Zapier vs Make vs n8n (2026)
Zapier Professional: $19.99/mo (750 tasks) with MCP for AI agents. Make Core: $12/mo (10K credits — raised from $9, credit model since Aug 2025). n8n: free self-hosted or $24/mo cloud. Filters/Paths don’t count toward Zapier tasks.
Make transitioned to credit-based billing in Aug 2025 — Core is now $12/mo (was $9), Pro $21/mo, Teams $38/mo. Zapier added MCP (Model Context Protocol) — AI tools like Claude can now trigger Zaps directly. Zapier Filters, Paths, and Formatter no longer count as tasks (huge change for complex flows). Make AI Agents included on all paid plans. n8n added AI sub-workflow nodes and native vector database support.
- Zapier — Best for beginners and AI agent integration. Free: 100 tasks/month. Professional $19.99/mo (750 tasks). 7,000+ app integrations. MCP for Claude/ChatGPT. Filters/Paths free. Best reliability and broadest app coverage.
- Make — Best value for complex visual workflows. Free: 1,000 credits/month. Core $12/mo (10K credits). Visual canvas builder — unlimited modules per scenario. AI Agents on all paid plans. Significantly cheaper than Zapier at scale.
- n8n — Best for developers needing code control and self-hosting. Free self-hosted (unlimited). Cloud Starter $24/mo (2,500 executions). Open-source, extensible, AI sub-workflows. Runs on your own server for near-zero variable cost.
| Your Situation | Best Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You are a non-developer wanting automation in under an hour | Zapier | 7,000+ app integrations, easiest setup, best documentation |
| You need complex conditional logic and visual workflow maps | Make | Visual canvas builder, unlimited modules, unlimited routes |
| You are a developer who wants full code control + self-hosting | n8n | Open-source, free self-hosted, JavaScript in workflows, most flexible |
| You want AI agents to trigger your automations | Zapier (MCP) | Zapier MCP lets Claude/ChatGPT run Zaps directly via natural language |
| You saw Make listed at $9/month | Recheck pricing | Make Core is now $12/mo (credit model since August 2025) |
| You run hundreds of automations and need lowest cost | n8n self-hosted or Make | n8n self-hosted has no execution limits. Make is much cheaper than Zapier at volume. |
| You need the most app integrations (one specific app) | Zapier | 7,000+ apps — most extensive library. Make has 3,000+, n8n ~500 native nodes. |
Plan Cost Calculator
Select your plan tier for each tool. Zapier charges per task (action step). Make charges per credit (module step). n8n self-hosted is free; cloud charges per execution.
Zapier: Free (100 tasks) · Professional $19.99 (750 tasks) · Team $69 (2,000 tasks). Make (credit model, Aug 2025): Free (1K credits) · Core $12 (10K) · Pro $21 · Teams $38. n8n: Self-hosted free · Starter $24 (2.5K executions) · Pro $50. Annual billing. Verified May 2026.
Key Stats (May 2026)
At a Glance
Easiest no-code automation. 7,000+ app integrations. MCP for AI agents. Filters/Paths don’t count toward tasks. Free: 100 tasks/month.
- 7,000+ app integrations — largest library by far
- Easiest setup — 15 minutes to first automation for non-technical users
- Zapier MCP: AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT can trigger Zaps directly
- Filters, Paths, Formatter steps are free — don’t count toward task quota
- Tables + Forms included on all plans at no extra cost
- Best reliability and error handling — 99.99% uptime SLA on Enterprise
- Most expensive at scale — $19.99/mo for only 750 tasks (Professional)
- Linear step editor — complex branching logic harder to visualize than Make
- Zaps capped at 100 steps and 10 branches (Make has unlimited)
- Pay-per-task model means costs are unpredictable at high volumes
Best value for complex automation. Visual canvas builder. Core $12/mo (was $9 — credit model since Aug 2025). AI Agents on all paid plans.
