Guide · compare
Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each
Totals are not published yet. Self-hosted is a separate lane. See the live scorecard. This page does not add new scores and is not a second ranking.
Pick Make, n8n, or Zapier
Make Not scored yet
Pick Make if…
You will draw the flow on a canvas — routers, branching, a sheet row then Slack — and you want to count credits per module without running a box. Or you already run Make scenarios that write the right rows.
n8n Cloud Not scored yet
Pick n8n if…
You will use the n8n editor and count one execution per full run — Cloud if you do not want to run a box, or Community / Business self-host if you will own uptime, upgrades, and backups. Or you already run n8n workflows that write the right rows. It is not a fourth cloud seat.
Zapier Not scored yet
Pick Zapier if…
You need a working Zap this week without mapping a canvas, the app only Zapier lists, or the people who will own it will not map modules or use n8n. Or you already run Zaps that write the right rows.
A pick for a small-team job.
- You are choosing among Make, n8n, and Zapier for a small team.
- You want a clear pick for a concrete job.
- You need dated list prices and how Cloud vs self-host bills a run.
Read more
What this page tells you. When Make, n8n, or Zapier fits a concrete small-team job, plus dated list prices from the official pages. Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams.
Not ranked yetSome scores not shown yetVendor pages accessed 2026-09-17Live scorecard
List prices (dated)
Official list pages only: Make pricing · n8n pricing · Zapier pricing, accessed 2026-09-17. Zapier dollars below are the published entry task tiers. n8n plan prices vary by region, so the n8n rows point to n8n pricing for the current figure. Make’s page lists Free, Core, Pro, Teams, and Enterprise with monthly and annual billing and a credit slider — it does not publish a single fixed monthly or annual dollar on the page we could read, so those $ figures are omitted.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Seat / ops model | Free-plan limits | Meter | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make Free | Free | Free | Credits. Not a published per-seat price. | 1,000 credits / month; 2 active scenarios; 15-minute minimum interval | Credits | 2026-09-17 |
| Make Core | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Unlimited active scenarios. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-17 |
| Make Pro | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Priority execution. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-17 |
| Make Teams | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Team roles. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-17 |
| Make Enterprise | Custom — talk to sales | Custom — talk to sales | Credits. Custom enterprise features. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-17 |
| n8n Cloud Starter | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Unlimited users. 2.5k workflow executions. Hosted by n8n. | Cloud trial: 1,000 executions; 5 concurrent; no credit card. No ongoing free Cloud plan on the list page. | Executions | 2026-09-17 |
| n8n Cloud Pro | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Unlimited users. 10k workflow executions. Hosted by n8n. | See n8n Cloud Starter trial | Executions | 2026-09-17 |
| n8n Business | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Varies by region (see n8n pricing) | Unlimited users. 40k workflow executions. Marked Self-hosted on the list page. | See n8n Cloud Starter trial | Executions | 2026-09-17 |
| n8n Enterprise | Custom — contact sales | Custom — contact sales | Custom number of workflow executions. Contact sales. | See n8n Cloud Starter trial | Executions | 2026-09-17 |
| n8n Community Edition | Free | Free | Self-host on GitHub. You own the box. Not a published per-seat price. | Standard self-hosted edition. No Cloud host. | Self-host (you run it) | 2026-09-17 |
| Zapier Free | Free | Free | 1 seat. Tasks reset monthly. | 100 tasks / month; two-step Zaps; 1 seat | Tasks | 2026-09-17 |
| Zapier Professional | $29.99 / month at 750 tasks | $19.99 / month billed annually at 750 tasks | 1 seat. Tasks reset monthly. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-17 |
| Zapier Team | $103.50 / month at 2,000 tasks | $69.00 / month billed annually at 2,000 tasks | 25 seats. Tasks reset monthly. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-17 |
| Zapier Enterprise | Custom — contact sales | Custom — contact sales | Unlimited seats on the list page. Annual task limits. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-17 |
n8n Starter and Pro cards say Hosted by n8n. Business is marked Self-hosted. Community Edition is the free self-host path on GitHub. Zapier Professional and Team figures are the entry task tiers on zapier.com/pricing (750 tasks and 2,000 tasks). Higher task tiers exist on that page and are not copied here. Make extra-credit dollars are not listed as a fixed figure on the primary pricing page.
