n8n vs Zapier — 2026
Zapier is the no-brainer for under 1,000 tasks/month. n8n wins decisively once you're paying Zapier more than $200/month or need real AI agents.
Pick n8n if…
- You have engineering capacity
- Your bill exceeds $200/mo on Zapier
- You need self-hosting (compliance, data residency)
- You're building AI agents with LangChain-style logic
- You want unlimited operations at flat cost
Pick Zapier if…
- You have under 1,000 tasks/month
- Nobody on your team can read code
- You need every SaaS integration under the sun
- Time-to-first-zap matters more than cost
Pricing
n8n
Self-hosted: ~$20/mo VPS + your time. Cloud: $20-$50/mo for unlimited execs.
Zapier
Free: 100 tasks. Pro: $30/mo for 750 tasks. Team: $103/mo for 2K tasks. Scales fast.
Our verdict
Start on Zapier. Move to n8n when your bill hits $200/mo, you need AI agents, or you need self-hosting.
FAQs
n8n vs Zapier — which is better?
Start on Zapier. Move to n8n when your bill hits $200/mo, you need AI agents, or you need self-hosting.
When should I pick n8n?
You have engineering capacity. Your bill exceeds $200/mo on Zapier. You need self-hosting (compliance, data residency). You're building AI agents with LangChain-style logic. You want unlimited operations at flat cost.
When should I pick Zapier?
You have under 1,000 tasks/month. Nobody on your team can read code. You need every SaaS integration under the sun. Time-to-first-zap matters more than cost.
How much does n8n cost?
Self-hosted: ~$20/mo VPS + your time. Cloud: $20-$50/mo for unlimited execs.
How much does Zapier cost?
Free: 100 tasks. Pro: $30/mo for 750 tasks. Team: $103/mo for 2K tasks. Scales fast.
Can I use both n8n and Zapier?
Often yes — we build hybrid setups all the time. Start on Zapier. Move to n8n when your bill hits $200/mo, you need AI agents, or you need self-hosting.
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