- Visual canvas builder — drag-and-drop with real-time data flow animations
- Unlimited modules per scenario and unlimited routes (Zapier caps at 100 steps)
- Most cost-effective for complex, multi-step workflows at scale
- Make AI Agents included on all paid plans — use your own AI provider API key
- Free plan: 1,000 credits/month (10x Zapier’s free tier)
- 3,000+ app integrations — smaller than Zapier but covers most use cases
- Core raised from $9 to $12/mo (August 2025 credit model transition)
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier for beginners
- Credit counting per module step can be confusing to predict costs
- Fewer app integrations than Zapier (3,000 vs 7,000+)
Best for developers. Open-source, free self-hosted, code in workflows. Cloud Starter $24/mo (2,500 executions). AI sub-workflows and vector DB support.
- Free self-hosted — run on $5–20/mo VPS with unlimited executions
- JavaScript/Python code nodes — write custom logic directly in workflows
- Open-source — full codebase visibility, community extensions, self-hosted data privacy
- AI sub-workflow nodes, native vector database support (Pinecone, Weaviate, etc.)
- ~500 native integrations + HTTP request node for any REST API
- Fair-code license — free for self-hosted, paid plans for cloud or commercial use
- Requires technical skills to self-host and maintain (server setup, updates, monitoring)
- Cloud plans ($24–$50/mo) are more expensive relative to feature set vs Make
- Smaller integration library (~500 native) — HTTP node bridges gaps but requires more work
- Less beginner-friendly — steeper setup curve than Zapier or Make
At-a-Glance Scorecard
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ⚡ 100 tasks/month | ✓ 1,000 credits/month (10x Zapier) | ✓ Unlimited (self-hosted) |
| Entry paid price | Professional $19.99/mo (750 tasks) | ✓ Core $12/mo (10K credits) — was $9 | Cloud Starter $24/mo (2.5K executions) |
| App integrations | ✓ 7,000+ — best coverage | 3,000+ | ~500 native + any REST API |
| Visual builder | ⚡ Linear list-based editor | ✓ Visual canvas with animations | ⚡ Node-based (good for devs) |
| Code in workflows | ⚡ Code step (limited) | ⚡ Limited code support | ✓ Full JS/Python nodes |
| Self-hosting | ✗ Cloud only | ✗ Cloud only | ✓ Free self-hosted on your server |
| AI agent integration | ✓ Zapier MCP — Claude/ChatGPT triggers | ✓ Make AI Agents (all paid plans) | ✓ AI sub-workflows, vector DB |
| Max steps per workflow | ⚡ 100 steps, 10 branches | ✓ Unlimited modules + routes | ✓ Unlimited nodes |
Verified Pricing (May 2026)
Key 2026 correction: Make transitioned to credit-based billing in August 2025. Core plan is now $12/month (was $9). Any guide showing Make Core at $9/month uses pre-August 2025 pricing. Zapier added MCP (Model Context Protocol) — AI tools can now trigger Zaps directly. Zapier Filters, Paths, and Formatter steps no longer count toward task quotas.
