Compare / Head to head
n8n vs Zapier: open-source power or plug-and-play simplicity?
Quick verdict
Zapier wins for non-technical teams who want things to just work across thousands of apps. n8n wins for technical teams who want self-hosting, code steps and predictable per-execution pricing at high volume.
Comparison table
| Tool | Pricing | Free tier | Best for | Hosting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sn8n | Cloud Starter from €20/mo, Pro €50/mo, Business €667/mo (billed annually); Enterprise custom | Self-hosted Community Edition is free; Cloud has a free trial (1,000 executions, no card) | Technical teams and AI agent workflows; billed per full workflow execution | n8n Cloud (EU, Frankfurt) or self-host | Visit ↗ |
| SZapier | Pro from $19.99/mo (750 tasks, annual) or $29.99 monthly; Team from $69/mo (annual); Enterprise custom | Free plan: 100 tasks/mo, two-step Zaps | Non-technical teams, widest app library (9,000+ apps) | Cloud (Zapier-hosted) | Visit ↗ |
Pricing checked on each vendor's official site on October 14, 2026. Prices change often — always confirm on the official site. "See site" means we couldn't verify it.
Who should pick which?
Pick n8n if…
Engineers, agencies and AI builders running high-volume or many-step workflows, or anyone who needs data to stay on their own servers.
Try n8n ↗Pick Zapier if…
Business teams who want the largest integration catalog, built-in Copilot, and zero infrastructure — and who run modest task volumes.
Try Zapier ↗FAQ
Is n8n a free alternative to Zapier?
The self-hosted n8n Community Edition is free (you pay for your own server). n8n Cloud is paid after a free trial.
How do n8n executions compare to Zapier tasks?
An n8n execution is one full workflow run regardless of step count. Zapier counts a task for each successful action step, though triggers and built-in tools like Filter, Formatter and Paths don't count.
Which is better for AI agents?
n8n is the stronger pick for building custom agent workflows (AI Agent nodes, MCP, evaluations). Zapier Agents is easier for non-developers and is billed separately in 'activities'.
Where is my data stored?
n8n Cloud stores data in the EU (Frankfurt), and self-hosted n8n stores it wherever you run it. Zapier is a hosted cloud service.