Zapier vs Make vs n8n for Automation

1. Pricing — How Costs Scale with Usage

Zapier

  • Tiered plans with task limits; most plans include multi-step workflows and premium apps.

    • Free: 100 tasks/month 

    • Starter/Pro: from ~$19.99/month (750-2,000 tasks) 

    • Team/Enterprise: custom with high task quotas and governance.

  • Billing model: Per task — every action counts toward usage. Costs escalate quickly if you run many tasks or multi-step workflows. 

  • Best when you want predictable SaaS billing and don’t mind paying premium for ease of use.

Make (formerly Integromat)

  • Plans generally cheaper than Zapier at comparable entry tiers. 

    • Free: 1,000 operations/month 

    • Paid: from ~$9–$29+/month for 10,000+ operations 

    • Enterprise: custom pricing with large operation counts. 

  • Billing model: Per operation (each node/module in a scenario). More generous than Zapier but can still add up with branching/loops. 

  • Often seen as a middle ground — strong visual builder at lower cost per credit.

n8n

  • Two main deployment choices:

    • Self-hosted: open-source, free software (you pay infrastructure costs). 

    • Cloud hosted: ~$20–$50+/month with execution limits; enterprise options are custom. 

  • Billing model: Per workflow execution (not per step), which can be much cheaper for complex automations. 

  • Often the lowest total cost for high-volume or complex workflows — especially self-hosted. 

Summary:

PlatformPricing ModelTypical Cost Profile
ZapierPer taskHighest cost at scale
MakePer operationMid-range, better than Zapier
n8nPer execution / self-hosted freeLowest long-term cost

2. Scalability — Handling Growth & Volume

Zapier

  • Easy cloud scaling with higher plans, but cost grows with task volume. 

  • Enterprise adds governance, security, and support at higher cost.

Make

  • Fully managed cloud, scales with usage. 

  • Good for large teams with many scenarios; operations add up with volume and complexity.

n8n

  • Self-hosted option lets you scale with your infrastructure (virtually unlimited). 

  • Managed cloud also scales but with set execution tiers. 

  • Requires technical ops maturity (deployment, monitoring, backups). 

Practical Takeaways:

  • Best for simple scale: Zapier (managed SaaS).

  • Best for complex/many workflows: Make (cloud, cost-effective).

  • Best for high execution volume at low cost: n8n self-hosted — but you own the infrastructure.


3. Enterprise Usage — Security, Governance & Team Features

Zapier

  • Strong team features at higher plans: SSO, role-based access, shared workspaces, advanced controls. 

  • Enterprise support, compliance, and analytics.

Make

  • Offers collaboration and team features in paid tiers; cloud handles infrastructure. 

  • Security and governance are traditional SaaS — less mature than Zapier at enterprise scale.

n8n

  • Self-hosted gives maximum data control and compliance if you configure it properly. 

  • Cloud enterprise adds RBAC and managed support. 

  • Enterprise use often requires internal engineering support for CI/CD, uptime SLAs and security hardening.

Enterprise Fit Summary:

  • Strongest turnkey enterprise tool: Zapier (security + governance out of box).

  • Balanced enterprise with technical teams: Make.

  • Most flexible but requires ops investment: n8n (especially self-hosted).


4. Automation Complexity — What Can You Build

Zapier

  • Excellent ease of use, low-code editor, clear interface. 

  • Good for simple to moderately complex logic with branching and filters. 

  • Very large integration ecosystem (thousands of apps). 

Make

  • Strong visual design for branching, loops, data parsing. 

  • Better at complex data transformation than Zapier. 

n8n

  • Most flexible for developers and technical automations. 

  • Custom code (JavaScript) and API requests make it powerful. 

  • Steeper learning curve than the others.

Complexity Fit Summary:

  • Least technical: Zapier.

  • Mid-range with powerful logic: Make.

  • Most capable for developers & custom APIs: n8n.


Recommendation Matrix

Team Size / BudgetBest ChoiceWhy
Solo / FreelancersZapier or n8n CloudEasy to start; Zapier for UX, n8n Cloud for low-cost executions
Small Team / Limited BudgetMakeAffordable operation tiers and good complexity handling
Mid-Size Team / Growing WorkloadsMake or n8nMake for managed scaling; n8n if you have tech support
Large Enterprise with Governance NeedsZapier EnterpriseStrong admin controls, SLAs, security features
High-Volume Complex Automationn8n self-hostedLowest cost per execution; full flexibility
Strict Data Control / Compliancen8n self-hostedData stays on your servers

Quick Buyer Tips

  • Don’t just compare sticker price. Billing models (task vs. operation vs. execution) radically change total cost. 

  • Consider team skills. n8n excels if you have developers; Zapier excels if you don’t.

  • Evaluate long-term growth. What seems cheap with 1–2 workflows can get pricey fast on Zapier. 

  • Enterprise needs governance early. Zapier’s built-in security and admin controls save time compared to DIY.

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