Automation / Comparison
Zapier vs Make vs n8n: workflows, AI and costs
Start with the workflow you need to run, the billable unit it consumes, and who will operate it. Those choices are more useful than an overall winner.
Short answer
The three tools bill different units: Zapier counts tasks; Make counts credits; n8n paid plans counts executions. Compare them on your own workflow, not on plan names.
Last updated · Last verified
By Vetted Authority · Pricing rechecked
Documentation review, not hands-on product testing. Product facts below are vendor-documented; pilot recommendations are our analysis. No affiliate or sponsored links appear in this article.
One workflow. Three billing lenses.
Use the same business task in each trial, then inspect its usage log. Counting boxes in a workflow is not enough to predict a bill.
Example business process
- 1Receive a lead
- 2Create a CRM record
- 3Notify the team
Zapier
Successful actions → tasks
Triggers and Filters/Paths do not use tasks. Successful actions generally do; AI model tiers, code runtime and MCP calls have specific rates. Replaying successful steps can add usage.
[ZU]Make
Module usage → credits
Most non-AI operations consume one credit. Some AI features vary with tokens or other usage. With a custom AI connection, provider token charges are separate.
[MC]n8n paid plans
Workflow runs → executions
Plans are metered by workflow executions with unlimited steps. That allowance is not a count of individual actions or a promise that all external services are included.
[NP]Compare the documented capabilities
| Decision factor | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workflow model | A trigger starts a Zap, followed by actions. Professional supports multi-step Zaps and webhooks.[ZP] | Scenarios connect modules on a visual canvas. Routers split the flow into routes with filters.[MP][MR] | Node-based workflows, with JavaScript/Python code steps and custom API requests. Cloud and self-hosted options.[NP] |
| AI functionality | AI by Zapier has model-dependent task rates. Zapier Agents uses a separate activity quota; it is not the same billing pool as Zap tasks.[ZU] | Make AI Agent (New) uses instructions, knowledge and tools inside scenarios. Open beta: functionality and pricing may change. Custom AI provider connections require a paid plan.[MA] | An AI Agent node connects to a chat model and at least one tool. The agent can select tools to complete a task.[NA] |
| Integration coverage | Vendor lists 9,000+ apps. This is a catalog claim, not a test of every connector or action.[ZP] | Vendor lists 3,000+ apps. Check the specific module and action you need, not just the app name.[MP] | Pricing lists every integration on all plans, plus custom API requests. No cross-vendor connector-count ranking is made here.[NP] |
| Hosting and control | The reviewed pricing page describes hosted plans. It does not establish a generally available self-hosted edition; confirm special deployment needs with the vendor.[ZP] | Enterprise offers an on-premise agent for access to local systems over HTTP. This connector is not evidence that the whole Make platform can be self-hosted.[MO] | Community is a free self-hosted edition; Business and Enterprise unlock paid features. Hosting still needs configuration, monitoring and updates.[NE][NH] |
| Plan constraints to check | Free includes two-step Zaps and 100 tasks/month. Premium apps and multi-step workflows are listed on Professional.[ZP] | Free includes 1,000 credits/month and a 15-minute minimum scheduled interval. Core supports scheduling down to a minute.[MP] | Community excludes SSO, workflow/credential sharing and Git version control. Do not assume a free installation includes paid governance features.[NE] |
Verified prices, without a false equivalence
Live from the Vetted SaaS Price Index. The plans use different allowances and currencies, so they are not quotes for equivalent work. Confirm billing term, tax, overages and any separate AI or app subscription before purchase.
Zapier
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Pricing unit | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Free | Per account |
|
| Professional | From $29.99/mo | From $19.99/mo | By usage tier |
|
| Team | From $103.50/mo | From $69/mo | By usage tier |
|
| EnterpriseContact sales | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
|
Prices are in USD as Zapier publishes them for visitors in the United States; we never convert currencies. Taxes are not included unless the vendor says so.
- Free
Why a value is blank or missing: Free plan; there is no annual billing.
