Visual no-code automation platform with AI agents connecting 3,000+ apps.
n8n vs Zapier
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Editor’s verdict
Zapier is a no-code, cloud-only tool built for ease and breadth of integrations, while n8n is a technical, self-hostable platform billed per workflow run rather than per step. Choose Zapier if the people building automations are not developers, if you need connectors for thousands of SaaS apps, or if you want a guided setup with minimal maintenance. Choose n8n if you have technical staff, need to self-host for data control or compliance, want code nodes in every workflow, or run long multi-step workflows where per-execution billing is far cheaper than per-task billing. n8n also offers deeper control over AI agents, including human review of specific tool calls. The trade-off is effort: n8n expects comfort with JSON, APIs and, if self-hosting, server upkeep. For a small team with light, simple automations, Zapier's free or entry plans are often enough and n8n's flexibility goes unused.
Both n8n and Zapier offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which should you choose?
Choose n8n if…
- You need technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run
- Self-hosting matters to you
- You're one of: developers and technical ops teams, companies with data residency requirements, teams building llm agents
- Free self-hosted Community Edition with no execution limits
Choose Zapier if…
- You need connecting the widest range of SaaS apps with the easiest setup
- You're one of: non-technical business teams, small businesses, marketing and sales ops
- You want something quicker to learn
- Largest app library of any automation platform
At a glance
| n8n | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run | Connecting the widest range of SaaS apps with the easiest setup |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | From €20/mo | From $19.99/mo |
| Learning curve | High | Low |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API | Web, Chrome extension, API |
| Ideal for | Developers and technical ops teams, Companies with data residency requirements, Teams building LLM agents, High-volume automation users | Non-technical business teams, Small businesses, Marketing and sales ops, Companies using many niche SaaS tools |
Feature comparison
| n8n | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations, approx. | 400+ native nodes | 9,000+ |
| AI agents | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No |
| Custom code steps | Yes | Yes |
| Webhooks | Yes | Paid plans only |
| Human approval steps | Yes | Yes |
| Billed per | Execution (per workflow run) | Task |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| n8n | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| SCIM user provisioning | — | Enterprise plan |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | — | — |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency options | — | No |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | — | Enterprise plan |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, self-hosted | Cloud |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
n8n
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation tool with a node-based visual editor, available as a managed cloud service or self-hosted via the free Community Edition. Cloud plans are billed per workflow execution regardless of how many steps a run contains. It is favoured by developers and technical operations teams building integrations and LLM agents that need code-level control.
Key features- Node-based visual workflow editor
- AI Agent node with LangChain-based tools and memory
- JavaScript and Python Code node
- Webhook triggers and HTTP Request node
- Human review of AI tool calls via Slack, Teams, Gmail or chat
- Self-hosting with Docker or npm
Zapier
Zapier is a cloud automation platform where users build Zaps: a trigger in one app followed by actions in others, with filters, paths and formatting steps. It connects 9,000+ apps and adds Tables, Forms, Canvas and Zapier Agents, with Zaps billed per successful task and agents billed per activity. It is used by non-technical teams and businesses of every size for everyday app-to-app automation.
Key features- Step-by-step Zap editor with paths and filters
- 9,000+ app integrations
- Zapier Agents for AI agents that act across apps
- Human in the Loop approval and data-collection steps
- Code by Zapier (JavaScript or Python) and Webhooks by Zapier
- Tables, Forms and Canvas included
Pricing
n8n
Free self-hosted Community Edition + cloud free trial; Cloud Starter from EUR 20/mo
Zapier
Free plan (100 tasks/mo); Professional from ~$19.99/mo annual ($29.99 monthly); Team $69/mo annual
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
n8n
Strengths- Free self-hosted Community Edition with no execution limits
- Per-execution billing is cheaper than per-step billing for long workflows
- Code nodes allow custom logic in any workflow
- Unlimited users and workflows on all cloud plans
- Fewer native integrations than Zapier or Make
- Assumes comfort with JSON, expressions and APIs
- SSO, Git version control and longer log retention need Business or Enterprise
- Self-hosting requires managing servers, updates and backups
Not ideal for: Non-technical users who want a guided, low-effort setup for common app connections will get started faster with Zapier.
Zapier
Strengths- Largest app library of any automation platform
- Easiest to learn for non-technical users
- Failed actions do not count towards task usage
- Extensive templates and help documentation
- Per-task billing gets expensive for high-volume or long multi-step workflows
- Free plan limited to two-step Zaps with no webhooks or premium apps
- Agents are billed separately from Zap tasks
- Cloud only, with no self-hosting option
Not ideal for: High-volume or developer-heavy teams will usually get more for their money from Make or self-hosted n8n.
Integrations
n8n
Zapier
FAQ
What is the main difference between n8n and Zapier?
n8n is built for technical teams wanting self-hostable automation and AI agents billed per workflow run; Zapier is built for connecting the widest range of SaaS apps with the easiest setup. Key differences: n8n offers self-hosting.
Is n8n or Zapier cheaper?
n8n starts from €20/mo and Zapier starts from $19.99/mo (as of September 2026). Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do n8n and Zapier have free plans?
Both n8n and Zapier offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which is easier to use, n8n or Zapier?
Zapier is generally quicker to learn (n8n: high, Zapier: low learning curve).
What are good alternatives to n8n and Zapier?
Other automation tools worth comparing include Make, Gumloop and Lindy.
