Zapier vs n8n vs Make: The Ultimate Automation Platform Comparison

Choosing the right workflow automation platform can make or break your productivity. With so many options available, the three platforms that consistently rise to the top are Zapier, n8n, and Make (formerly Integromat).

In this comprehensive guide, we'll compare these three automation powerhouses across every dimension that matters: pricing, features, ease of use, integrations, and more.

Quick Summary

Feature	Zapier	n8n	Make
Best For	Beginners, non-technical users	Developers, self-hosting	Power users, complex workflows
Pricing	$$ - $$$	$ (self-hosted) or $$ (cloud)	$$
Integrations	5,000+	400+	1,500+
Learning Curve	Easy	Medium	Medium-Hard
Self-Hosting	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No
Visual Editor	Linear	Node-based	Visual scenarios
Open Source	❌ No	✅ Yes	❌ No
Free Plan	Limited (100 tasks/month)	✅ Yes (self-hosted)	Limited (1,000 ops/month)

Platform Overview

Zapier: The Industry Standard

Founded: 2011 Users: 5+ million Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Zapier pioneered the automation-as-a-service model and remains the market leader. It's the most user-friendly option with the largest ecosystem of integrations.

Best for: Small businesses, marketers, non-technical users who want quick setup with minimal complexity.

n8n: The Open-Source Powerhouse

Founded: 2019 Users: 100,000+ Headquarters: Berlin, Germany

n8n is the new kid on the block that's rapidly gaining popularity among developers. It's the only truly open-source option that you can self-host for free.

Best for: Developers, data engineers, companies with strict data privacy requirements, teams wanting full customization.

Make (Integromat): The Visual Workflow Master

Founded: 2012 (Rebranded to Make in 2022) Users: 500,000+ Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic

Make offers the most sophisticated visual workflow editor with advanced features like routers, iterators, and aggregators.

Best for: Power users, operations teams, complex multi-step workflows with conditional logic.

Detailed Comparison

1. Pricing

Zapier

• Free: 100 tasks/month, 2-step Zaps
• Starter ($19.99/mo): 750 tasks/month, multi-step Zaps
• Professional ($49/mo): 2,000 tasks/month, premium apps, filters
• Team ($299/mo): 50,000 tasks/month, unlimited users
• Company ($599/mo): 100,000 tasks/month, advanced features

Verdict: Most expensive, but easiest to use. Costs can scale quickly with usage.

n8n

• Self-Hosted: FREE (unlimited workflows, you pay for server ~$5-20/mo)
• n8n Cloud - Starter ($20/mo): 2,500 executions/month
• n8n Cloud - Pro ($50/mo): 10,000 executions/month
• n8n Cloud - Enterprise: Custom pricing

Verdict: Most cost-effective, especially for high-volume workflows. Self-hosting is truly unlimited.

Make

• Free: 1,000 operations/month, 15-minute intervals
• Core ($9/mo): 10,000 operations/month, 5-minute intervals
• Pro ($16/mo): 10,000 operations/month, 1-minute intervals
• Teams ($29/mo): 10,000 operations/month, team features
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Verdict: Middle ground on pricing. Good value for medium-complexity workflows.

2. Integrations

Zapier: 5,000+ Apps

• Strengths: Largest integration library, including niche apps
• Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Gmail, Slack, Airtable, Notion
• Custom: API webhooks, JavaScript code steps

n8n: 400+ Nodes

• Strengths: Growing library, all popular tools covered, VERY easy to add custom nodes
• Examples: Slack, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, AWS, OpenAI
• Custom: HTTP Request node, custom JavaScript/Python nodes, open-source contributions

Make: 1,500+ Apps

• Strengths: Balance between quantity and quality, deep integrations
• Examples: Airtable, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Shopify
• Custom: HTTP modules, custom apps, webhooks

Winner: Zapier for breadth, n8n for customization, Make for depth.

3. Workflow Editor

Zapier: Linear Steps

Trigger → Action → Action → Action

• Pros: Simple, intuitive, minimal learning curve
• Cons: Limited for complex logic, no branching

n8n: Node-Based Canvas

[Trigger] → [Process] → [Conditional]
              ↓             ↓
           [Action A]   [Action B]

• Pros: Visual, flexible, supports branching and merging
• Cons: Can get messy with large workflows

Make: Scenario Builder

[Trigger] → [Router] → [Path 1: Filter + Actions]
                    → [Path 2: Iterator + Loop]
                    → [Path 3: Aggregator + Merge]

• Pros: Most powerful, supports advanced patterns
• Cons: Steeper learning curve

Winner: n8n for visual clarity, Make for power users, Zapier for simplicity.

