n8n vs Make vs Zapier: The Definitive 2025 Comparison Guide

Choosing an automation platform is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make for your operations. The wrong choice means hitting limitations just when you need to scale, or paying premium prices for features you'll never use. We've built extensively on all three major platforms—here's what you actually need to know.

The Quick Verdict

Zapier is best for: Non-technical users who need simple automations between popular apps. Maximum ease of use, minimum flexibility. Make (formerly Integromat) is best for: Power users who need visual workflow design with more complexity than Zapier allows, at a lower price point. n8n is best for: Technical teams who need unlimited customization, self-hosting options, or want to avoid per-task pricing entirely.

But the right choice depends on your specific situation. Let's dig deeper.

Pricing: The Real Numbers

Zapier Pricing

Zapier charges by 'tasks'—each action in a workflow counts as one task. Free tier: 100 tasks/month with single-step Zaps only. Starter ($19.99/mo): 750 tasks, multi-step Zaps. Professional ($49/mo): 2,000 tasks, advanced features. Team ($69/mo per user): Shared workspaces, advanced admin. Company: Custom pricing for enterprises.

The hidden cost: Zapier's task model can get expensive fast. A 5-step workflow processing 1,000 items uses 5,000 tasks. Many businesses start with Zapier's free tier, then face sticker shock as automation usage grows. At scale, costs can easily exceed $500-1000/month.

Make (Integromat) Pricing

Make charges by 'operations' (similar to tasks) but at much lower rates. Free tier: 1,000 operations/month. Core ($9/mo): 10,000 operations. Pro ($16/mo): 10,000 operations + advanced features. Teams ($29/mo): Collaboration features. Enterprise: Custom pricing.

Make is typically 3-5x cheaper than Zapier for equivalent usage. The free tier alone is 10x more generous. For budget-conscious teams, this difference is substantial.

n8n Pricing

n8n offers two models: self-hosted (free forever) and cloud. Self-hosted: Completely free, unlimited workflows and executions. You pay only for hosting (can be as low as $5-20/month on a small VPS). n8n Cloud: Starts at $20/month for 2,500 executions, scales from there. Enterprise: Custom pricing with SSO, advanced security.

For teams with technical capability, self-hosted n8n is unbeatable. You can run millions of automations per month for the cost of a small server. The trade-off is maintenance responsibility and setup complexity.

Ease of Use

Zapier: The Simplest Option

Zapier pioneered the 'trigger + action' model that made automation accessible to non-developers. Its interface is intentionally simple: pick a trigger app, choose an event, pick an action app, map the fields. Done. Most people can build their first Zap in under 10 minutes.

The limitation: Simplicity comes at the cost of power. Complex logic, loops, error handling, and data transformation require workarounds or aren't possible at all. Power users often feel constrained.

Make: Visual Power

Make uses a visual canvas where you can see your entire workflow as connected nodes. This makes complex workflows more understandable and enables features like branching logic, loops, and error routing that Zapier can't match. Learning curve is steeper—expect 2-4 hours to feel comfortable—but the payoff is significantly more capability.

Make includes excellent built-in functions for data transformation, making it possible to manipulate text, dates, and numbers without external tools. The visual approach also makes debugging easier—you can see exactly where data flows and where it breaks.

n8n: Developer-Friendly Flexibility

n8n is the most powerful and the least approachable for non-technical users. The interface is similar to Make—visual nodes on a canvas—but n8n exposes more complexity. You can write custom JavaScript, create your own nodes, access raw HTTP requests, and integrate with virtually anything.

For developers, n8n is a dream. For marketing managers who just want to sync leads between tools, it's overkill. The learning curve is 4-8+ hours to basic proficiency, and mastery takes ongoing practice.

Integrations and Capabilities

Zapier leads with 6,000+ app integrations—virtually every SaaS tool you've heard of has a Zapier connector. Make has 1,500+ integrations covering most popular tools. n8n has 400+ built-in nodes, plus the ability to connect to literally anything via HTTP requests or custom code.

Raw integration count is misleading, though. What matters is whether the tools YOU use are supported. Zapier's breadth wins if you use niche apps. Make and n8n cover mainstream tools just as well. And n8n's ability to connect to any API means 'integration count' is really unlimited for technical users.

Advanced Features Comparison

Error handling: Zapier is basic (retry or stop). Make has sophisticated error routes. n8n offers complete control including custom error workflows. Loops and iterations: Zapier requires workarounds. Make and n8n handle loops natively. Conditional logic: All three support if/then, but Make and n8n allow much more complex branching. Data transformation: Zapier relies on Formatter steps. Make has excellent built-in functions. n8n can run arbitrary JavaScript.

Version control: Only n8n (with Git integration for self-hosted). API access: Make and n8n have robust APIs; Zapier's is limited. AI capabilities: All three now offer AI features, but n8n's integration with LangChain for building AI agents is most advanced.

Our Recommendations by Use Case

Solo entrepreneur or small team with simple needs: Start with Zapier. You'll outgrow it eventually, but the learning curve is minimal and you can get value immediately. Growing business with moderate complexity: Make offers the best balance of power and usability. You'll save money versus Zapier while gaining significant capability.

Technical team or agency: n8n is the clear winner. Self-hosting eliminates per-execution costs entirely, and the flexibility is unmatched. Companies with compliance requirements: n8n self-hosted keeps all data on your infrastructure—critical for HIPAA, GDPR, or security-conscious industries.

Making the Transition

Already using one platform and considering a switch? The most common migration paths we see: Zapier → Make (for cost savings and more power), Zapier → n8n (for technical teams hitting limits), Make → n8n (for self-hosting or advanced customization).

Migration isn't trivial—workflows don't transfer automatically between platforms. Budget 2-4 hours per complex workflow for recreation and testing. But if you're hitting platform limits or facing unsustainable costs, migration pays off quickly.

Need help choosing or implementing the right platform? We work with all three and can recommend the best fit based on your specific requirements. Book a free consultation to discuss your automation needs.