Make vs Zapier vs n8n: The Complete 2026 Comparison

Last Updated: February 26, 2026

Make wins for visual workflow power. Zapier leads for beginners who need quick connections. n8n dominates for teams wanting self-hosting and complete data control. The automation market hit $8.5 billion in 2025, yet 60% of businesses pick the wrong tool and waste thousands on unnecessary operations. You need the right fit for your technical skills, budget, and privacy requirements. Here’s how to choose.

Quick Comparison: Make vs Zapier vs n8n

See how these three platforms stack up on features that matter most. Each column shows exactly what you get.

Ease of Use and Learning Curve

Zapier feels like building with LEGO blocks. You pick a trigger app. You pick an action app. You connect them with a few clicks. Most users create their first automation in under 10 minutes. The interface guides you through each step with simple forms.

Make uses a visual canvas that resembles a flowchart. You see the entire workflow mapped out with lines connecting different steps. This helps when you build complex logic with multiple branches. But beginners often feel overwhelmed during the first hour. The learning curve takes 2-3 hours before you feel comfortable.

n8n requires technical knowledge from day one. You need to understand JSON structures and API endpoints. Self-hosting adds server management tasks. Developers love the flexibility. Marketing teams often need dedicated technical support to maintain workflows.

The interface differences reflect deeper philosophical divides. Zapier optimizes for speed of setup. Make optimizes for visual clarity of complex processes. n8n optimizes for raw power and customization. Your technical comfort level determines which philosophy fits best.

Pricing and Value Analysis

Zapier charges per task. Every action counts as one task. If your workflow sends an email, updates a spreadsheet, and posts to Slack, that burns three tasks. Make charges per operation. Each module execution counts separately. n8n charges per workflow execution in cloud mode, or nothing if you self-host.

The free tiers reveal the biggest gaps. Zapier limits you to 100 tasks monthly. Make gives you 1,000 operations. n8n offers unlimited executions when installed on your own server. For small businesses testing automation, n8n provides the most room to experiment without spending money.

Paid plans scale differently. Zapier Professional costs $49 monthly for 2,000 tasks. That same price gets you 50,000 operations with Make. n8n Cloud starts at $20 monthly for 5,000 executions. Heavy users often find Make 5x cheaper than Zapier for the same workload.

Enterprise pricing shows different priorities. Zapier charges $69 per user monthly for team features. Make charges based on operation volume, not seats. n8n offers flat-rate enterprise licensing. Teams of 50+ users often save thousands monthly with Make or n8n compared to Zapier’s per-seat model.

Integration Capabilities

Zapier connects 7,000+ applications. This massive library covers every major business tool. You find niche apps like specific CRMs for dentists or inventory tools for breweries. The breadth is unmatched.

Make supports 1,800+ apps. The number is smaller but covers all major players. Make often provides deeper actions per app. Where Zapier offers “Create Contact,” Make might offer “Create Contact, Update Custom Fields, and Assign to Campaign” in one module.

n8n offers 400+ core integrations. This seems limited. However, n8n provides a generic HTTP request node. You can connect to any REST API without waiting for official support. You build custom integrations using API documentation. This takes more time but removes limits.

Webhook handling differs significantly. Zapier requires a premium plan for multi-step Zaps with webhooks. Make includes webhook triggers on free plans. n8n treats webhooks as first-class citizens with custom response control. Real-time automation needs often push users toward Make or n8n.

Advanced Features and Customization

Make shows your workflow as a visual flowchart. You drag connections between steps. You create loops, filters, and routers visually. This helps when processing data sets with multiple conditions. You see exactly where data flows.

Zapier recently added AI features called “Zapier AI.” You describe your workflow in plain English. The platform suggests apps and builds the outline. You still need to configure details. This helps beginners but frustrates power users who want granular control.

n8n offers a code node where you write JavaScript or Python directly. You transform data using any logic you can code. You import npm packages. You create custom functions. This gives unlimited flexibility for complex data operations.

// Transform customer data before sending to CRM
const newItems = [];

for (const item of $input.all()) {
 newItems.push({
 json: {
 full_name: item.json.first_name + ' ' + item.json.last_name,
 email: item.json.email.toLowerCase(),
 tags: item.json.tags.split(',').map(t => t.trim()),
 last_active: new Date().toISOString()
 }
 });
}

return newItems;

Error handling separates the platforms. Zapier retries failed steps three times automatically. Make lets you configure error handlers with alternative paths. n8n allows you to build specific “Error Workflows” that trigger when main workflows fail. These can send Slack alerts, log to databases, or trigger recovery processes.

