n8n vs Zapier
Should you automate with n8n or Zapier?
Short answer: n8n: Free to self-host, cloud from 20 euros per month billed annually. Zapier: Free, paid plans start from $19.99 per month (billing period not confirmed). We checked both prices against the vendors' pricing pages on November 5, 2026. Kerry has not reviewed both tools yet, so this page has no verdict.
Facts only. No verdict yet.
This page lists checked facts for both tools. Kerry's verdict and the flaw he found in each appear after he reviews them. See how we check prices and label pages.
| Detail | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Headline price | Free to self-host, cloud from 20 euros per month billed annually | Free, paid plans start from $19.99 per month (billing period not confirmed) |
| Lowest paid plan with a list price | No single list price. See the tool page. | No single list price. See the tool page. |
| Cost of that plan a month for a team of 5 | No fixed list price to multiply | No fixed list price to multiply |
| Free plan | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Trial | Cloud free trial with no credit card required, limited to 1,000 executions. Business trial is 14 days and needs a credit card. | 14-day free trial of Professional, no credit card required |
| Best for | Technical teams that want to self-host automations. Teams that want code access inside a visual workflow builder | Marketers who want to link many apps without writing code. Teams that want a free plan to test simple automations |
| Skip it if | Teams that want a non-technical, no-code setup, since n8n targets technical teams. Agencies that want to host n8n as a service for clients to build workflows, which the license prohibits | Teams that run high task volumes on a tight budget because pricing rises with tasks. Teams that want to self-host the automation tool |
| Price checked | November 5, 2026 | November 5, 2026 |
Full pages: n8n and Zapier. Price rows use each vendor's own billing basis, so check the plan tables before you compare totals.
What are n8n and Zapier?
n8n is a workflow automation tool with a visual builder, AI agents, and a self-hosted option. Zapier connects thousands of apps into automated workflows, with AI agents and chatbots. We checked both against the vendors' own pages, with prices checked on November 5, 2026. Neither entry is a review unless it carries Kerry's verdict.
n8n
n8n is a workflow automation platform that combines AI capabilities with business process automation. Users build agents and workflows in a visual editor and can add code when needed. The site claims more than 500 native integrations and access to any API through HTTP. Teams can use n8n Cloud, which n8n hosts. They can also self-host it with Docker, with the source code on GitHub. The product targets technical teams. Cloud plans are priced in euros and billed annually. The Community Edition is free to self-host under n8n's license terms, with limits on offering it as a service.
Zapier
Zapier is an automation and AI orchestration platform. Users build workflows called Zaps that run across their apps when a trigger fires. The product connects to more than 9,000 apps. It also links AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT to business apps through Zapier MCP. Zapier offers AI agents, chatbots, tables, and forms. It serves teams in marketing, sales, RevOps, IT, HR, and support, from startups to large companies. Pricing is based on tasks per month. A free plan allows 100 tasks per month. Paid plans start from $19.99 per month, and Enterprise pricing needs a sales contact.
What jobs does each tool cover?
n8n lists 4 jobs and Zapier lists 4, taken from each vendor's own description and checked November 5, 2026. No job appears in both lists in the same words. The integration lists show where each tool connects to the rest of a stack. Overlap on paper does not prove the tools are interchangeable.
n8n
- Build workflows with a visual editor and code
- Build AI agents
- Connect apps and any API
- Self-host automations to keep data in-house
Zapier
- Connect apps without code
- Automate repeat marketing and sales tasks
- Connect AI tools to business apps
- Build AI agents and chatbots
Integrations both list: Slack, Notion. If your stack runs on these, neither tool has an edge on connections.
Listed only for n8n: Jira, GitHub. Listed only for Zapier: HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Sheets, Shopify, Claude, ChatGPT.
How much do n8n and Zapier cost?
n8n: Free to self-host, cloud from 20 euros per month billed annually. Zapier: Free, paid plans start from $19.99 per month (billing period not confirmed). Both prices were checked against the vendors' pricing pages on November 5, 2026. Each plan's price and billing basis follow in the tables.
n8n plans
| Plan | List price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Community self-hosted | Free | Free under the Sustainable Use License if only people in your organization create or change workflows. You pay for your own hosting. |
| Starter | 20 euros per month, billed annually | Cloud plan with 2.5K workflow executions. The page prices it in euros and shows no USD price. |
| Pro | 50 euros per month, billed annually | Cloud plan with 10K workflow executions. The page prices it in euros and shows no USD price. |
| Business | 667 euros per month, billed annually | Self-hosted only, 40K workflow executions. The page prices it in euros and shows no USD price. A dollar option exists only for annual Business contracts paid by wire transfer. |
Zapier plans
| Plan | List price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free forever, 100 tasks per month | Automation plan. |
| Professional | Starting from $19.99 per month | The page says starting from. The price depends on the task tier chosen, from 100 to 2M tasks per month. The page has a Pay monthly and Pay yearly toggle (Save 33 percent) and does not say which one the starting price uses. Free and Professional plans are for one user. |
| Team | Starting from $69 per month | The page says starting from. The page does not say whether the starting price is monthly or yearly billing. Includes up to 25 users, shared workspace, and SAML SSO. |
| Enterprise | Contact for pricing | Annual task limits. |
Who should pick n8n and who should pick Zapier?
Pick n8n if technical teams that want to self-host automations. Pick Zapier if marketers who want to link many apps without writing code. These points follow from what each vendor says it offers and charges, checked November 5, 2026. They are not a review. Reviews appear once Kerry has used both tools.
Pick n8n if
- Technical teams that want to self-host automations
- Teams that want code access inside a visual workflow builder
Skip n8n if
- Teams that want a non-technical, no-code setup, since n8n targets technical teams
- Agencies that want to host n8n as a service for clients to build workflows, which the license prohibits
Pick Zapier if
- Marketers who want to link many apps without writing code
- Teams that want a free plan to test simple automations
Skip Zapier if
- Teams that run high task volumes on a tight budget because pricing rises with tasks
- Teams that want to self-host the automation tool
What should you check before you pay for either?
Before you pay for n8n or Zapier, run five checks: count what each bills on, check the billing basis, try the free plan or trial, read the plan limits, and plan how you would leave. Prices were checked on November 5, 2026. Each check takes a few minutes and can save a month of fees.
- Count what each tool bills on. Write down how many people, channels, runs or credits you use in a normal month, then price both tools on that number.
- Check the billing basis. Annual billing is often cheaper than monthly, and the list prices in the plan tables use the basis shown in each row.
- Run the free plan or trial first when one exists. n8n: Cloud free trial with no credit card required, limited to 1,000 executions. Business trial is 14 days and needs a credit card. Zapier: 14-day free trial of Professional, no credit card required.
- Read the limits on the plan you plan to buy, such as seat caps, usage caps and features held back for higher tiers.
- Decide how you would leave. Look for data export and cancellation terms before you move real work in.
Common questions
What is the difference between n8n and Zapier?
n8n is a workflow automation tool with a visual builder, AI agents, and a self-hosted option. Zapier connects thousands of apps into automated workflows, with AI agents and chatbots.
Does n8n or Zapier have a free plan?
n8n: not confirmed. Zapier: yes. Checked November 5, 2026.
How much do n8n and Zapier cost?
n8n: Free to self-host, cloud from 20 euros per month billed annually. Zapier: Free, paid plans start from $19.99 per month (billing period not confirmed). Billing bases differ between vendors, so read the plan rows before you compare.