n8n vs Zapier
Side-by-side comparison of n8n and Zapier — features, pricing, and trade-offs.
| n8n | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Open-source workflow automation you can self-host. | The original no-code automation platform. |
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Lowest paid tier | $24/mo | $20/mo |
| Launched | 2019 | 2011 |
| Best for | self-hosters, privacy-sensitive teams | non-developers, broad app coverage |
| Top features | Self-hostable, AI nodes, JS/Python code nodes | 7000+ apps, AI Agents, Tables |
n8n
Open-source workflow automation you can self-host.
- + Free self-hosted
- + Powerful expressions
- + Privacy-friendly
- − UX rougher than Make
- − Self-host overhead
Zapier
The original no-code automation platform.
- + Most apps supported
- + Beginner-friendly
- − Expensive at scale
- − Task pricing punitive