- Professional
Price rises with the task tier you choose; published tiers run from 750 to 2M tasks per month, with a custom task limit beyond that. Every tier price was read from the tier selector on the pricing page, billed monthly and billed yearly. The page labels yearly billing "Save 33%". Live chat support starts at the 2,000-task tier.
- 750 tasks per month: $29.99/mo billed monthly · $19.99/mo billed annually
- 1,500 tasks per month: $58.50/mo billed monthly · $39/mo billed annually
- 2,000 tasks per month: $73.50/mo billed monthly · $49/mo billed annually
- 5,000 tasks per month: $133.50/mo billed monthly · $89/mo billed annually
- 10,000 tasks per month: $193.50/mo billed monthly · $129/mo billed annually
- 20,000 tasks per month: $283.50/mo billed monthly · $189/mo billed annually
- 50,000 tasks per month: $433.50/mo billed monthly · $289/mo billed annually
- 100,000 tasks per month: $733.50/mo billed monthly · $489/mo billed annually
- 200,000 tasks per month: $1,149/mo billed monthly · $769/mo billed annually
- 300,000 tasks per month: $1,599/mo billed monthly · $1,069/mo billed annually
- 400,000 tasks per month: $1,899/mo billed monthly · $1,269/mo billed annually
- 500,000 tasks per month: $2,199/mo billed monthly · $1,499/mo billed annually
- 750,000 tasks per month: $2,999/mo billed monthly · $1,999/mo billed annually
- 1,000,000 tasks per month: $3,299/mo billed monthly · $2,199/mo billed annually
- 1,500,000 tasks per month: $4,499/mo billed monthly · $2,999/mo billed annually
- 1,750,000 tasks per month: $4,799/mo billed monthly · $3,199/mo billed annually
- 2,000,000 tasks per month: $5,099/mo billed monthly · $3,389/mo billed annually
- Team
Price rises with the task tier you choose; the Team plan starts at the 2,000-task tier and published tiers run to 2M tasks per month. Every tier price was read from the tier selector on the pricing page, billed monthly and billed yearly.
- 2,000 tasks per month: $103.50/mo billed monthly · $69/mo billed annually
- 5,000 tasks per month: $178.50/mo billed monthly · $119/mo billed annually
- 10,000 tasks per month: $253.50/mo billed monthly · $169/mo billed annually
- 20,000 tasks per month: $373.50/mo billed monthly · $249/mo billed annually
- 50,000 tasks per month: $598.50/mo billed monthly · $399/mo billed annually
- 100,000 tasks per month: $898.50/mo billed monthly · $599/mo billed annually
- 200,000 tasks per month: $1,499/mo billed monthly · $999/mo billed annually
- 300,000 tasks per month: $1,799/mo billed monthly · $1,199/mo billed annually
- 400,000 tasks per month: $2,099/mo billed monthly · $1,399/mo billed annually
- 500,000 tasks per month: $2,699/mo billed monthly · $1,799/mo billed annually
- 750,000 tasks per month: $3,299/mo billed monthly · $2,199/mo billed annually
- 1,000,000 tasks per month: $3,749/mo billed monthly · $2,499/mo billed annually
- 1,500,000 tasks per month: $5,099/mo billed monthly · $3,399/mo billed annually
- 1,750,000 tasks per month: $5,699/mo billed monthly · $3,799/mo billed annually
- 2,000,000 tasks per month: $5,999/mo billed monthly · $3,999/mo billed annually
- Enterprise
Why a value is blank or missing: "Contact for pricing" on the pricing page.
How Zapier counts usage
A task is used when a Zap successfully moves data or completes an action; each successful action counts as a separate task, and triggers do not count. AI steps, code, MCP and SDK usage draw on the same task allowance (one MCP tool call uses two tasks).
Last verified from the official Zapier pricing page.
Make
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Pricing unit | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Free | Per account |
|
| Core | $16/mo | $12/mo | By usage tier |
|
| Pro | $28/mo | $21/mo | By usage tier |
|
| Teams | $51/mo | $38/mo | By usage tier |
|
| EnterpriseContact sales | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom | None published |
Prices are in USD as Make publishes them for visitors in the United States; we never convert currencies. Taxes are not included unless the vendor says so.
