| Feature | n8n | Zapier | Make.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Cloud or self-hosted | Cloud only | Cloud only |
| Ease of use | Medium (developer-friendly) | Easiest | Easy, visual |
| Complex logic | Excellent, supports code | Basic to moderate | Very good |
| Cost at high volume | Lowest when self-hosted | Highest | Moderate |
| App integrations | Hundreds + any API | Thousands | Thousands |
| AI / agents | Built-in AI agent nodes | Zapier AI & Agents | AI modules |
n8n
n8n is source-available and can run on your own server, so your data stays with you and costs stay predictable at high volume. It supports custom code and AI agent workflows, making it a favourite for technical teams.
Zapier
Zapier has the largest app library and the easiest setup. It is ideal for simple triggers and actions, but costs grow quickly as task volume and multi-step flows increase.
Make.com
Make offers a visual canvas for branching, loops and data transformation at a lower cost than Zapier. It is a strong middle ground for operations teams.
Our verdict
Choose Zapier for quick simple automations, Make for complex visual workflows on a budget, and n8n when you need self-hosting, data control or heavy volume. We build and maintain all three.
FAQs
Related: all AI tools we integrate · Cursor vs GitHub Copilot vs Claude Code
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