Why Teams Are Switching: The 2026 Honest Comparison

The Real Reason Teams Switch

Most migrations from Zapier or Make to n8n start with a bill shock. A growing automation stack — more workflows, more triggers, more steps — means an automation bill that grows with it. n8n's billing model is fundamentally different, and for teams beyond a certain usage threshold, the cost difference is large enough to justify a migration even accounting for rebuild time.

How Each Platform Bills

Understanding billing is the first step to knowing whether migration makes sense for your situation:

• Zapier — charges per task. Each step in a Zap counts as one task. A 10-step Zap triggered 100 times consumes 1,000 tasks. The Starter plan begins at $19.99/month (annual) for 750 tasks. More complex workflows burn through task allowances quickly.
• Make — charges per operation. Each module execution = one operation. A 6-module scenario triggered 200 times = 1,200 operations. The Free plan covers 1,000 operations/month.
• n8n Cloud — charges per execution. One complete workflow run = one execution, regardless of how many nodes it contains. A 30-node workflow and a 3-node workflow both cost the same execution. Cloud Starter is €20/month for 2,500 executions.
• n8n Self-Hosted — no execution limits. Run as many workflows as you want for the cost of a VPS: typically $5–$10/month. No per-run billing at all.

What n8n Includes That Others Charge Extra For

• Unlimited workflows — Zapier limits the number of active Zaps on lower plans.
• Unlimited users — all n8n plans include unlimited team members. Zapier charges per seat on enterprise plans.
• Code node with npm packages — Zapier's Code by Zapier is available only on Professional and higher plans. In n8n, the Code node is available on all plans.
• Loops on all plans — Zapier's Looping app requires a Professional plan. n8n's Loop Over Items node is included on every plan.
• AI Agent nodes — native LangChain-powered AI agents are built into n8n. Zapier's AI features are more limited and largely restricted to the paid tiers.

Where Zapier and Make Still Win

An honest comparison means acknowledging what n8n does less well:

• Ease of setup — Zapier and Make are faster for a non-technical user to configure their first automation. n8n requires more initial learning, especially for credentials and expressions.
• Pre-built integrations — Zapier has over 6,000 app integrations with tight, pre-tested connections. n8n has 400+ native nodes and the HTTP Request node for everything else, but some niche app connections require manual API configuration.
• Support — Zapier offers better support for non-technical users on paid plans.

When Migration Makes Financial Sense

A rough rule: if you are spending more than €100–€150/month on Zapier or Make, self-hosted n8n almost certainly saves money after factoring in migration time. At 10,000 tasks/month on Zapier, n8n self-hosted is typically 90%+ cheaper. Below that threshold — especially if your automations are simple and infrequent — migration may not be worth the rebuild effort.