Zapier vs Make vs n8n: Which Automation Tool Should You Use? (2026)

Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), and n8n are the three major workflow automation platforms. Each connects your apps, automates repetitive tasks, and eliminates manual data transfer. But they're built for different situations.

Quick comparison

|---------|--------|------|-----|

Feature	Zapier	Make	n8n
Ease of use	Easiest	Moderate	Steepest learning curve
Pricing model	Per task	Per operation	Free (self-hosted) or $20+/mo
Integrations	8,000+	1,500+	400+ built-in (extensible)
Complex logic	Limited	Good	Excellent
Custom code	JavaScript only	Limited	JavaScript + Python
Self-hosting	No	No	Yes
AI capabilities	Basic	Good	Excellent
Best for	Simple automations	Visual workflows	Power users, high volume

Zapier: The easy button

Best for

• Non-technical users who need simple automations
• "If this happens, do that" workflows
• Small businesses with low automation volume
• Getting started in under 5 minutes

Pricing

• Free: 100 tasks/month, 5 single-step zaps
• Starter: $29.99/month for 750 tasks
• Professional: $73.50/month for 2,000 tasks
• Team: $103.50/month for 2,000 tasks + shared workspace

Strengths

• 8,000+ integrations -- if an app exists, Zapier probably connects to it
• Dead-simple interface for basic automations
• Excellent documentation and templates
• 5-minute setup for common workflows

Weaknesses

• Gets expensive at scale (per-task pricing adds up fast)
• Limited branching and conditional logic
• Multi-step zaps are clunky compared to visual alternatives
• Custom code options are limited

Make: The visual middle ground

Best for

• Visual thinkers who want to see their workflow
• Medium-complexity automations with branching logic
• Teams that need more power than Zapier but less complexity than n8n
• Data transformation and manipulation

Pricing

• Free: 1,000 operations/month
• Core: $10.59/month for 10,000 operations
• Pro: $18.82/month for 10,000 operations + advanced features
• Teams: $34.12/month for 10,000 operations + team features

Strengths

• Beautiful visual workflow builder
• Excellent data transformation tools
• More operations per dollar than Zapier
• Good error handling and retry logic

Weaknesses

• Fewer integrations than Zapier
• Interface can be overwhelming for beginners
• Documentation is less polished
• Some advanced features require technical knowledge

n8n: The power tool

Best for

• Technical users and developers
• High-volume automations (no per-task pricing)
• Workflows that need custom code
• Companies with data sovereignty requirements (self-hosting)
• AI-powered workflows

Pricing

• Self-hosted: Free (unlimited everything)
• Cloud Starter: $24/month for 2,500 executions
• Cloud Pro: $60/month for 10,000 executions
• Enterprise: Custom

Strengths

• Self-hosted option with zero task limits
• Full JavaScript and Python code support
• Best AI integration capabilities (direct LLM nodes)
• Open source -- you can inspect and modify the code
• Most powerful workflow logic (loops, sub-workflows, error branches)

Weaknesses

• Steepest learning curve of the three
• Fewer pre-built integrations (though you can build custom ones)
• Self-hosting requires server management
• Community is smaller than Zapier's

Real decision framework

Choose Zapier if:

• You need to connect two apps in 5 minutes
• Your automation volume is under 1,000 tasks/month
• You're not technical and don't want to learn a visual tool
• You need an integration that only Zapier has

Choose Make if:

• You want to see your workflows visually
• You need moderate complexity with branching logic
• You want more operations per dollar than Zapier
• You do a lot of data transformation

Choose n8n if:

• You run high-volume automations and don't want per-task pricing
• You need custom code in your workflows
• You want AI-powered automation steps
• You have data sovereignty or compliance requirements
• You're building an automation agency or consulting practice

What we use at //PROMETHEUS

We primarily use n8n for client implementations because:

• No per-task pricing means our clients' costs are predictable
• Self-hosting keeps their data on their infrastructure
• The AI integration capabilities are unmatched
• Custom code nodes let us build exactly what's needed

For clients with simple needs who don't want to manage infrastructure, we set up Zapier. The right tool depends on the situation, not a blanket recommendation.