n8n vs Zapier: Pricing, Hosting, and Best Fit

Quick Verdict: Who Should Pick Which?

Choose Zapier for non-technical teams that need standard SaaS integrations live quickly. Zapier describes 9,000+ app connections, a Free plan with 100 tasks per month, and self-serve Pro and Team plans based on monthly task tiers.

Choose n8n when workflow shape matters more than connector count: API calls, JavaScript or Python code steps, custom nodes, queues, Git-backed environments, or data residency through self-hosting. n8n says all plans include unlimited users, unlimited workflows, and every integration, with pricing based on workflow executions.

For many small businesses the decision is not permanent. Start with Zapier for basic lead routing; move critical, high-volume, or compliance-sensitive workflows to n8n when logic and ownership become more important.

Pricing as of October 2026

Zapier pricing is task-based. Its official pricing reference lists Free at 100 tasks per month, Pro annual pricing starting at $19.99 per month for 750 tasks, and Team annual pricing starting at $69 per month for 2,000 tasks. Monthly billing costs more at the same task tiers.

Zapier offers a 14-day Professional trial for new accounts. n8n Cloud trials include Pro-level features with a 1,000-execution limit, 5 concurrent executions, and a 180-second execution timeout.

n8n Cloud pricing is execution-based. Starter is 20 EUR per month billed annually, Pro is 50 EUR per month billed annually, Business is 667 EUR per month billed annually for self-hosted teams, and Enterprise is contact-sales. n8n also lists a standard self-hosted Community Edition available on GitHub.

The practical difference: Zapier charges tasks for successful workflow steps and programmatic calls; n8n counts one completed workflow run as one execution even if that workflow has many internal steps. That can make n8n easier to forecast for complex workflows, while Zapier can still be cheaper for a few simple zaps.

Using the tiers those pricing pages listed in October 2026: 1,000 Zapier tasks a month sits above the Pro annual tier at 750 tasks for $19.99 a month, and below the Team annual tier at 2,000 tasks for $69 a month. Zapier's pricing page is the place to read any tier between those two. 10,000 tasks a month is above that 2,000-task Team starting point, so the price is the higher task tier Zapier lists for that volume. On n8n, compare executions. A workflow that finishes once counts as one execution even when it has many steps, so 1,000 completed runs is not the same quantity as 1,000 Zapier tasks.

Pros and Cons

Zapier pros: fastest onboarding, familiar interface, huge app catalog, hosted infrastructure, Team features such as shared folders and SAML SSO at the Team tier. Zapier cons: task billing can rise with multi-step workflows, self-hosting is not an option, and deep custom logic usually requires code steps or external services.

n8n pros: visual workflows with code steps, HTTP and GraphQL calls, self-hosting, custom nodes, queue mode on higher tiers, and execution-based pricing. n8n cons: self-hosting creates operational responsibility, the hosted app catalog may not match Zapier's breadth, and non-technical users may need more setup support.

Use-Case Scenarios

Lead capture to CRM: Zapier is usually quickest if the form, CRM, and notification tools are mainstream. n8n is stronger when deduplication, scoring, enrichment, and routing rules need custom logic.

Back-office syncs: n8n is a better fit when a single workflow transforms records across multiple APIs and databases. Zapier is a better fit when the workflow is linear and maintained by operations staff.

AI or agent workflows: both platforms now include AI-related features. Use Zapier when you want hosted AI steps inside common SaaS flows; use n8n when you want more control over prompts, model keys, tool calls, and execution history.

Migration Notes

Migrating from Zapier to n8n is not a copy-paste exercise. Inventory every Zap, identify triggers, filters, paths, delays, webhooks, data transforms, and owner credentials. Then rebuild the highest-risk workflows first and run both systems in parallel until outputs match.

If you are moving from n8n to Zapier, simplify workflows before the move. Multi-branch n8n flows may become several Zaps, and task costs can change once each action is counted separately.

The MAZ Solutions can audit the workflow map and rebuild critical automations as a fixed-scope project from $2,500. You keep the platform accounts directly; the work is design, implementation, QA, and handoff. See workflow automation on the services page.

Common Mistakes

Treating Zapier's task allowance like an execution count. Zapier says each successful workflow step and each programmatic call consumes a task, so a multi-step Zap costs more than one completed run.

Self-hosting n8n and skipping backups, upgrades, and credential rotation. The Community Edition removes the hosted bill, and it also makes those operations yours.

Rebuilding every Zap on day one. Move the workflows that break the business first, run both tools in parallel, and switch the rest after the outputs match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources (checked October 2026)

• n8n pricing
• Zapier pricing
• Zapier task rates

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