n8n vs Zapier
No-Code Automation
| N n8n | Z Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ✓ Free tier | ✓ Free tier |
| Pricing model | open_source+subscription | subscription |
| Price | $24 (Cloud Starter) | $19.99 (Starter) |
| Features | ||
| Languages | — | — |
| API | ✓ Available Docs ↗ | ✓ Available Docs ↗ |
| Homepage | n8n ↗ | Zapier ↗ |
| Pricing Plans | Community (Self-hosted)FreeOpen-source, unlimited workflows on your own server Cloud Starter$24/mo2,500 workflow executions/mo, 5 active workflows Cloud Pro$60/mo10,000 executions/mo, 15 active workflows EnterpriseCustomUnlimited executions, SSO, audit logs | Free$0/mo100 tasks/mo, 5 Zaps Starter$19.99/mo750 tasks/mo, multi-step Zaps Professional$49/mo2,000 tasks/mo, filters & paths Team$69/mo2,000 tasks/mo, shared workspace |
| Platforms | ||
| Integrations | Slack, GitHub, PostgreSQL, MySQL, HTTP Request, OpenAI, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, HubSpot | Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, Shopify, Stripe, Trello |
- Fully open-source and self-hostable for data privacy
- JavaScript/Python code nodes for unlimited flexibility
- Generous free tier with self-hosted unlimited workflows
- Active community and growing integration library
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain self-hosted instance
- Cloud plans are more limited than competitors at similar price points
- UI polish lags behind Zapier and Make
- Largest app library with 7,000+ integrations
- Extremely beginner-friendly visual workflow builder
- Reliable, battle-tested infrastructure
- AI-powered Zap suggestions speed up setup
- Costs can escalate quickly at higher task volumes
- Limited data transformation compared to Make or n8n
- No self-hosting option
AI Commentary
n8n has embraced AI deeply with its AI Agent nodes, allowing users to build LLM-powered agents that can use tools and maintain memory within workflows. It ships with native integrations for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, and Hugging Face. The self-hosted nature makes n8n particularly attractive for teams with strict data sovereignty requirements. Its combination of visual builder and code nodes makes it one of the most flexible AI automation platforms available.
Zapier introduced AI features including a natural-language Zap builder that lets users describe automations in plain English. Its AI Copilot can suggest and configure steps automatically, reducing setup friction. The platform also supports OpenAI and other LLM integrations as native action steps. It remains the go-to choice for non-technical users who need fast, reliable automation.