| Plan | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 tasks/month · unlimited Zaps · 1 user · 15-min polling | 1,000 credits/month · unlimited scenarios · 15-min min interval | Unlimited (self-hosted) · or Cloud trial · 2 active workflows on cloud free |
| Entry paid | Professional $19.99/mo — 750 tasks · multi-step Zaps · Filters free · Tables + Forms included | ✓ Core $12/mo (was $9) — 10,000 credits · unlimited active scenarios · API access | Cloud Starter $24/mo — 2,500 executions/month · unlimited workflows |
| Mid tier | Team $69/mo — 2,000 tasks · 25 users · SAML SSO · shared workspace | Pro $21/mo — 10,000 credits · priority execution · custom variables · full execution logs | Pro $50/mo — 10,000 executions · custom variables · debug mode |
| Advanced | Enterprise — custom · unlimited users · audit logs · technical account manager | Teams $38/mo — 10,000 credits · team roles · team workspace · shared scenarios | Enterprise — custom · SSO · SLA · on-prem option |
| Watch out for | Zapier tasks add up fast at scale — each action step uses one task. Multi-step Zaps with 5 actions per run that trigger 200 times/month = 1,000 tasks/month (above Professional limit). Pay-per-task billing exists at 1.25x task cost for overages. MCP calls use 2 tasks each. | Make Core raised from $9 to $12/month in August 2025 credit model transition — any guide showing $9 is outdated. Credits per scenario vary by module complexity — some AI modules consume multiple credits per run. Extra credits cost 25% above plan rate when auto-purchased. | Self-hosted is free but requires VPS setup, maintenance, updates, and monitoring. Cloud plans ($24–50/mo) don't include self-hosting benefits. n8n fair-code license: free for personal/internal use; commercial production use on self-hosted requires Enterprise license for larger teams. |
The Full Picture
Zapier — Easiest Automation + AI Agent Infrastructure
Zapier remains the dominant automation platform by user count because it has the lowest barrier to entry and the broadest app coverage. With 7,000+ integrations, nearly any business application a team uses has a native Zapier connector maintained by Zapier’s team as APIs evolve. For non-technical users who need to connect their CRM to their email tool to their Slack channel, Zapier is typically functional in under 15 minutes.
The 2026 updates that matter most: Zapier MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT trigger Zaps directly through natural language — positioning Zapier as the automation layer beneath AI agent workflows. One MCP call uses 2 tasks from your quota. Additionally, Filters, Paths, and Formatter steps are now free — they no longer count toward task quotas. This is significant for complex workflows that previously consumed tasks on logic steps rather than actual work.
The cost constraint remains real. At Professional ($19.99/month, 750 tasks), a business running 10 Zaps with 5 actions each that trigger 200 times/month would use 10,000 tasks — far above the plan limit. Make or n8n handle equivalent volume at a fraction of the cost. Zapier’s value proposition is ease-of-use and integration breadth, not price efficiency at scale.
Make — Visual Canvas for Complex Workflows, Now Credit-Based
Make (formerly Integromat) is the best choice when automation complexity exceeds what Zapier’s linear list editor handles gracefully. The visual scenario builder displays every module, route, and connection on a canvas with real-time data flow animations — giving a glass-box view into even the most complex logic. Unlimited modules per scenario and unlimited routes mean there’s no architectural ceiling. Zapier caps Zaps at 100 steps and 10 branches; Make has neither limit.
Credit model change (August 2025): Make transitioned from “operations” to “credits” as its billing unit. This affected pricing: Core moved from $9 to $12/month, Pro from $16 to $21/month. Any guide showing Make Core at $9/month is outdated. The credit model is more nuanced — most modules consume one credit, but AI toolkit features and high-volume data processing can consume more. Extra credits auto-purchased when you exceed limits cost 25% above your plan rate.
Make AI Agents are now included on all paid plans. With the ability to connect your own API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, or other providers, paid Make users can build agentic workflows without paying Make for AI model costs separately. This makes Make a compelling option for teams building AI-heavy automations where Zapier’s AI features would be significantly more expensive.
n8n — Developer-Grade Automation with Free Self-Hosting
n8n occupies a uniquely powerful position: it’s genuinely free to self-host with no execution limits. For a developer willing to set up a $5–20/month VPS, install n8n, and maintain the server, the automation cost approaches zero regardless of workflow volume. JavaScript and Python code nodes allow arbitrary custom logic directly within workflows — something neither Zapier nor Make supports at the same depth. This makes n8n the right choice for workflows that require custom business logic, data transformations, or API calls that no native integration covers.
