n8n vs Zapier
A side-by-side look at what n8n and Zapier publish about pricing, plans and features.
This page sets the two products' recorded data side by side. It is not an editorial review — nobody has tested either product for this page, and the figures below are not independently verified. Read how we handle data and what each label means.
| Field | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation | Automation |
| Entry price | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14-day trial | 14-day trial |
| Tagged for | Startups | Freelancers |
| G2 rating unverified | 4.6 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Capterra rating unverified | 4.7 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
Where they differ
Head to head
n8n
n8n is the automation tool engineers reach for: source-available, self-hostable, with code nodes wherever visual building runs out of road. Recent releases lean hard into AI agent workflows, making it a favorite for LLM orchestration. Self-hosting eliminates per-task fees entirely — compelling at scale — while the cloud version stays competitive. The catalog is smaller than Zapier's and the polish assumes technical comfort, which is exactly its audience.
Source-available workflow automation you can self-host.
What we record about n8n →Reported strengths
- Self-host option
- Developer-friendly
- Fair pricing
Reported drawbacks
- Needs technical setup
- Smaller app library
Zapier
Zapier is the connective glue of business software, with an integration catalog — 7,000+ apps — that no competitor approaches. Multi-step Zaps, filters, paths and now AI steps let non-developers automate real workflows in minutes, and Tables plus Interfaces edge it toward an app platform. Task-based pricing is the perennial complaint: high-volume automations get expensive fast, which is precisely where Make and n8n make their pitch.
Connect 7,000+ apps with no code.
What we record about Zapier →Reported strengths
- Largest app library
- Easy to use
- Free tier
Reported drawbacks
- Task pricing adds up
- Limited logic vs rivals