Q&A CircleComparison
n8n vs Make vs Zapier
People comparing automation tools usually end up on n8n, Make, and Zapier. In our directory the Zapier product is Zapier Agents, the agent that runs on Zapier's app catalog. The price and strength lines below are quoted from that directory. Limits are only the ones we could confirm on each company's own site.
Last reviewed Oct 30, 2026 · How we rank and make money (some links may be affiliate links)
Side by side
| Attribute | n8nRank #1 in Agents & automation | MakeRank #4 in Agents & automation | Zapier AgentsRank #2 in Agents & automation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing / free tier | Self-host free; Starter $20/mo (annual) | Free 1,000 credits/mo; paid plans | Free 100 tasks; Pro from $19.99/mo (annual) |
| Best for | Lowest cost per run, including a free self-hosted option | Visual automations and AI agents on a free monthly credit allowance | A large app catalog when you already use Zaps |
| Key strengths | Cheapest per run, self-hostable, MCP and agent nodes on every plan | Visual automations and AI agents, with a free monthly credit allowance | 9,000+ app integrations; easiest if you already use Zaps |
| Limitations | The free edition is self-hosted. n8n's docs say Community edition does not include projects, SSO, sharing workflows and credentials, or Git version control. On n8n's pricing page, hosted Starter allows 5 concurrent executions and runs of up to 5 minutes. | Make's pricing page caps the free plan at 2 active scenarios, scheduled runs no closer than 15 minutes, 5 minutes per run, and files up to 5 MB. Our listing does not include a paid starting price. | Zapier's help center says Agents cannot be embedded as a customer-facing chatbot, and that Agents usage is counted in activities separate from Zap tasks. Our listing's free line is 100 tasks, so confirm the current Agents allowance before you subscribe. |
| Site | Visit n8n ↗ | Visit Make ↗ | Visit Zapier Agents ↗ |
Pricing and key strengths are the lines in our directory, last reviewed Oct 29, 2026. Check the tool's own site before you pay.
Which should you pick?
Choose n8n if you want our #1 in this category: cheapest per run, self-hostable, with MCP and agent nodes on every plan. Choose Zapier Agents if you already use Zaps and want the 9,000+ integrations in our listing. Choose Make if you want visual automations and AI agents with a free monthly credit allowance. Lindy, ranked between Zapier Agents and Make, is an inbox and Slack assistant and is not part of this comparison.
That order is the editorial rank in Agent builders & automation. A tool cannot pay to move up. Back to all AI tools.
Questions people ask
Which is cheapest to start: n8n, Make, or Zapier?
From our listings, n8n is free to self-host, Make includes 1,000 credits a month, and Zapier Agents lists a free allowance of 100 tasks. Paid prices we publish: n8n Starter at $20/mo billed annually, and Zapier Agents Pro from $19.99/mo annually. Make's paid prices are not in our data.
Can I self-host n8n, Make, or Zapier?
n8n is the one we list as self-hostable, and the self-hosted Community edition is free. n8n's docs say you install and maintain that edition, and that it leaves out projects, SSO, sharing, and Git version control. Make and Zapier Agents are the hosted products in this comparison.
Which should I pick if I already use Zapier?
Zapier Agents. Our reason: it is the easiest of the three if you already use Zaps, with 9,000+ app integrations. That rank is editorial. None of these tools paid to be placed first.
Other comparisons
How we rank, and how we make money
Rankings are editorial. We pick a short list for each job, usually three and sometimes a fourth, from public benchmarks and independent reviews. No tool can pay to be ranked.
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