2026 additions: n8n added AI sub-workflow nodes (trigger AI agents as sub-processes within larger automations), native vector database integrations (Pinecone, Weaviate, Qdrant), and improved error handling. The fair-code license allows free personal and internal business use when self-hosted — commercial production use at scale typically requires an Enterprise license, which is worth checking if you’re a larger organization.
n8n Cloud plans ($24/month for 2,500 executions, $50/month for 10,000) are available for teams that don’t want to manage their own infrastructure. At these price points, Make is often more cost-efficient unless you specifically need n8n’s code node capabilities or the option to migrate to self-hosted later without workflow re-building.
Who Should Use Each Tool?
Choose Zapier if…
- You are non-technical and want automation running in under an hour
- You need a specific app that only Zapier has (7,000+ integrations)
- AI agent integration (Zapier MCP with Claude/ChatGPT) is a priority
- Your automation volume is low (<1,000 tasks/month on Professional)
- Reliability and 24/7 support matter more than lowest cost
Choose Make if…
- You have complex, multi-branch workflows that Zapier’s linear editor can’t handle cleanly
- High automation volume where Make’s credit pricing is much cheaper than Zapier
- You want AI Agents with your own provider API key on a paid plan
- Team collaboration on automation scenarios is required
- Visual clarity of data flow is important for your team to understand workflows
Choose n8n if…
- You are a developer comfortable setting up and maintaining a server
- Custom JavaScript or Python logic is required in your automations
- Data privacy matters — self-hosted keeps data on your own infrastructure
- High execution volume where self-hosted zero variable cost makes sense
- Open-source codebase and community extensions are important
Best Tool by Use Case
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Make Core raised from $9 to $12/month (August 2025)
Make transitioned to a credit-based model in August 2025. The Core plan moved from $9 to $12/month. Pro from $16 to $21. Teams from $29 to $38. Any comparison guide or pricing page showing $9 for Make Core is using pre-August 2025 pricing. Always verify at make.com/en/pricing before budgeting.
Zapier task costs scale unexpectedly at high volume
Zapier Professional ($19.99/mo) includes 750 tasks. Each action step in a Zap uses one task. A 5-action Zap that triggers 200 times per month uses 1,000 tasks — above the Professional limit. Pay-per-task billing kicks in at 1.25x the plan’s per-task cost. Monitor your task usage carefully, especially when launching new Zaps targeting high-volume triggers.
Make credits vary by module complexity
Most Make modules consume one credit per data bundle processed. However, some AI toolkit features, modules processing multiple bundles, and high-complexity operations consume multiple credits per run. Auto-purchasing extra credits costs 25% above your plan rate. Build a buffer into your plan selection by monitoring credit usage in the first month before committing to annual billing.
n8n self-hosting requires real technical maintenance
n8n self-hosting is free, but “free” understates the real cost: VPS ($5–20/month), time spent on initial setup (~2–4 hours), handling n8n updates (monthly), monitoring uptime, and debugging server issues. For non-technical users, n8n cloud at $24/month is the right option. Self-hosting pays off at moderate-to-high volume for developers who can handle the overhead.
Zapier MCP calls use 2 tasks each
When an AI tool like Claude or ChatGPT triggers a Zapier automation via MCP, each MCP call consumes 2 tasks from your Zapier quota. For workflows where AI agents trigger Zaps frequently, this can exhaust task budgets faster than expected. Factor MCP call volume into your task estimation when building AI-powered automation systems.
n8n fair-code license has commercial restrictions
n8n uses a “fair-code” license (Sustainable Use License). Free for personal use and internal business use when self-hosted. However, building commercial products or services powered by n8n, or operating it as a service, requires an Enterprise license. Most self-hosted business users are fine under the free license, but review the license terms at n8n.io/legal if you are building a customer-facing product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zapier or Make cheaper?
What is Make’s credit-based pricing?
Is n8n really free?
What is Zapier MCP?
Can n8n replace Zapier?
Ready to Choose Your Automation Tool?
All three offer free starting points. Zapier and Make have free plans. n8n is free to self-host. Make Core: $12/mo (not $9 — updated August 2025).