Zapier, Make, and n8n are the three main workflow automation platforms. Here's a definitive three-way comparison with a clear recommendation for each type of business.
Zapier, Make, and n8n cover the same fundamental need — automating workflows between apps — but they are built around different assumptions about who is using them, how complex their needs are, and how much they want to pay.
Here is the definitive three-way comparison.
Zapier — easiest to start, most expensive at scale, 6,000+ integrations, cloud-only, no code.
Make — better capability than Zapier, cheaper, cloud-only, no code, visual canvas.
n8n — most powerful, cheapest at volume, self-hostable, supports code, best AI integration.
| | Zapier | Make | n8n (self-hosted) | n8n.cloud | |---|---|---|---|---| | Free tier | 100 tasks/mo | 1,000 ops/mo | Unlimited (server cost ~$8/mo) | Limited | | Entry paid | $20/mo (750 tasks) | $9/mo (10,000 ops) | Server cost only | ~$20/mo | | At 10,000 tasks/mo | $49–$69/mo | $9–$16/mo | ~$8–15/mo | ~$20/mo | | At 100,000 tasks/mo | $400+/mo | $29–$99/mo | ~$15–30/mo (bigger server) | Custom |
The cost difference at volume is the clearest reason to choose n8n. At 10,000 automated tasks per month, Zapier costs 5–8x more than the alternatives.
Zapier handles linear workflows well. Trigger → one or more actions. It supports some branching (Paths) and filters, but complex conditional logic is awkward. No code support. AI integration is basic.
Make handles branching and routing better than Zapier. Its circular canvas makes data flow visible and complex scenarios more manageable. No code support. AI integration is functional but not deep.
n8n handles everything. Multi-branch routing, loops, error paths, parallel execution — all in a visual canvas. JavaScript and Python code runs natively inside workflows. AI nodes for OpenAI, Anthropic, and others are first-class features. LLM agents, RAG workflows, and complex AI decision trees are natural to build.
| | Zapier | Make | n8n | |---|---|---|---| | Native integrations | 6,000+ | 1,000+ | 400+ | | HTTP/custom API | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Mainstream tools | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Niche tools | More likely | Less likely | HTTP fallback |
Zapier's integration count advantage matters mainly for niche tools. For mainstream platforms — Google Workspace, HubSpot, Slack, Stripe, Shopify, Airtable, Notion — all three have coverage.
Zapier and Make are cloud-only. Your workflow data passes through their infrastructure.
n8n can be self-hosted. Your data stays on your server. For businesses in regulated industries or with strict data handling requirements, this is the deciding factor.
Choose Zapier if:
Choose Make if:
Choose n8n if:
The migration path most businesses follow: Start on Zapier's free tier. When you outgrow it (cost or capability), move priority workflows to Make or n8n.
WhatWill AI builds automation on n8n for Australian businesses. Book a discovery call — we will tell you what is worth automating and what to build it on.
Zapier is the easiest to start with — cloud-hosted, no-code, linear step-by-step builder, 6,000+ integrations, per-task pricing. Make is a step up in capability — cloud-hosted, no-code, visual canvas with better branching support, ~1,000 integrations, per-operation pricing that is cheaper than Zapier. n8n is the most powerful — can be self-hosted (free aside from server costs), supports JavaScript and Python code, deep AI integration, 400+ native integrations plus HTTP for anything else.
Self-hosted n8n is the cheapest at any meaningful volume — you pay only server costs ($5–15/month) regardless of task count. Make is the cheapest cloud option. Zapier is the most expensive, particularly as volume grows. All three have free tiers.
n8n is significantly better for AI-powered automations. It has native nodes for major AI providers, supports agent-style LLM workflows, and allows code for custom AI logic. Make has AI integrations but they are more limited. Zapier's AI support is basic.
Zapier is worth it if you have a specific integration that only Zapier supports, need a completely no-code experience with no server management, or are automating simple two-step workflows at low volume. For anything beyond that, n8n (self-hosted or cloud) or Make are better value.
Yes, but there is no automatic migration — you rebuild your workflows in the new platform. For most businesses, this is a few hours of work for the most important automations. The cost savings typically justify the migration time within one or two billing cycles.
WhatWill AI builds and runs AI systems for Australian businesses. Book a free 30-minute discovery call — we’ll tell you exactly what’s worth building for your situation.