Full comparison 2026 — features, pricing, and which platform is actually right for your team.
Last updated: May 2026 · Prices verified May 2026
Open-source powerhouse. Self-host for free or use Cloud. Native JS/Python, AI nodes, unlimited complexity.
Best for developers & power usersThe visual automation sweet spot. Powerful scenario builder at a fraction of Zapier's price.
Best value for visual builders7,000+ integrations, zero learning curve. If your team is non-technical and needs wide app coverage, nothing beats it.
Best for non-technical teamsFeature comparison matrix
| Feature | n8n | Make | Zapier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ✅ Self-hosted free |
✅ 1,000 ops/mo |
✅ 100 tasks/mo |
| Lowest paid plan | $20/mo Cloud Starter |
$9/mo Core |
$19.99/mo Starter |
| Pricing modelWhat gets charged | Per workflow execution | Per operation (step) | Per task (step) |
| Free plan limits | ✅ Unlimited (self-hosted) |
1,000 ops | 100 tasks, 5 Zaps |
| Visual editor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Code / custom logicJS, Python, expressions | ✅ Native JS & Python nodes |
⚠️ Limited expressions |
❌ No code support |
| AI / LLM integrations | ✅ OpenAI, Claude, Gemini + custom |
✅ OpenAI, basic |
✅ OpenAI, Claude via actions |
| Self-hosting | ✅ Docker, npm |
❌ | ❌ |
| App integrations | 400+ | 1,500+ | ✅ 7,000+ |
| Error handling | ✅ Advanced retry & branching |
✅ Good |
⚠️ Basic |
| Webhooks | ✅ Unlimited |
✅ Unlimited |
⚠️ Limited on free |
| Multi-step workflows | ✅ Unlimited steps |
✅ Unlimited |
⚠️ Limited on lower plans |
| Team collaboration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Version history | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Higher plans only |
| White-labeling | ✅ Self-hosted |
❌ | ❌ |
| Learning curve | Medium–High | Medium | Low |
| Best for | Developers, agencies, custom logic | Mid-complexity automation, marketing | Simple automation, non-tech teams |
✅ = Full support ⚠️ = Partial / limited ❌ = Not supported Shaded cells = category winner
Pricing deep-dive Prices as of May 2026
Prices as of May 2026 — always verify before purchasing. n8n.io/pricing · make.com/pricing · zapier.com/pricing
Interactive cost estimator
Prices as of May 2026. n8n charged per full workflow run (not per step), so complex workflows heavily favor n8n. Self-hosted n8n (~$10/mo VPS) not shown above.
Which should you choose?
You're comfortable with Docker, APIs, and writing JavaScript. You want to self-host, add custom logic, and not pay per-step at scale.
Self-hosted n8n is free with unlimited workflows. Native JS/Python nodes let you write any logic. No vendor lock-in, and you own your data. Setup takes ~30 minutes with Docker.
You want a powerful visual builder, good error handling, and don't need thousands of integrations. Budget matters.
Make's scenario builder handles complex multi-step logic with branching, iterators, and data transformers — all visually. At $9/mo for 10,000 ops, it's the best value in the market for non-coders who need real power.
You need to connect obscure niche apps, onboard non-technical teammates in minutes, and have enterprise support options.
Zapier's 7,000+ app library is unmatched, and you can build a working automation in under 5 minutes with zero training. If the app exists, Zapier probably integrates with it. Worth the premium for teams who value speed over cost.
Frequently asked questions
n8n's self-hosted version is completely free and open-source with no operation limits whatsoever. You only pay for the server — typically $5–20/month for a basic VPS on DigitalOcean, Hetzner, or Fly.io. The n8n Cloud plans ($20–$50/mo) are paid. The catch with self-hosting is setup time and ongoing maintenance: you need to install n8n via Docker or npm, configure SSL, and handle updates yourself. For non-developers, n8n Cloud is usually the easier path despite the monthly cost.
Yes, Make can replace Zapier for most use cases and is often the better choice for mid-complexity automations. Make has a more powerful visual scenario builder, better error handling, and is significantly cheaper (starting at $9/mo vs Zapier's $19.99/mo). The main trade-off is app coverage: Zapier has 7,000+ integrations vs Make's 1,500+. If the apps you need are available on Make, it's almost always a better deal than Zapier for comparable functionality.
Both "operations" (Make's term) and "tasks" (Zapier's term) refer to the same thing: a single step executed within a workflow. A 4-step automation that triggers 1,000 times per month = 4,000 operations on Make or 4,000 tasks on Zapier. n8n Cloud uses a completely different model: it counts full workflow executions (runs), not individual steps. So that same 4-step workflow running 1,000 times = only 1,000 executions on n8n Cloud, making n8n much cheaper for complex workflows.
Yes, n8n has a steeper learning curve than Zapier. Zapier is designed for non-technical users and you can build automations in minutes without any prior experience. n8n's interface is more complex, especially for self-hosted setup which requires Docker or npm, SSL configuration, and server management. n8n Cloud reduces the ops overhead but the workflow builder itself is still more developer-oriented. If you're comfortable with APIs, JSON, and basic programming concepts, n8n's power is worth the learning curve. If you just want to connect two apps quickly, Zapier wins on ease.
There's no automatic migration tool between platforms — you'll need to rebuild your workflows manually. That said, migrating from Zapier to Make is relatively straightforward because both use a similar visual step-by-step model. Migrating to n8n requires more technical work because n8n uses a node-graph model and has its own credential/connection system. Start by exporting a list of your active Zaps and auditing which are actually used. Then rebuild the high-ROI ones first. Most teams report that rebuilding in Make or n8n takes 1–2 hours per complex workflow.
n8n is the strongest choice for AI automation workflows in 2026. It has native nodes for OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Mistral, and other LLM providers, plus the ability to write custom JavaScript/Python logic within workflows — essential for prompt engineering, JSON parsing, and chaining AI calls. Critically, n8n charges per workflow execution (not per step), so a 10-step AI workflow that calls GPT 1,000 times = 1,000 executions on n8n but 10,000 operations on Make or Zapier. For AI-heavy pipelines, n8n's billing model alone can save 5–10x vs Make or Zapier.
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