Zapier is easier. n8n is usually cheaper once workflows get long or busy. Both need someone to keep them running.
What do Zapier and n8n do?
Both connect the apps you already use so work moves between them on its own. You set a starting event, like “a new form is submitted”, and the steps that follow, like “add them to my spreadsheet, email them and text me”.
Zapier calls each of these a Zap. n8n calls it a workflow. The idea is the same; the difference is how you build them and how you pay.
Zapier vs n8n at a glance
| Zapier | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Simple automations between popular apps, set up quickly | Longer or busier workflows, and people comfortable with a more technical tool |
| How you pay | Per task: each action step that runs | Per execution: one full run of a workflow, however many steps |
| Free option | Free plan: 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only | Community Edition, which you install and run on your own server |
| Paid plans from | US$19.99 a month, billed yearly | €20 a month, billed yearly (n8n Cloud) |
| Hosting | Zapier runs it for you | n8n Cloud, or host it yourself |
| Learning curve | Gentle | Steeper, more control |
Checked 30 October 2026 on zapier.com/pricing and n8n.io/pricing.
How much do Zapier and n8n cost?
Zapier
- Free: 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps (one trigger, one action).
- Professional: from US$19.99 a month billed yearly. Adds multi-step Zaps, premium apps and webhooks (a way for apps without a ready-made connection to send data in).
- Team: from US$69 a month billed yearly, for up to 25 users with shared Zaps and connections.
- Enterprise: priced on request.
A task is counted each time a step successfully does something for you. The starting trigger doesn’t use tasks, and nor do Zapier’s built-in tools like Formatter and Filter. If you hit your limit, Zapier switches you to pay-as-you-go unless you turn that off or move to a bigger plan.
n8n
- Starter: €20 a month billed yearly, 2,500 workflow executions.
- Pro: €50 a month billed yearly, 10,000 workflow executions.
- Business: €667 a month billed yearly, for self-hosted set-ups.
- Community Edition: free to self-host. n8n’s documentation says that without a licence key, n8n runs as the free Community edition. You pay for the server and the time to look after it.
An execution is one full run of a workflow, however many steps it has.
A worked example
Say every new website enquiry should be added to a spreadsheet, added to your customer list, sent a reply email and texted to you. That’s one trigger and four actions.
With 300 enquiries a month, Zapier counts about 1,200 tasks (4 actions × 300). That’s well past the free plan and the smallest paid tier. n8n counts 300 executions, inside its Starter plan. The longer the workflow, the bigger that gap gets.
Prices checked 30 October 2026 on zapier.com/pricing and n8n.io/pricing, and docs.n8n.io/hosting for the Community edition. Zapier prices are in US dollars and n8n’s in euros; neither figure includes GST. Some Zapier actions, such as AI steps, can use more than one task.
Which is easier to use?
Zapier. It walks you through each step in plain language and has ready-made connections for a long list of well-known apps. Most owners can build a simple Zap in an afternoon.
n8n shows your workflow as boxes on a canvas and gives you more control: branches, loops, custom code and your own server. That power comes with a steeper learning curve, and a mistake can be harder to find.
Is self-hosting n8n worth it?
Only if you or someone on your team is comfortable running a server. Self-hosting means installing it, keeping it updated, backing it up, keeping it secure and noticing when it stops. If none of that sounds appealing, n8n Cloud or Zapier is the better choice.
What are the alternatives to Zapier?
- n8n, covered above.
- Make, another visual tool for connecting apps.
- Microsoft Power Automate, worth a look if your business already runs on Microsoft 365.
- The automations built into your software. Many CRMs and booking systems can send reminders and follow-ups on their own. Check what you already pay for first.
- Having it built for you, below.
When should you have it built for you?
When the automation touches customers or money, when a silent failure would cost you jobs, or when you notice you’re spending weekends fixing Zaps. Those are the cases where a broken step matters more than the monthly fee.
We pick whatever suits the job and often build the automation straight into your customer system, so enquiries, follow-ups and reminders live in one place and there’s one less subscription to manage. Builds start from $2,975 with a fixed quote, and we look after them when something changes.
