Automation · 2026
n8n·vs·Zapier
Two solid choices in automation. Here's how they stack up on pricing, fit, and trade-offs — so you can decide in a minute.
Reviewed by Switchpoint Editors ·
Take on n8n
Self-hosted n8n is genuinely the largest unlock per dollar in this category — $0 platform cost, unlimited workflows, and full data sovereignty. Cloud pricing is fair but loses the main argument. Don't pick n8n if your automation owner is a marketing ops person — pick Make.
Take on Zapier
Most teams pay 3-5x what they should on Zapier because they price by task, not by workflow complexity. Audit your top 10 Zaps — if any runs more than 1,000 times/month, Make pays for itself in a quarter. If you have a developer who'll own automation, n8n self-hosted is the largest unlock per dollar in this whole category.
Contender A
n8n
Fair-code automation you can self-host.
- Devs and ops teams who want unlimited runs at flat cost.
- Self-host free. Cloud from $20/mo.
Best for
Pricing
Pros
- Self-hostable
- Code nodes when you need them
Trade-offs
- More technical setup
Contender B
Zapier
No-code automation across thousands of apps.
- Non-technical teams stitching SaaS together.
- Free 100 tasks. Pro from $19.99/mo.
Best for
Pricing
Pros
- Largest app catalog
- Easiest learning curve
Trade-offs
- Task pricing punishes volume
- Limited conditional logic
The matrix
Side-by-side
Best for
n8n
Devs and ops teams who want unlimited runs at flat cost.
Zapier
Non-technical teams stitching SaaS together.
Pricing
n8n
Self-host free. Cloud from $20/mo.
Zapier
Free 100 tasks. Pro from $19.99/mo.
Top strength
n8n
Self-hostable
Zapier
Largest app catalog
Biggest trade-off
n8n
More technical setup
Zapier
Task pricing punishes volume
The verdict
Which should you pick?
Devs and ops teams who want unlimited runs at flat cost.
Non-technical teams stitching SaaS together.
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