Zapier vs n8n: Pricing, Self-Hosting and Ease of Use Compared
Pick Zapier if you want the most app connections, a free plan, and no setup at all. Pick n8n if you run long, many-step workflows, want to write code inside them, or want to host the tool on your own server.
Both connect your apps and run automations for you. The real difference is how they charge: Zapier counts every action, n8n counts whole workflow runs.
Zapier vs n8n at a glance
| Zapier | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Professional from $19.99/month; Team from $69/month | Starter 20€/month, Pro 50€/month (billed annually) |
| Free plan | Yes: 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps | No free cloud plan (free trial); free self-hosted Community Edition |
| Platforms | Web (cloud only) | Cloud, or self-hosted on your own server |
| Open source | No | Source available under a fair-code license, not classic open source |
| Integrations | 9,000+ apps | 2,000+ integrations, plus HTTP requests to any API |
| Billing unit | Each successful action is a task | Each full workflow run is one execution |
| Best for | Non-technical users and simple app-to-app automations | Technical users and complex workflows |
Which is cheaper, Zapier or n8n?
For small, simple automations, Zapier, because it has a free plan. For workflows with many steps, n8n is usually cheaper, because of how it counts usage.
Zapier charges in tasks. Its pricing page says each successful action in a Zap counts as a separate task, and checking for new data does not use tasks. So a Zap that adds a row to a sheet and then sends a Slack message uses two tasks every time it runs.
n8n charges in executions. Its pricing page says pricing is based on monthly workflow executions "regardless of complexity", and that you only pay when a workflow runs from start to finish. A workflow with 2 steps and one with 20 steps cost the same per run.
The entry prices: Zapier Professional starts at $19.99 a month, and Team at $69 a month. n8n Starter is 20€ a month billed annually for 2,500 executions, and Pro is 50€ a month for 10,000 executions. n8n's paid cloud plans include unlimited users and workflows.
Is n8n free?
Partly. n8n's cloud plans are paid, with a free trial that needs no credit card. But n8n also offers a Community Edition, a standard self-hosted version that is available on GitHub, and you can run it on your own server without paying n8n.
The catch is the license. n8n uses its Sustainable Use License, which it calls fair-code. It lets you use and modify n8n for your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use. If you want to offer n8n to others as part of a paid product, n8n says you need a separate commercial agreement.
Self-hosting also means you look after the server, updates and backups yourself. The software is free; your time and hosting are not.
Which is easier to use?
Zapier is easier for most people. You build a Zap by picking a trigger app and an action app, and Zapier hosts it and checks for new data for you. Every new account gets a free 14-day trial of the Professional plan, with no credit card required, so you can try multi-step Zaps before paying.
n8n is built for people who are comfortable with a bit of logic. Its pricing page lists code steps in workflows in JavaScript or Python on every plan, plus custom API requests, AI agent nodes and MCP. That makes it more flexible, but you will likely spend more time setting it up.
What do the free plans actually allow?
On 6 November 2026, we checked both pricing pages. Zapier's free plan allowed 100 tasks a month, unlimited Zaps, and only two-step Zaps (one trigger and one action), and it checked for new data every 15 minutes, against every 2 minutes on Professional. Free and Professional were for one user.
The same day, n8n had no free cloud plan on its pricing page. Its cheapest option, Starter, was 20€ a month billed annually for 2,500 workflow executions with unlimited steps and 5 concurrent executions. The Business plan, at 667€ a month billed annually, was self-hosted only.
So if you need a free, hosted tool for one simple automation, Zapier is the only one of the two that does that. If you can run a server, n8n's Community Edition costs nothing in licence fees.
Which has more integrations?
Zapier, by a wide margin. Zapier says it connects to 9,000+ apps. n8n's integrations page lists 2,000+ integrations. Both can call any app that has an API: Zapier through webhooks on paid plans, n8n through HTTP request steps.
If the apps you use are popular, both will likely cover them. If you rely on a niche tool, check each directory before you choose. And if neither feels right, our list of Make.com alternatives compares Zapier, n8n, Power Automate and IFTTT side by side.
Which should you choose?
- You want a free tool for one simple automation: Zapier Free.
- You are not technical and want it to just work: Zapier.
- Your workflows have many steps and run often: n8n, since a whole run counts once.
- You want to write JavaScript or Python inside a workflow: n8n.
- You want to self-host for privacy or cost: n8n Community Edition, for internal or personal use.
- You need a niche app integration: Zapier, with 9,000+ apps.
FAQ
Is n8n open source?
Not in the strict sense. The code is on GitHub, but it uses the Sustainable Use License, a fair-code license that limits use to internal business, personal or non-commercial purposes.
Does Zapier have a free plan?
Yes. Zapier Free gives you 100 tasks a month and unlimited two-step Zaps. Multi-step Zaps need Professional, from $19.99 a month.
Can I self-host Zapier?
No. Zapier's pricing page offers only hosted plans, with no self-hosted option. n8n is the one of the two you can run on your own server.
How does n8n count usage?
By workflow executions. One execution is one full run of a workflow, no matter how many steps it has.