Head-to-head · checked October 2026

n8n vsZapier

Pricing, features, and which one fits your team — compared from each tool's own pricing and product pages.

Zapier is the easier tool with the bigger app library (10,000+ apps) and a free plan; it bills per task, so every action step counts. n8n is source-available and can be self-hosted for free; its cloud plans bill per workflow execution however many steps it has, which makes long workflows much cheaper. Pick Zapier for speed and breadth, n8n for control and volume.

n8n vs Zapier at a glance

n8nZapier
Starting priceFree self-hosted; Cloud from €20/monthFree plan; Professional from $19.99/month (annual)
What you pay forWorkflow executions — unlimited steps eachTasks — each action step counts
Entry allowance2,500 executions/month (Starter)100 tasks/month free; 750+ on Professional
Integrations1,500+10,000+
Self-hostingYes — free Community EditionNo
LicenceSustainable Use License (fair-code)Proprietary
AI agentsAI Agent node, AI steps, MCPZapier Agents (separate activity meter)
Custom codeJavaScript and Python nodesCode steps
Best forTechnical teams, high volumeNon-technical teams, many apps

Which should you choose?

Choose n8n if…

  • You run long, multi-step workflows at volume — paying per execution instead of per step changes the bill.
  • You need to self-host for data residency or cost.
  • Someone on the team is comfortable with JSON, code nodes and running a server.

Choose Zapier if…

  • You need a niche app connected — Zapier's library is several times larger.
  • The people building automations are not technical.
  • Your automations are short (two or three steps), so task pricing stays cheap.

A third option

Where Ideople fits

Both tools run the steps you wire. If the work needs a judgement call on each case — qualifying a lead, triaging a ticket, researching before writing — Ideople is the third option: you describe the job, an agent works out the steps on each run, and high-risk actions like sending email wait for your approval. It is fully managed, with no canvas to maintain.

Take the Free AI Audit Zapier alternatives n8n alternatives

n8n vs Zapier: questions people ask

Usually, once workflows have more than a few steps. n8n Cloud counts one execution per workflow run regardless of steps (Starter: €20/month for 2,500), while Zapier counts every action step as a task. Self-hosted n8n has no licence fee, but you pay for the server and the time to run it.
Yes, for most people. Zapier is built for non-technical users; n8n exposes more of the data structure and rewards some technical comfort, especially when self-hosting.
n8n is source-available under its Sustainable Use License ("fair-code"), not an OSI-approved open-source licence. You can self-host it free for internal use; reselling it as a hosted service is restricted.

Sources

Prices and features as published on October 2026. Vendors change plans often; check their pages before you buy.

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