n8n9.5/10From $24/mo
Zapier8.9/10From $29.99/mon8n vs Zapier
Zapier connects more apps and needs no code. n8n bills per run instead of per action and can live on your own server.
Verdict in 30 seconds
n8n scores higher on our formula: 9.5/10 against 8.9/10 for Zapier. The gap is 0.6 points; fit matters more than the decimal.
Pick Zapier if nobody on the team is technical, your workflows are short, or you depend on an app only Zapier connects (9,000+).
Pick n8n if your workflows are long or run often: one run is one execution, however many steps, from $24 a month for 2,500.
On agents, n8n includes its AI Agent node on every Cloud plan; Zapier sells Agents as a separate add-on with its own allowance.
n8n is for
- Teams with one technical person
- Workflows with 10 steps or more
- Data that should stay on your own server
Zapier is for
- Teams where nobody codes
- Short Zaps: a trigger and a few actions
- Niche apps nobody else connects
n8n vs Zapier: side by side
Same rows as every comparison on this site. Prices checked Nov 15, 2026.
| Compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Low-code, source-available | No-code |
| Entry price | From $24/mo | From $29.99/mo |
| Billed in | Workflow executions | Tasks (and agent activities) |
| Free plan or trial | Free self-hosted edition | Free plan |
| Integrations announced | 500+ | 9,000+ |
| AI models | Connect any model with your own key; Cloud plans also include AI models without API keys | Zapier provides the models; the AI model tier you pick changes how many tasks a step uses |
| Agents or workflows | Agents and workflows | Agents and workflows |
| Knowledge base / memory | Yes | Yes |
| Human approval | Yes | Not stated |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No |
| API / MCP | Public API, CLI, webhooks, MCP server trigger | Zapier MCP, SDK, webhooks on paid plans |
| Built for | Technical founders and ops people who want control and a low bill at volume | Non-technical teams that need an app nobody else connects |
| Official page | Check price at n8n | Check price at Zapier |
How do n8n and Zapier prices compare?
Both tools sell a monthly allowance, but they count different things. n8n counts executions: one complete run of a workflow, "regardless of complexity". Zapier counts tasks: one each time a Zap successfully completes an action. Triggers and filters are free on Zapier; every real action is not.
| n8n plans9.5/10From $24/mo · checked November 15, 2026 | Monthly billing | Annual billing, per month | Included | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter (Cloud) | $24 | $20 | 2,500 workflow executions a month | 1 shared project, 5 concurrent executions, agents, MCP and AI nodes, forum support |
| Pro (Cloud) | $60 | $50 | 10,000 workflow executions a month | 3 shared projects, up to 50 concurrent executions, admin roles, workflow history |
| Business (self-hosted only) | $960 | $800 | 40,000 workflow executions a month | SSO and LDAP, multiple environments, queue mode, Git version control |
| Enterprise | On request | On request | Custom executions | Contact sales; hosted by n8n or self-hosted |
| Zapier plans8.9/10From $29.99/mo · checked November 15, 2026 | Monthly billing | Annual billing, per month | Included | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 100 tasks a month | Two-step Zaps, unlimited Zaps, Tables and Forms, one user |
| Professional | $29.99 | $19.99 | Lowest task tier (you pick a tier from the slider) | Multi-step Zaps, premium apps, webhooks, AI fields, one user |
| Team | $103.50 | $69 | Lowest task tier | 25 users, shared Zaps and connections, SAML SSO |
| Enterprise | On request | On request | Annual task limits | Contact sales |
Run the same workflow through both meters. A workflow with 8 actions that fires 1,000 times a month is 1,000 executions on n8n, inside the $24 Starter plan. On Zapier it is about 8,000 tasks, far above the lowest tier that the $29.99 starting price refers to. Flip it around: a 2-action Zap that fires 300 times a month is 600 tasks, and Zapier's lower tiers handle that without anyone learning a new tool.
Zapier has a permanent free plan (100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps). n8n Cloud has none, only a trial with 1,000 executions and no card; the free route is the self-hosted Community Edition.
Which one is easier to start with?
Zapier, clearly. You pick a trigger app, pick an action app, map a few fields, and Zapier Copilot, its built-in assistant, is there to help. There is nothing to install and nothing that looks like code.
n8n is a canvas of nodes. It is visual, and its Assistant also drafts workflows from a prompt, but real work involves JSON, expressions and reading execution data. That is the price of its flexibility: you can open any step and see exactly what went in and out. We call it low-code, and n8n's audience is technical teams.
Which one is better for AI agents?
n8n treats an agent as one more node. The AI Agent node sits inside a workflow, uses any other integration as a tool, and its Cloud plans list an MCP client and server trigger, hosted chat and human approval for tool calls. You choose the model, with your own keys or the models included on Cloud.
Zapier splits the two. AI steps inside Zaps draw on your task allowance, at a rate that varies with the model tier. Zapier Agents are a separate product: free for 400 activities a month, then $33.33 a month billed annually for 1,500. We did not find an approval step described on the Zapier pages we read, so plan your own (let the agent draft, and a Zap send after a click).
Video: “Build your first workflow”, from the n8n channel on YouTube.
Integrations: 9,000+ against 500+
This is Zapier's strongest argument. It lists 9,000+ apps; n8n lists 500+ native integrations on its homepage, plus an HTTP node that can call any API. If your stack is mainstream (Google, Slack, HubSpot, Notion), both cover it. If you rely on a small vertical SaaS, check n8n's list first, or be ready to use the API yourself.
Can you self-host them?
Only n8n. Its Community Edition runs on your own server with no license fee, under the Sustainable Use License: free for your internal business use, not for reselling n8n as a service. It is source-available, not open source in the strict sense. Zapier is cloud only.
Which one should you choose?
- Solo operator, a handful of simple automations: Zapier Free or Professional.
- Small team, one technical person, growing volume: n8n Starter or Pro.
- Strict data rules or very high volume: n8n self-hosted.
- You need an app only Zapier has: Zapier, and keep the Zaps short.
Keep reading
- n8n review: plans, limits and the catch.
- Zapier review: plans, limits and the catch.
- n8n pricing: Cloud plans, executions and the free self-hosted edition
- Zapier pricing: plans, tasks and what you will really pay
- Best AI automation tools
- Make vs Zapier
- n8n vs Make
- Gumloop vs n8n
- Add a third tool in the comparison tool
n8n vs Zapier: FAQ
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?
For long or frequent workflows, usually yes: n8n counts one execution per run ($24 a month for 2,500), while Zapier counts a task per completed action. For a few short Zaps, Zapier's free plan or lowest tier can cost less.
Is n8n harder to use than Zapier?
Yes. Zapier is no-code; n8n is low-code, and real workflows involve JSON and expressions. n8n suits teams with at least one technical person.
Can n8n replace Zapier?
For mainstream apps and anything with an API, yes. Zapier still connects far more apps out of the box: 9,000+ against 500+ native integrations for n8n.
Does Zapier have AI agents like n8n?
Yes, Zapier Agents, sold as an add-on: 400 free activities a month, then $33.33 a month billed annually. n8n includes its AI Agent node on every Cloud plan.