Zapier vs Make vs n8n: what each really costs a small business

How each one charges

Check each platform's current pricing page before deciding; plans change often.

• Zapier charges by tasks: each successful action counts towards your monthly allowance.
• Make charges by usage: each step a scenario runs counts towards your allowance.
• n8n cloud charges by workflow executions, and n8n can also be self-hosted on your own server.

When the bill starts to climb

Usage-based pricing is cheap for a few simple automations and expensive for busy ones. One UK comparison puts a 10,000-task Zapier tier at around £130 a month, against roughly £8 to £10 a month of infrastructure for a self-hosted n8n set-up. Independent cost write-ups describe SMEs saving thousands a year by moving high-volume workflows.

What moving to n8n involves

Each workflow is rebuilt, tested side by side with the old one, then switched over. Self-hosting also means someone looks after updates and backups, so factor that in. Freelance migration packages are advertised at a few hundred dollars for five to ten workflows; mine start from £750 for up to ten, tested and handed over.

Common questions

Should every business switch to n8n?

No. If you run a handful of low-volume automations, Zapier or Make is often cheaper overall once you count looking after a server.

Will my automations stop during the move?

They shouldn't. The new workflows run alongside the old ones until they produce the same results, then you switch.