4. Developer Experience

Zapier

• Code steps available in paid plans
• Limited debugging capabilities
• No version control
• No local development

Score: 5/10

n8n

• Full JavaScript/Python code nodes
• Built-in expression editor
• Git version control (workflows as JSON)
• Local development environment
• Self-hosted = full database access
• Extensive API

Score: 10/10

Make

• JavaScript functions available
• Good debugging tools
• Limited version control
• No local development

Score: 7/10

Winner: n8n by a landslide for developers.

5. Key Features Comparison

Feature	Zapier	n8n	Make
Branching/Conditional Logic	Limited	✅ Yes	✅ Advanced
Error Handling	Basic	✅ Advanced	✅ Advanced
Scheduling	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Webhooks	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Data Transformation	Basic	✅ Advanced	✅ Advanced
Loops/Iterations	Limited	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Database Integration	Limited	✅ Direct SQL	Limited
API Rate Limit Handling	Basic	✅ Advanced	✅ Advanced
Multi-User Collaboration	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Version History	Limited	✅ Yes (Git)	✅ Yes
A/B Testing	❌ No	✅ Yes	Limited
Custom Nodes/Apps	❌ No	✅ Yes	Limited

6. Self-Hosting & Data Privacy

Zapier

• ❌ Cloud-only
• Data passes through Zapier servers
• SOC 2 Type II certified

n8n

• ✅ Self-hosting available
• Data stays on your infrastructure
• Full control over security
• Cloud option also available

Make

• ❌ Cloud-only
• Data passes through Make servers
• ISO 27001 certified

Winner: n8n for data privacy and control.

Use Case Recommendations

Choose Zapier If:

• ✅ You're non-technical or just getting started
• ✅ You need a specific niche integration
• ✅ You want the fastest setup time
• ✅ You prefer paying for simplicity
• ✅ Your workflows are relatively simple (< 5 steps)

Example User: Marketing manager connecting Mailchimp to Google Sheets

Choose n8n If:

• ✅ You're a developer or have technical skills
• ✅ You need data privacy/control
• ✅ You want to customize and extend
• ✅ You have high-volume workflows
• ✅ You want to self-host
• ✅ Budget is a concern

Example User: DevOps engineer automating deployment pipelines

Choose Make If:

• ✅ You need complex multi-path workflows
• ✅ You want advanced data transformation
• ✅ You need visual flow debugging
• ✅ You're comfortable with moderate complexity
• ✅ You need advanced error handling

Example User: Operations manager building complex order processing workflows

The Verdict

There's no one-size-fits-all winner. Here's our final recommendation:

🥇 Best Overall: n8n

For developers and teams that value control, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. The self-hosting option and open-source nature make it the most future-proof choice.

🥈 Best for Beginners: Zapier

If you're non-technical and want to get started quickly, Zapier's simplicity and vast integration library are unbeatable.

🥉 Best for Power Users: Make

For complex workflows with advanced logic, Make's visual scenario builder offers the perfect balance of power and usability.

Get Started

Ready to start automating? Here's how to get started with each platform:

Try n8n

1. Self-host with Docker
2. Or sign up for n8n Cloud
3. Install nodes for your apps
4. Build your first workflow
5. Join House of Loops for n8n tutorials and community support

Try Zapier

1. Sign up for free account
2. Browse Zap templates
3. Connect your first two apps
4. Test and activate

Try Make

1. Sign up for free account
2. Browse scenario templates
3. Create your first scenario
4. Test and schedule

Additional Resources

• n8n Official Docs
• Zapier Help Center
• Make Academy
• House of Loops Community – Get help choosing and learning automation tools

Conclusion

Each platform has its strengths:

• Zapier = Simplicity and breadth
• n8n = Flexibility and cost
• Make = Power and sophistication

Your choice should depend on your technical skill level, budget, workflow complexity, and data privacy requirements.

For most developers and startups, n8n offers the best long-term value. For non-technical teams, Zapier is still the easiest entry point. For complex enterprise workflows, Make provides the most sophisticated tooling.

Still not sure? Join our House of Loops community where over 1,000 automation experts can help you choose the right tool for your specific use case!

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