- Free
Why a value is blank or missing: Free plan; there is no annual billing.
- Core
At 10,000 credits per month: $16/mo billed monthly ($1.60 per 1,000 credits) or $12/mo billed annually ($1.20 per 1,000 credits). Price scales with the credits you choose.
- Pro
At 10,000 credits per month: $28/mo billed monthly ($2.80 per 1,000 credits) or $21/mo billed annually ($2.10 per 1,000 credits).
- Teams
At 10,000 credits per month: $51/mo billed monthly ($5.10 per 1,000 credits) or $38/mo billed annually ($3.80 per 1,000 credits).
- Enterprise
Why a value is blank or missing: "Custom" pricing; Make asks Enterprise buyers to talk to sales.
How Make counts usage
Each module action in a scenario (for example adding a Google Sheets row or fetching Gmail data) consumes credits; most actions use 1 credit, while some advanced features using Make's AI Provider may use more. Router and error-handler modules use none. The pricing FAQ says credits replaced the previous billing unit "as of August 27".
Last verified from the official Make pricing page.
n8n
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Pricing unit | Key limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Not published | €20/mo | Per account |
|
| Pro | Not published | €50/mo | Per account |
|
| Business | Not published | €667/mo | Per account |
|
| EnterpriseContact sales | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom | None published |
Prices are in EUR as n8n publishes them for visitors in Germany; we never convert currencies. Taxes are not included unless the vendor says so.
- Starter
Read from the euro-priced page n8n serves to visitors in Germany ("20€/mo, billed annually"). n8n shows US-dollar amounts to US visitors instead; at verification the US page showed $20/mo billed annually and $24/mo billed monthly. Neither figure is converted from the other.
Why a value is blank or missing: The monthly-billing euro price could not be captured at verification (the billing toggle did not respond on the EU-region fetch).
- Pro
Read from the euro-priced page n8n serves to visitors in Germany ("50€/mo, billed annually"). At verification the US page showed $50/mo billed annually and $60/mo billed monthly.
Why a value is blank or missing: The monthly-billing euro price could not be captured at verification (the billing toggle did not respond on the EU-region fetch).
- Business
Self-hosted only; n8n Cloud hosting for Business is waitlisted. Read from the euro-priced page ("667€/mo, billed annually"). At verification the US page showed $800/mo billed annually and $960/mo billed monthly. Overage is 4,000 EUR per extra bucket of 300,000 executions.
Why a value is blank or missing: The monthly-billing euro price could not be captured at verification (the billing toggle did not respond on the EU-region fetch).
- Enterprise
Why a value is blank or missing: "Contact Sales" on the pricing page.
How n8n counts usage
An execution is a single run of an entire workflow, however many steps it has or however much data it processes.
Last verified from the official n8n pricing page.
To price one workload in each vendor's own unit, with the mapping shown and editable, use the Zapier vs Make vs n8n cost comparison calculator, or the single-vendor Zapier, Make and n8n calculators.
For the wider budget picture (AI model tokens, hosting, telephony and setup labor), see the AI automation cost guide.
What the same workload costs on each
Five standard workloads priced by our cost engine from the figures above. Methodology, CSV and chart: Automation Platform Pricing Snapshot 2026.
| Workload | Zapier (USD) | Make (USD) | n8n (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| W1 · Solo lead capture1 workflow × 100 runs × 2 steps after the trigger | $19.99/moProfessional · 200 tasks | FreeFree · 300 credits | €20/moStarter · 100 executions |
| W2 · Small-business starter stack5 workflows × 200 runs × 3 steps after the trigger | $89/moProfessional · 3,000 tasks | $12/moCore · 4,000 credits | €20/moStarter · 1,000 executions |
| W3 · Long multi-step process2 workflows × 250 runs × 12 steps after the trigger | $129/moProfessional · 6,000 tasks | $12/moCore · 6,500 credits | €20/moStarter · 500 executions |
| W4 · High-volume simple sync3 workflows × 2,000 runs × 1 step after the trigger | $129/moProfessional · 6,000 tasks | Not verifiable12,000 credits | €50/moPro · 6,000 executions |
| W5 · Multi-client operations6 workflows × 300 runs × 4 steps after the trigger | $129/moProfessional · 7,200 tasks | $12/moCore · 9,000 credits | €20/moStarter · 1,800 executions |
Per month, billed annually, in the currency each vendor publishes; never converted. “Not verifiable” means the Price Index holds no price for that volume, so we show none. Prices last verified .
