n8n vs Make vs Zapier: how to choose

What is the core difference between n8n, Make and Zapier?

n8n, Make and Zapier are workflow automation tools that connect applications and automate repetitive work through rule-based flows. All three start a flow with a trigger and then run a series of steps. They differ in where they run, how they bill and how much technical freedom they give you.

• n8n offers both a cloud service and a version you can host yourself. With code steps, custom API calls and AI agent nodes, it sits closest to developers.
• Make is known for its visual scenario editor. It makes branching, looping, multi-step flows buildable without code.
• Zapier is known for the widest catalogue of ready-made app connections. It suits simple “when this happens, do that” flows that need to be live quickly.

All three count as low-code tools, but the “no code” promise weakens as flows grow. Error handling, retries and data transformation bring technical work back in every tool.

The table compares the tools on the criteria that change the decision, not on feature lists. Plan limits and prices change often, so they are not in the table.

Criterion	n8n	Make	Zapier
Hosting	Self-hosted or n8n Cloud	Cloud only	Cloud only
Licence model	Sustainable Use License (source available, commercial resale restricted)	Closed-source SaaS	Closed-source SaaS
Billing unit	Workflow executions in the cloud; infrastructure cost when self-hosted	Credits (one operation is one credit for most modules)	Tasks (each successful action is one task)
Code step	JavaScript and Python nodes	HTTP module and custom apps	Code by Zapier step
AI and agents	AI Agent node, connect a model and tools	AI modules and agents	AI steps and agents
Control over data location	Full control when self-hosted	Regions offered by the vendor	Regions offered by the vendor
Best fit	Companies with a technical team and data location constraints	Operations teams who think visually	Small teams that want to start fast

When does self-hosting make sense?

The n8n documentation lists Docker Compose, npm and a one-line installer, plus guides for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Hetzner. Self-hosting is worth it in three situations.

First, when personal or commercially sensitive data must stay in a specific country or on your own infrastructure. Second, when volumes are high, because you pay per server rather than per run. Third, when you do not want to expose an internal ERP or database to the internet.

The trade-off is clear. Updates, backups, monitoring and security patches become your job. If nobody owns that, the cloud version or a managed service is the more realistic option.

What does the licence allow?

n8n’s Sustainable Use License lets you use, modify and redistribute the software free of charge, with three limits. Use must be for your own internal business purposes, or non-commercial or personal use. Distribution is allowed only free of charge and for non-commercial purposes. Licence notices may not be removed.

In practice, installing n8n for your company’s own processes is fine. A consultant building n8n workflows for you is not something the licence restricts. Embedding n8n in your own product so that your customers connect their accounts and build workflows, however, needs a separate commercial agreement. Enterprise features in files marked .ee. fall under the separate n8n Enterprise License.

Make and Zapier are closed-source SaaS products; their terms sit in the subscription agreement.

What drives the cost?

We do not quote prices because plans change often. Knowing the billing unit matters more than the price list.

• Zapier counts tasks. In Zapier’s definition, each successfully completed action is one task. Triggers do not count. A flow that performs five actions per run uses five tasks per run.
• Make counts credits. According to Make’s help centre, one operation equals one credit for most modules, and a module performs as many operations as the bundles it processes. AI modules can use a variable number of credits based on token consumption.
• n8n Cloud counts workflow executions, regardless of how many steps a workflow has. Self-hosted, the cost is infrastructure and maintenance effort.

The difference shows in multi-step, high-volume flows. Do the maths with your own flows: monthly runs multiplied by steps, in each tool’s unit.

How do AI steps and agents work in each tool?

All three offer steps that call a language model; the depth differs. In n8n’s AI Agent node you connect a chat model and at least one tool, and the agent decides which tool to call to complete the task. Providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic Claude or Google Gemini can serve as the model.

Make and Zapier also offer AI steps and agent features; their scope changes fast, so check the current documentation. Whichever tool you choose, apply three rules. Validate model output before passing it to the next step. Keep a human approval for decisions that directly affect a person. Log the input and output of every model call.

Which hosting option suits personal data?

For flows that carry customer, employee or supplier data, the question is where the tool runs. GDPR and KVKK, Türkiye’s data protection law, both set conditions for transferring personal data abroad, and a cloud automation tool can mean processing outside your jurisdiction.

The options are: keep data in-country with self-hosted n8n; run only flows without personal data in a cloud tool; or sign data processing and transfer agreements with the cloud vendor. Decide which fits together with your legal counsel.

Where should you start?

1. Write down three processes that are still done by hand or by copy and paste.
2. For each, note monthly runs, number of steps and whether it carries personal data.
3. Decide who will build the flows and who will maintain them.
4. Use those answers to pick a column in the table and pilot a single flow.

For SMEs, the first flow is often a data-moving job such as invoice processing or CRM entry. In ecommerce and retail, order notifications and content automation are common starting points.

At Corrplus we start tool selection from the needs of a process. In discovery we map flows and data types, in design we recommend a tool based on hosting and billing unit, and we build in short cycles. More on our n8n and Make automation and workflow automation pages.