n8n vs Zapier vs Make: Which Automation Tool Suits a Small Business?

Choosing between n8n vs Zapier vs Make is mostly a question of how each tool counts usage, because that is what decides the bill once a workflow runs thousands of times a month. All three connect apps, move data between them and now add AI steps, yet they price very differently: n8n charges per workflow run, Zapier per completed action and Make per credit. This guide compares the three for a small business, using the vendors' own pricing pages as read on 7 November 2026, and explains where self-hosting n8n makes sense and where it does not. Prices change often, so confirm the current figures before committing.

Key takeaways

• n8n bills by workflow execution, so a long workflow with many steps still counts as one run. Zapier bills by task (successful actions). Make bills by credit, usually one per action.
• Zapier is the quickest to start and has the widest app list, but cost climbs fastest for long, high-volume workflows.
• Make sits in the middle: a visual canvas, low starting prices and credit-based billing.
• n8n can be self-hosted for free under its Sustainable Use License, but that means running servers, updates and backups.
• Count the steps and monthly runs of the workflows you really need before comparing plans.

n8n vs Zapier vs Make: how each one counts usage

The billing unit matters more than the headline price.

• n8n prices by monthly workflow executions. According to its pricing page, one execution is one full run of a workflow with unlimited steps, and users and active workflows are not capped on any plan.
• Zapier prices by tasks. A task is an action a Zap completes successfully, so a Zap with five actions that runs 100 times uses about 500 tasks. Triggers, filters and paths do not count as tasks, according to Zapier's help centre.
• Make prices by credits. Credits became its billing unit on 27 August 2025, and its pricing page says most actions use one credit while some AI features use more.

As a simple illustration, take a workflow with six steps that runs 1,000 times a month. In n8n that is 1,000 executions. In Zapier it is roughly 5,000 tasks if five of the six steps are actions. In Make it is roughly 6,000 credits if each step uses one. This is arithmetic from the billing units, not a price quote, but it shows why long workflows favour n8n and short, occasional ones suit any of the three.

What each plan costs in 2026

n8n pricing

The n8n pricing page lists prices in euros, billed annually:

• Starter: from €20 a month for 2,500 executions, hosted by n8n, with 5 concurrent executions and a 5-minute maximum run time.
• Pro: from €50 a month for 10,000 executions, with higher concurrency and a 40-minute maximum run time.
• Business: from €667 a month for 40,000 executions, self-hosted only, aimed at companies with fewer than 100 employees.
• Enterprise: custom pricing.

Cloud plans can be tried without a credit card. The page also says startups under 20 employees may qualify for 50% off the Business plan.

Zapier pricing

The Zapier pricing page shows a free plan with 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps only. Professional starts from $19.99 a month when billed yearly and adds multi-step Zaps, webhooks and premium apps. Team starts from $69 a month for up to 25 users. Higher task tiers cost more, and the page notes that usage beyond a plan limit moves to pay-as-you-go unless it is turned off.

Make pricing

The Make pricing page shows a free plan, then Core from $9, Pro from $16 and Teams from $29 a month at 10,000 credits, with a 15% saving label on longer billing. Higher credit tiers raise the price. Check which billing period the page shows before comparing, because annual and monthly prices differ.

Limits that matter more than the price

• Run time. n8n's cloud plans cap a single execution at 5 minutes on Starter and 40 minutes on Pro. Long data-processing jobs may need self-hosting or a higher plan.
• Concurrency. n8n Starter allows 5 executions at once. Bursts of webhooks, such as many form submissions at the same moment, queue up on small plans.
• Polling speed. Zapier's pricing page lists a 15-minute polling interval on Free and 2 minutes on Professional. If a workflow must react in seconds, use webhook triggers instead of polling.
• Log retention. n8n keeps execution logs for 7 days on Starter and 30 days on Pro, which affects how far back a team can debug a failed run.
• Team features. Shared projects, version control with Git and single sign-on sit on higher n8n tiers, while Zapier's Team plan adds shared Zaps and folders.

Self-hosting n8n: what it really involves

n8n publishes its Community Edition on GitHub under the Sustainable Use License. In plain terms, the licence lets a business use and modify the software for its own internal purposes, but it restricts selling n8n as a service to others. Anyone planning to offer hosted automation to clients should read the licence text and take legal advice.

The Community Edition leaves out several features that paid tiers include, such as single sign-on, shared projects and Git-based version control, according to n8n's documentation. Self-hosting also means the business owns the work around the software:

• A server or container host, with updates applied regularly.
• Backups of the workflow database and credentials.
• Monitoring, so that a failed workflow or a stopped server is noticed.
• Secure storage of API keys and customer data.

For a small business with someone technical on staff or on retainer, that is manageable and can cut cost at high volume. Without that person, a hosted plan is usually the safer choice.

AI features in each tool

n8n's pricing page lists an AI Agent node, MCP client and server nodes and hosted chat on its cloud plans. Zapier lists AI fields, Copilot, agents and chatbots, with some AI features billed separately from tasks. Make has been adding AI providers and agent features, and some AI steps use more than one credit. In every case, AI steps add their own usage cost, so test a realistic volume before assuming the plan price covers it.

Which tool suits which business?

• Few simple automations, no technical staff: Zapier's free or Professional plan is the easiest start, and the app list is wide.
• Several multi-step workflows on a budget: Make's visual canvas and credit pricing often cost less than task-based billing at similar volume.
• Long workflows, custom logic, AI agents or data control: n8n, hosted or self-hosted, usually gives the most room, provided someone can maintain it.
• Business-critical or heavily customised processes: a custom integration built in code can be more reliable than any no-code chain, as explained in cron jobs vs job queues for business automation.

How CreativeIn Tek can help

No-code tools are excellent for getting started, and many businesses outgrow them once a process touches payments, patient or customer records, or several internal systems. CreativeIn Tek's AI solutions and custom software work includes designing workflows, connecting systems through APIs and building AI assistants. Businesses that mainly need a WhatsApp assistant for enquiries and bookings can look at the AI Agent product, and the trade-offs of WhatsApp connection methods are covered in this guide to WhatsApp AI chatbots for business.

Frequently asked questions

Is n8n really free?

The Community Edition can be self-hosted at no licence cost for internal business use, but the business pays for servers and maintenance. The hosted n8n plans start at €20 a month billed annually.

Is Make cheaper than Zapier?

Often, for multi-step workflows, because Make's credit tiers start low and Zapier counts each successful action as a task. The answer depends on the number of steps and runs, so work it out for the actual workflows.

Can n8n replace Zapier for a small business?

Yes, for most integrations, and it can be cheaper for long workflows. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and, if self-hosted, the work of running it.

Which tool is best for AI agents?

All three now offer AI features. n8n's AI Agent node and Zapier's agents are the most documented on their pricing pages, but the right choice depends on the use case and on how AI usage is billed.

Prices last checked on 7 November 2026 from each vendor's pricing page. They change often, so confirm current figures first. To get a second opinion on which tool, or which custom build, fits a process, contact CreativeIn Tek.