n8n vs Make vs Zapier is the question nearly every small business hits the moment they decide to automate something — and the honest answer is that most comparison articles are outdated the day they publish, because all three platforms changed their pricing in the last year alone. This guide is current as of 2026, with real numbers, and it ends with a straight recommendation instead of “it depends.”
n8n vs Make vs Zapier at a Glance
| n8n | Make | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Self-hosted only (Cloud has no free tier) | 1,000 credits/month, forever | 100 tasks/month, forever |
| Multi-step on free? | Yes, if self-hosted | Yes | No — 2-step only |
| Cheapest paid plan | ~$20–24/mo (Cloud Starter) | ~$9–12/mo (Core) | ~$20–30/mo (Professional) |
| Billing model | Per execution (whole workflow run) | Per credit (per module/step) | Per task (per action step) |
| Integrations | 500+ | 3,000+ | 9,000+ |
| Best for | Technical users, high volume | Beginners who need multi-step, free | Maximum app coverage, budget available |
What Each Platform Actually Costs
This is where most comparisons go stale fast, so here’s where things stand right now.
n8n has two very different faces. The self-hosted Community Edition is genuinely free forever, with unlimited workflows and unlimited executions — you only pay for a small server, typically $4–7/month. But n8n Cloud, the hosted version for people who don’t want to manage a server, discontinued its permanent free plan in 2026. It now offers only a 14-day trial before you’re on a paid plan, starting around $20–24/month for 2,500 executions. If you’re not technical enough to self-host, n8n effectively isn’t a free option anymore.
Make gives you 1,000 credits a month on a genuinely permanent free plan — no trial clock running out. Credits are spent per module (per step), and the free plan supports full multi-step scenarios with routers and filters, capped at 2 active scenarios and a 15-minute minimum polling interval. Paid plans start around $9–12/month for 10,000 credits.
Zapier also has a permanent free plan — 100 tasks a month — but with a catch that trips people up constantly: free Zaps are capped at two steps (one trigger, one action). Anything beyond a single simple relay requires upgrading. Zapier’s paid plans start around $20–30/month, unlocking multi-step Zaps and much higher task volume.
Where Each One Wins
When n8n makes sense
n8n is the right call if you’re comfortable (or have someone comfortable) running a small server, and you want the most automation for the least ongoing cost. Because it bills per execution rather than per step, a complex 10-step workflow costs the same as a simple one — a structural advantage over both Make and Zapier as your workflows grow more complex. It’s the best long-term value for technical teams, and the worst starting point for anyone who isn’t.
When Make makes sense
Make is the best starting point for most small businesses and non-technical founders. It’s the only one of the three that gives you a genuinely free, permanent plan capable of running a real multi-step workflow — trigger, log, notify, reply — without hitting a wall on step two. If you’re building your first automation and don’t want to touch a server or a credit card, this is where to start.
When Zapier makes sense
Zapier’s strength is breadth: with 9,000+ integrations, it connects to more niche and long-tail apps than either competitor. If your stack includes something obscure that only Zapier supports, or your team values its especially polished, beginner-friendly interface enough to pay for it, Zapier earns its higher price. Just budget for a paid plan from day one — the free tier isn’t built for real multi-step use.
The Free-Tier Reality Check
Here’s the part most n8n vs Make vs Zapier comparisons skip, and it’s the single most useful fact for anyone starting from zero: only Make offers a permanent free plan that can actually run a multi-step automation. n8n’s free option requires self-hosting (a real technical step), and Zapier’s free plan structurally cannot run more than one action — you’ll hit its ceiling on your very first real workflow.
That doesn’t make Make “the best” platform in every sense — n8n scales cheaper for technical teams, Zapier connects to more apps — but for the specific question of “I want to automate something today, for free, without learning to manage a server,” Make is the only one of the three that actually delivers on it.
Our Recommendation
If you’re non-technical and just starting out: use Make. It’s the only platform of the three where the free plan matches the marketing.
If you’re technical and expect to scale: self-host n8n. The cost advantage compounds as your workflows grow, and you’re not paying per step.
If your priority is maximum app coverage and budget isn’t the constraint: Zapier, on a paid plan.
We built our own free Speed-to-Lead template on Make for exactly this reason — it’s the one platform where “free” doesn’t quietly mean “free until step two.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n really free? Only if you self-host it. The Community Edition is free forever with unlimited workflows and executions, but you need to run it on your own small server (roughly $4–7/month). n8n Cloud, the hosted version, no longer has a permanent free plan — only a 14-day trial.
Which is cheapest for a small business: n8n, Make, or Zapier? For a non-technical small business starting out, Make is cheapest in practice, since its free plan actually supports multi-step automation. For a technical team willing to self-host, n8n is cheapest at scale, since it bills per workflow run rather than per step.
Can I switch between n8n, Make, and Zapier later? Yes, though it means rebuilding each workflow rather than importing it directly — the three platforms don’t share a common file format. Most businesses start on whichever platform matches their current technical comfort and volume, then migrate only if they outgrow it.
Does Zapier’s free plan support multi-step Zaps? No. Zapier’s free plan is capped at two steps total (one trigger, one action). Any automation needing more than a single action requires a paid plan.
Sources: pricing and plan limits verified against n8n, Make, and Zapier’s official pricing pages in 2026. Pricing changes — always confirm current numbers before choosing a plan.
Leave a Reply