“We migrated from Zapier to Make after hitting the complexity wall. Zapier handles simple if-this-then-that beautifully. But when you need to iterate through arrays, handle errors gracefully, or process data between steps without burning through task quotas, Make’s visual builder becomes essential.”

— Sarah Chen, Head of Operations at TechFlow Solutions, 2025

Hosting and Data Privacy

Zapier and Make run exclusively on cloud servers. Your data passes through their infrastructure. Both companies are SOC 2 compliant. Both offer data processing agreements. But you cannot control where servers physically reside.

n8n offers both cloud and self-hosted options. You can install n8n on your own servers, AWS, or Docker containers. Your data never leaves your infrastructure. This matters for healthcare companies handling PHI, financial services with sensitive transactions, or EU companies strict about GDPR.

Self-hosting requires technical resources. You need to maintain the server, handle updates, and manage backups. The trade-off is complete data sovereignty. You also eliminate per-execution costs, paying only for server infrastructure.

1. Choose a server provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, or Hetzner)
2. Install Docker on your server instance
3. Pull the official n8n Docker image
4. Configure environment variables for encryption and database connections
5. Set up reverse proxy with SSL certificates for secure access
6. Configure automated backups to S3 or similar storage

European businesses increasingly prefer n8n for Schrems II compliance. When you self-host in EU data centers, you avoid questions about US data transfers. Make and Zapier store data on US servers primarily, though both offer EU data residency options at higher price tiers.

Bottom Line: Which Tool Should You Choose?

Your choice depends on three factors: technical skill level, budget constraints, and data privacy needs. No single platform wins every category. Match the tool to your specific situation.

Choose Make if: You build complex workflows with multiple branches and data transformations. You want visual clarity for intricate processes. You need affordable scaling for high-volume operations. You have intermediate technical skills or a small technical team.

Choose Zapier if: You need the fastest setup possible. You use standard business apps without custom API needs. You value simplicity over granular control. Your team has limited technical skills. You need the widest app ecosystem.

Choose n8n if: You require self-hosting for compliance or cost reasons. You have developers who can write custom code. You need unlimited flexibility with API integrations. You handle sensitive data requiring on-premises processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from Zapier to Make without rebuilding everything?

Yes, but expect partial rebuilding. Make offers import tools for simple Zapier workflows. Complex Zaps with custom filters require manual reconstruction. Plan for one week of migration time per 10 complex workflows. Test critical automations in parallel during the transition to avoid data loss.

Is n8n truly free if I self-host?

The software is open-source and free to use. You pay only for server costs, which start at $5 monthly for small instances. However, you invest time in maintenance, updates, and security. For teams without DevOps resources, n8n Cloud at $20/month often costs less than engineer time spent on server management.

Which platform handles large data files best?

Make processes files up to 1GB on higher tiers. Zapier limits files to 100MB on most plans. n8n handles large files well when self-hosted, limited only by your server memory. For video processing or large image batches, Make or self-hosted n8n outperform Zapier significantly.

Do these platforms work offline?

Only self-hosted n8n works without internet connectivity. Zapier and Make require constant internet access. If you need workflows to run on local networks or air-gapped systems, n8n self-hosted is your only option among these three.

Can I use AI features in all three platforms?

Zapier offers the most polished AI features with natural language workflow creation. Make recently added AI modules for data extraction and categorization. n8n requires you to connect to OpenAI or similar APIs manually via HTTP nodes. Zapier leads for AI ease-of-use, while n8n offers more AI model flexibility.

Which tool is best for e-commerce automation?

Zapier wins for basic Shopify or WooCommerce tasks like order notifications. Make excels at complex inventory management across multiple warehouses. n8n suits custom e-commerce platforms or businesses needing to process payment data on-premises for PCI compliance.

How do these compare to Microsoft Power Automate?

Power Automate integrates deeply with Microsoft 365 but charges per user and lacks the app diversity of Zapier. Make offers better visual debugging than Power Automate. n8n provides more customization than both. Choose Power Automate if you live in the Microsoft ecosystem exclusively. Otherwise, these three offer more flexibility.

Conclusion

Make offers the best balance of power and price for most growing businesses. Zapier remains the king of simplicity for small teams. n8n serves developers and privacy-focused enterprises. Test all three free tiers with your actual workflows before committing. The right choice saves you 10+ hours monthly.