Automation comparison · 2026
n8n vs Zapier (2026 Comparison)
Side-by-side: pricing, features, pros, cons, and our editorial winner for automation.
Winner summary
n8n vs Zapier: how they differ
We have not scored n8n against our rubric yet, so we are not naming an overall winner here. The dimensions below are still directly comparable.
Cheaper
Zapier
Higher rated
Not compared
Better free tier
Zapier
Feature comparison
| Dimension | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $20/mo | $19.99/mo |
| Free trial | Self-host free | Free plan |
| Best for | Developers & privacy-first teams | Small teams automating across SaaS |
| Badge | — | Editor's Choice |
n8n key features
- Self-hosted option
- 400+ nodes
- Code nodes (JS/Python)
- AI agent nodes
- Fair-code license
Zapier key features
- 6,000+ app integrations
- Multi-step Zaps
- AI Actions
- Webhooks
- Conditional logic
n8n — pros & cons
Pros
- Self-hostable
- Free if self-hosted
- Code + no-code hybrid
Cons
- Requires technical setup for self-host
- Smaller community
Zapier — pros & cons
Pros
- Largest app ecosystem
- Easiest to learn
- Reliable execution
Cons
- Task-based pricing scales fast
- Limited data transforms vs Make
When to pick which
Choose n8n if…
- Workflow automation
- AI agents
- Internal tools
- API orchestration
Choose Zapier if…
- Lead routing
- Sales automation
- Notifications
- Data sync
- Marketing automation