Pick Zapier if you want the easiest setup and the biggest app library. Pick Make if you want a visual builder with the best price-to-volume value. Pick n8n if you're technical or partner with someone who is and want the cheapest option at high volume, with self-hosting and full data control.
The short version
All three move data between your apps automatically: a new lead triggers an email, a paid invoice updates your CRM, a form fills a spreadsheet. The big difference is how they bill and how much control you get. Zapier charges per task (each successful action step), Make charges per credit (roughly per module run), and n8n charges per execution (one whole workflow run, no matter how many steps), per its own docs.
2026 pricing and fit, side by side
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per task (each action step) | Per credit (~per module run) | Per execution (whole workflow run) |
| Entry paid plan | Pro ~$19.99/mo annual ($29.99 monthly), 750 tasks (Activepieces, No Code MBA) | Core ~$9/mo, 10,000 credits (Zapier blog, Lindy) | Cloud Starter ~€20/mo annual, 2,500 executions (n8n.io) |
| Free tier | 100 tasks/mo, two-step Zaps (Activepieces) | 1,000 credits/mo, 2 active scenarios (Zapier blog) | Free self-hosted Community Edition, unlimited runs (n8n.io) |
| Self-hosting | No (cloud only) | No (cloud only) | Yes, open-source, on your own server (Zapier blog) |
| Integrations | 8,000+ apps (Zapier blog) | ~1,500 apps (Zapier blog) | ~1,000 native, plus custom code (Zapier blog) |
| Best for | Fastest setup, least technical | Best value, visual power | High volume, data control, technical teams |
Which one should you pick
- Pick Zapier if you're non-technical and want to be live in minutes; its linear builder and AI Copilot are the easiest to learn, but task billing gets expensive as you scale (Zapier blog).
- Pick Make if you want a powerful visual canvas and the gentlest cost per run at volume; the trade-off is a steeper learning curve than Zapier.
- Pick n8n if you (or a partner) are technical and want the cheapest option at scale: self-hosted Community Edition runs unlimited workflows on a small server for roughly a few dollars a month (n8n.io), with full data control for GDPR/HIPAA-sensitive work.
- Watch the billing math: a 20-step workflow costs 20 tasks on Zapier but a single execution on n8n, which is why complex automations get dramatically cheaper on n8n (n8n.io).
What about AI?
All three added AI in 2026. Zapier ships Zapier Copilot and AI Agents for no-code AI steps. Make builds AI into scenarios via its Maia assistant. n8n leans furthest into AI agents with native LangChain integration and self-hosted LLM support (Digidop, Zapier blog). For most small businesses the deciding factor is still pricing and ease, not the AI label.