep costs under control.
n8n
- Pros: very flexible, allows custom code, strong support for AI agents and language models. It can be self-hosted on your own server with no per-operation fees.
- Cons: requires more technical knowledge; self-hosting means looking after the server, backups and updates.
- Who it suits: companies with larger volumes, AI agents, sensitive data or a requirement to keep data in the EU or in-house.
At a glance
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | ★★★ | ★★ | ★★ |
| Complex scenarios | ★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Cost at high volume | High | Medium | Low (self-hosted) |
| AI agents and LLMs | Yes | Yes | Very strong |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes |
| Control over data | Provider’s cloud | Provider’s cloud | Full (self-hosting) |
The pricing of all three tools changes often; always check current prices directly with the provider.
How to choose
- List the processes you want to automate and estimate how many times a month they run.
- Find out what data you work with. For personal and sensitive data, self-hosted n8n on a server in the EU makes sense.
- Calculate the costs at your current volume and at double it. Growing automations get most expensive on Zapier.
- Consider who will manage it. Without a technical person on the team, Zapier is simpler, or a fully managed service from a supplier.
We design and run automations in all three tools. See our Business process automation service.