Side-by-side comparison
n8n vs Zapier: self-hosted automation vs the no-code default
n8n and Zapier sit at opposite ends of the automation spectrum: n8n is open-source software you can self-host for free; Zapier is a hosted no-code platform with 9,000+ integrations. This comparison uses verified 2026-08-13 pricing.
Comparison table
The same five fields are shown for both products so the comparison does not quietly favor one side.
| Decision | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Technical teams and developers who want flexible, self-hostable workflow automation and AI agent orchestration with full control over logic. | Creators and small teams who want app-to-app automation (email, sheets, social, storage) without writing code or self-hosting — and who prefer predictable task-based pricing over credit systems. |
| Core uses | Workflow automation between apps and services, Building AI agents and RAG pipelines, IT operations and security operations automation, Lead and CRM automation, Backend prototyping and embedding n8n into products (OEM), Custom integrations with code steps (JS/Python), webhooks, and API calls | Publish video to multiple platforms, Sync leads from forms to CRM/email, Trigger AI video generation from new uploads, Send Slack/Discord alerts on channel activity |
| Pricing note | n8n offers a free self-hosted Community Edition (source-available, on GitHub with 200,415 stars). Cloud and self-hosted paid plans (prices billed annually, per n8n.io/pricing): Starter $20/mo (2.5K workflow executions/mo), Pro $50/mo (10K executions/mo), Business 667€/mo (self-hosted, 40K executions/mo), Enterprise contact sales. Annual billing saves 17%, all plans include unlimited users and workflows, and a Start-up Plan offers 50% off Business for companies under 20 employees. Free trials for Starter and Pro require no credit card. | All prices USD, verified live on zapier.com/pricing 2026-08-13 (yearly billing shown by default, saves 33%). Free: $0 — 100 tasks/mo, 2-step Zaps, unlimited Zaps/Tables/Forms, Copilot Beta, 15-min polling, 1 seat; premium apps not included. Professional (annual, 1 seat) from $19.99/mo (750 tasks); task tiers: 2K $49, 10K $129, 100K $489, 1M $2,199/mo. Team (annual) from $69/mo (2,000 tasks); tiers: 10K $169, 100K $599, 1M $2,499/mo; 25 seats, shared connections, SAML SSO, priority support. Enterprise: contact sales (unlimited users, SCIM, audit logs, custom data retention). Add-ons: Agents free (400 activities/mo) or Pro $400/yr; Chatbots free (2) / Pro $160/yr / Advanced $800/yr. New accounts get a 14-day Professional trial; 15% nonprofit discount. |
| Main checks | Cloud plans are limited by monthly workflow executions (2.5K on Starter, 10K on Pro, 40K on Business) and concurrent executions (5/20/200+) The AI Assistant is an early preview on cloud plans with monthly credit caps (2,300 on Starter, up to 13,700 on Pro) and unused credits do not roll over The Business plan is a self-hosted license billed in euros (667€/mo) and requires your own infrastructure Advanced governance and security features (SSO/SAML/LDAP, log streaming, unlimited shared projects, external secret store) are Business/Enterprise-only Self-hosting the Community Edition requires technical setup and ongoing maintenance | Task-based usage: every successful Zap action consumes from the task pool; AI/code steps and some connectors consume at higher rates Free plan: 100 tasks/mo, 2-step only, premium apps excluded, Copilot daily limit Polling caps: 15 min Free, 2 min Professional, 1 min Team/Enterprise Hitting the task limit pauses Zaps unless pay-per-task billing is enabled (higher per-task rate — surprise overage risk) Zapier Agents on Enterprise don't support app/action restrictions; AI output is non-deterministic |
| Pricing checked | Aug 13, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
The short answer
If you can manage a server (or use Docker), n8n's self-hosted Community Edition is free forever and gives unlimited workflows, no task caps, and full data control. Zapier is the better fit when you want zero infrastructure: sign up, connect apps, done — with the trade-off of task-based pricing and cloud-only data.
Pricing model
n8n Community Edition: free, self-hosted (open source, fair-code license). Cloud Starter from ~$24/month (20k executions), Scale plans higher; Enterprise custom.
Zapier Free: 100 tasks/month. Professional $19.99/month. Team $69/month. Yearly saves 33%.
n8n's free self-hosted tier has no task limit — the main costs are your server and time. Zapier's free tier is a light trial; serious use starts at $19.99.
Biggest differences
Hosting: n8n self-hosted (your data stays yours) vs Zapier cloud-only.
Task limits: n8n CE unlimited vs Zapier task-capped.
Complexity: n8n targets developers (code nodes, JS/Python); Zapier targets non-technical teams.
AI: both have AI agents; n8n's are free with your own keys on CE, Zapier's are part of the paid product.
Which should a creator choose?
Choose n8n if you're technical, want unlimited free automation, or need data sovereignty (client work, sensitive content). Choose Zapier if you want the quickest setup, the largest app catalog, and don't mind per-task pricing.
Pricing comparison
Verified 2026-08-13: n8n CE free self-hosted, cloud from ~$24/mo; Zapier Free 100 tasks, Professional $19.99/mo, Team $69/mo. Confirm on official pages before purchasing.
How to choose
Choose n8n if…
Technical teams and developers who want flexible, self-hostable workflow automation and AI agent orchestration with full control over logic.
Choose Zapier if…
Creators and small teams who want app-to-app automation (email, sheets, social, storage) without writing code or self-hosting — and who prefer predictable task-based pricing over credit systems.
Questions creators ask
- Is n8n really free?
- The Community Edition is free to self-host (fair-code license — not pure OSS). Paid tiers are for cloud hosting and enterprise features. You pay with server time and setup effort.
- Which is better for a YouTube channel?
- For one or two light automations (upload → notify, form → sheet), Zapier's free tier is enough. For many workflows with no monthly cost, self-hosted n8n wins long-term.
- Does Zapier have an n8n-like AI agent builder?
- Yes — Zapier Agents, chatbots and MCP are part of the platform, but they're usage-billed like tasks. n8n CE lets you run agents with your own API keys at no per-execution cost.
Continue the decision
Use the source-checked profiles and workflow guide before selecting a paid plan.
Sources
Verify changing features, pricing, and usage rights before purchasing.