Key takeaways
- Zapier is the easiest to start with and has the largest app catalog; it bills by tasks.
- Make offers a visual scenario builder with more control over data flow, billed by operations or credits.
- n8n can be self-hosted, bills its cloud plans by workflow executions, and is popular for AI agent workflows and technical teams.
- Choose based on who builds the automations, data sensitivity, volume and complexity.
Workflow automation platforms connect apps without traditional development: when a form is submitted, create a CRM record, notify a channel and send an email. Zapier, Make and n8n are three of the most popular. They overlap a lot but differ in philosophy, pricing and control.
At a glance
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builder style | Linear steps, very approachable | Visual scenarios with branching and data mapping | Node-based workflows, developer-friendly |
| Pricing model | Per task (each action run) | Per operation or credit | Per workflow execution on cloud plans |
| Hosting | Cloud only | Cloud only | Cloud or self-hosted |
| Code | Code steps available | Functions and custom modules | Code nodes in JavaScript or Python |
| Best for | Business users, quick wins | Complex scenarios with visual control | Technical teams, AI workflows, data control |
Pricing structures and tiers change; check each vendor’s current plans. The key difference is what gets counted: per step in Zapier and Make, per workflow run in n8n cloud.
Why the pricing model matters
A workflow with ten steps that runs 1,000 times counts as roughly 10,000 tasks or operations on step-based pricing, but 1,000 executions on n8n’s execution-based cloud pricing. For long, multi-step workflows at high volume, that difference is significant. For simple two-step automations, it matters less.
Self-hosting
n8n can be run on your own infrastructure, which keeps data inside your environment and removes per-execution fees, at the cost of hosting, updates and maintenance. Its license is source-available under a fair-code model, so review the terms for your use case. Zapier and Make are cloud-only services.
AI and agents
All three platforms have added AI capabilities, such as AI steps for classification, extraction and drafting, and agent-style features that let a model choose tools. n8n has become particularly popular for building AI agent workflows, with nodes for language models, memory, vector stores and tools. Whichever you choose, apply the same guardrails as any AI agent: least privilege, approvals for sensitive actions and logging.
Governance and security
- Use shared team accounts and folders, not personal accounts, for business-critical automations.
- Store credentials in the platform’s secure credential store and rotate them.
- Document each automation’s owner and purpose.
- Monitor failures and set up alerts.
- Check data processing terms, especially for personal or health data.
How to choose
- Business users building simple automations quickly: Zapier.
- Complex visual scenarios with careful data handling: Make.
- Technical teams, high volumes, AI agents or data that must stay in-house: n8n, cloud or self-hosted.
- Deep CRM processes: consider building inside the CRM, such as Salesforce Flow, and using automation platforms for the edges.
Our AI and automation team builds workflows on n8n and other platforms, and inside Salesforce when that is the better home.
A worked example
A company automates lead handling: a web form submission is enriched, scored by an AI step, created in the CRM, assigned and announced in a team channel, about eight steps. At a few hundred leads a month, any platform works and Zapier is quickest for the marketing team to maintain. At tens of thousands of runs a month with an AI agent deciding next steps, the per-execution model and self-hosting option make n8n attractive to the engineering team.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n free?
n8n offers a free self-hosted community edition, with paid cloud and enterprise plans. Self-hosting still has infrastructure and maintenance costs.
Which has the most integrations?
Zapier has the largest catalog of pre-built app integrations; Make and n8n also cover most popular apps and support generic HTTP requests.
Can these platforms replace a developer?
For many integrations, yes. Complex, high-volume or critical processes still benefit from engineering practices, testing and monitoring.