Which tool for which job
When each is the better pick for a small-team job. Totals are not published yet. Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams. Two-tool pages instead of repeating those compares: Make vs Zapier · n8n vs Zapier · Make vs n8n.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Small-team job | Make | n8n | Zapier | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A visual scenario canvas, without owning a box | Usually wins | Possible — Cloud needs no install; the editor is still n8n | Paths exist; each successful action is still a task | In Make, everything you build is a scenario. Modules sit on a canvas. |
| A working automation this week, without mapping a canvas | Possible — first scenario is a walkthrough | Possible — Cloud needs no install; the editor is still n8n | Usually wins | A Zap is a trigger plus actions. Zapier’s quick start is “without code.” |
| One execution per full run, hosted — not per module or task | Each module run is usually a credit | Usually wins on Cloud | Each successful action is still a task | An n8n execution is one full workflow run. Self-host uses the same unit — you own the runtime. |
| The widest no-code app catalog among these three | Custom HTTP if the app is missing | HTTP Request or a custom node | Usually wins | Zapier help publishes 9,000+ apps. Make’s integrations page publishes 3,000+. Catalog fit, not a new score. |
| You already run one of these tools and it writes the right rows | Keep Make until you parallel-run | Keep n8n until you parallel-run | Keep Zapier until you parallel-run | Make, n8n, and Zapier export formats are not interchangeable. A /500 lead is not a reason to rip out a working job. |
| You will own uptime, upgrades, and backups | Not this job | Self-host is this job. | Not this job | n8n Self-host is not a fourth cloud seat. If nobody will run the box, stay on vendor-hosted Make, n8n Cloud, or Zapier. |
“Usually wins” means the better pick for that job, not a crown. Units for one 5-step job live on Same job, three meters.
Two-tool pages
If the job is already a pair, use the two-tool page. Totals are not published yet. Those pages are not a second scorecard.
Make vs Zapier for small teams (2026)
When the canvas and the catalog are the pair.
n8n vs Zapier for small teams (2026)
When the hosted editor and the catalog are the pair.
Make vs n8n for small teams (2026)
When the canvas and the hosted editor are the pair. Self-host is a different job.
n8n Cloud vs self-host
n8n Cloud is the hosted editor: you do not own uptime. It is not a fourth cloud seat. The same editor family. Not the same job. This page does not invent a self-host score.
Start with Cloud if you want instant access or do not want to manage infrastructure. Self-host only if a named owner will run Docker or a VPS, take backups, and page at 2am. Honest cases: When n8n self-host is worth it. If nobody will own 2am, stay on Make, n8n Cloud, or Zapier.
n8n Cloud stores hosted-plan data in the EU, on servers in Frankfurt. That is not Canadian residency. Self-host sits where you put it. We do not invent a CAD list.
Same job, three meters
Do not treat one Zapier task as one Make credit as one n8n execution. The 5-step worked example — form lead → sheet or CRM row → confirmation email → Slack → follow-up task — is on Same job, three meters. Per successful run that page counts 4 Zapier tasks, 5 Make credits, and 1 n8n execution. Units only at 50 / 500 / 5,000 runs.
Deeper unit definitions: Tasks vs credits vs executions.
Switching tools
Make export is a blueprint JSON. n8n export is workflow JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click Make ↔ Zapier ↔ n8n import. Imports on Make must stay below 2 MB, and you recreate connections after import. Exported n8n JSON may include credential names and IDs — sanitize before sharing. n8n packages (Preview) stay inside n8n. Keep the source job on, rebuild one critical job, compare outcomes, then cut over.
What does not travel: What does not migrate. Cutover checklist: Parallel-run one job before you switch. Pass or defer first: What’s worth automating. If it already fails, name the class: When automations fail.