Price your own workflow
How each vendor counts this workload
Zapier tasks, Make credits and n8n executions are different units. Here is how we translate 5 workflows × 200 runs × 3 action steps into each one. It is an approximation: change any per-run figure if you know your real usage.
Zapier: tasks
Each successful action step uses 1 task. Trigger steps never use tasks, and neither do Filter or Paths steps or built-in tools such as Formatter and Delay.
Default: action steps per run (the trigger is free).
3,000 tasks a month
- AI by Zapier and Code by Zapier steps can use more than 1 task; a Zapier MCP tool call uses 2.
- Steps that error, halt or are skipped by a filter use no tasks, so real usage can be lower.
Sources, read Oct 17, 2026: Zapier: How is task usage measured; Zapier pricing
Make: credits
Each module run is one operation, and for non-AI apps 1 operation uses 1 credit. The trigger runs once per scenario run; each later module runs once per bundle it processes. Routers and error handlers use none.
Default: action modules per run + 1 for the trigger.
4,000 credits a month
- A polling trigger uses a credit on every check, even when it finds nothing new, so frequent schedules add credits.
- A module that handles several bundles in one run (rows, emails, files) uses a credit per bundle.
- Make AI features can use extra credits based on tokens.
Sources, read Oct 17, 2026: Make Help Center: Operations; Make Help Center: Credits; Make pricing
n8n: executions
One execution is one full run of a workflow, however many steps it has or however much data it processes.
Default: 1 per workflow run, whatever the step count.
1,000 executions a month
- If your workflows start other workflows, check how n8n counts those runs before relying on this figure.
Sources, read Oct 17, 2026: n8n pricing
Cost side by side (billed annually)
Zapier
MakeLowest cost
n8n
Make is cheapest among the USD-priced options, billed annually. n8n is priced in another currency and is not ranked against them; we never convert currencies.
Plain link to Make's pricing page. We have no affiliate relationship with Make.
Assumptions
- Every price and limit comes from the Vetted SaaS Price Index; each column links its source and verification date.
- Each vendor is quoted at its cheapest plan that fits the mapped usage, users, active workflows and steps.
- Amounts stay in the currency each vendor published. We only rank vendors priced in the same currency.
- “A year” figures are 12 × the monthly price. Overage and add-ons are not included.
- n8n is quoted on its Cloud plans; self-hosting costs depend on your own setup (see the n8n cost calculator).
Editorial analysis
Choose what to test first
Pilot Zapier when
Your first priority is connecting particular business apps through triggers and actions. Verify required actions and plan gates before judging setup effort.
Pilot question: Can a colleague maintain the workflow and diagnose a failed run?
Pilot Make when
You want to inspect branching routes on a canvas. Model actual module and AI credit consumption before deciding it costs less.
Pilot question: What happens to credits when one input produces many output records?
Pilot n8n when
Self-hosting or code/API steps are a requirement worth evaluating. Check edition limits and assign an operator if you host it yourself.
Pilot question: Who owns upgrades, backups and recovery, and which paid controls do you need?
Before switching
Run a representative input, a duplicate and a deliberate failure. Record usage, recovery steps and maintenance time. For AI, compare output quality on the same sample and keep a human approval step where a wrong action matters. No reliability, speed or ease-of-use ranking has been tested here.
Sources and evidence limits
All sources are vendor publications. Capability pages were reviewed on September 27, 2026; pricing pages were rechecked on October 20, 2026. They establish documented availability, not independent performance. Integration counts use each vendor’s definition. Paid plan selectors can change displayed prices. No authenticated product sessions, reliability benchmarks or screenshot captures were performed.