Scoring status
Scoring status
Each tool is rated 1–5 on named criteria. Each criterion has a weight; the weights add up to 100. Total = rating × weight, summed. A perfect score is 500. Totals are not published yet. Higher is a better fit for small teams on those criteria — not “best tool forever”.
The live card is Make vs n8n vs Zapier. Totals are not published yet. This page does not add new scores.
Criterion scores are not published yet. The /500 total is not published yet. Rules: How scoring works.
Honest cases: When Make is the right pick · When Zapier is still the right pick · When n8n self-host is worth it.
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Sources
Primary vendor pages. Access date for every citation on this page: 2026-09-17. List prices stay as published.
- Make — what’s a scenario · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make — credits · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make — operations · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make — extra credits · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make App Integrations · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make — blueprints · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — how task usage is measured · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — understand executions · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — choose how to use n8n · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — export and import · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — use Docker Compose · accessed 2026-09-17
FAQ
Make vs n8n vs Zapier — which should a small team pick?
It depends on the job. A four-question picker lives at Which automation tool for small teams. Pick Make if you want a visual scenario builder without running a box. Pick n8n Cloud if you want one execution per full run and the n8n editor hosted. Pick Zapier if you need a first Zap this week, a wider catalog, or an existing Zapier estate. n8n Self-host is not a fourth cloud seat. It fits only if a named owner will run the box.
Is this a new Make vs n8n vs Zapier scorecard?
No. Totals are not published yet. Rules live on Methodology.
When does Make fit vs n8n and Zapier?
When the job is a visual scenario canvas, volume that fits Make credits, an existing Make estate, or a team that will map modules but will not run a server. Honest cases: When Make is the right pick. Two-tool pages: Make vs Zapier and Make vs n8n. Compare units on Same job, three meters.
When does n8n Cloud fit vs Make and Zapier?
When the job is one execution per full run, the n8n editor hosted without running the box, Code steps or HTTP Request in the workflow, or an existing n8n Cloud estate you would have to rebuild. Two-tool pages: Make vs n8n and n8n vs Zapier. If the real job is running the box, see When n8n self-host is worth it.
When does Zapier still fit vs Make and n8n?
When the job is a first Zap this week, an app that only Zapier lists among these three, a non-technical operator at low volume, or an existing Zapier estate you would have to rebuild. Honest cases: When Zapier is still the right pick. Two-tool pages: Make vs Zapier and n8n vs Zapier.
When does n8n Self-host fit — and is it a fourth cloud seat?
No. It is not a fourth cloud seat. It fits only when a named owner will run Docker or a VPS, take backups, and own 2am. n8n’s choose-how guide recommends Cloud if you want instant access or do not want to manage infrastructure. Honest cases: When n8n self-host is worth it.
How do Zapier, Make, and n8n bill the same job?
A Zapier task is a successful action step. Triggers, Filters, Paths, and Formatter do not count. A Make credit is usually one module action; a trigger check still uses a credit. An n8n execution is one full workflow run. See Same job, three meters and Tasks vs credits vs executions. Do not treat one task as one credit as one execution. This page does not add a monthly dollar.
Do you have a separate Make vs Zapier or Make vs n8n score?
Not a separate card. Make vs Zapier, Make vs n8n, and n8n vs Zapier are two-tool when-to-pick pages. They cite the same live scorecard and point back here. Totals are not published yet.
Can I import a Zap into Make or n8n, or a Make blueprint into n8n?
No. Make export is a blueprint JSON. n8n export is workflow JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click Make ↔ Zapier ↔ n8n import. Rebuild one critical job, compare outcomes, then cut over. See What does not migrate and Parallel-run one job before you switch.
Will a commission change these numbers?
No. Make is a live partner signup (pc=stackscorecard). n8n and Zapier stay official-site URLs with no affiliate ID. Commissions do not move a score or a weight.
Affiliate disclosure
Make is a live partner signup (pc=stackscorecard) and is marked affiliate; we may earn a commission. n8n and Zapier stay official-site URLs with UTM only — no affiliate ID. Rankings are not sold. Policy: Affiliate disclosure · Disclosures. Contact editor@stackscorecard.com.