Guide · compare
n8n vs Zapier for small teams (2026)
Totals are not published yet. Self-hosted is a separate lane. See the live scorecard. When to pick each is also on Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each. This page does not add new scores.
Pick n8n or Zapier
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.
Zapier Not scored yet
Pick Zapier if…
You need a working Zap this week without the n8n editor, the app only Zapier lists, or the people who will own it will not use n8n. Or you already run Zaps that write the right rows.
A pick for a small-team job.
- You are choosing between n8n’s editor and Zapier’s catalog 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 n8n or Zapier fits a concrete small-team job, plus dated list prices from the official pages. It is not a third cloud seat. Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams.
Not ranked yetSome scores not shown yetVendor pages accessed 2026-09-16Live scorecard
List prices (dated)
Official list pages only: n8n pricing · Zapier pricing, accessed 2026-09-16. 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.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Seat / ops model | Free-plan limits | Meter | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2026-09-16 |
| 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 | 2026-09-16 |
| 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 | 2026-09-16 |
| n8n Enterprise | Custom — contact sales | Custom — contact sales | Custom number of workflow executions. Contact sales. | See n8n Cloud Starter trial | Executions | 2026-09-16 |
| 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) | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Free | Free | Free | 1 seat. Tasks reset monthly. | 100 tasks / month; two-step Zaps; 1 seat | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
| 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 | 2026-09-16 |
| 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 | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Enterprise | Custom — contact sales | Custom — contact sales | Unlimited seats on the list page. Annual task limits. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
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.
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.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Small-team job | n8n | Zapier | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| A working automation this week, without a technical owner | 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, not per successful step | Usually wins | Each successful action is still a task | An n8n execution is one full workflow run. Do not treat one task as one execution. |
| An app only Zapier lists in this pair | HTTP Request or a custom node | Usually wins | Zapier help publishes 9,000+ apps. n8n’s catalog is nodes plus HTTP. |
| Volume is the constraint — step count would multiply the bill | Usually wins | Task meter can hold or bill extras | Compare the same job in executions vs tasks. Units on Same job, three meters. |
| You already run n8n Cloud workflows that write the right rows | Usually wins — keep until you parallel-run | Rebuild; no one-click import | n8n export is workflow JSON. Zapier JSON is not interchangeable with it. |
| You already run Zaps that write the right rows | Rebuild; no one-click import | Usually wins — keep until you parallel-run | Zapier export is Zapier JSON. n8n JSON is not interchangeable with it. |
| Operators are not developers and volume is still low | Fits if they will use the n8n editor | Usually wins | Free and Professional are individual plans. Team is the first multi-user plan (25 seats on the pricing page). |
| You will own uptime, upgrades, and backups | Self-host is a different job. | Not this job | This page cites the live scorecard. It is not a third cloud seat. |
“Usually wins” means the better pick for that job, not a crown. Units for one 5-step job live on Same job, three meters.
When n8n is the better pick
Honest cases for running the box: When n8n self-host is worth it. It is not a third cloud seat.
n8n
You want one execution per full run
An n8n execution is one full workflow run, no matter how many steps ran or how much data it processed. Paid-plan quota counts production runs. Manual editor runs do not. That is unit math, not a score.
n8n
You want the n8n editor hosted — or you will run the box
Starter and Pro cards say Hosted by n8n. Start there if you want instant access and do not want to manage infrastructure. Community Edition is the free self-host path on GitHub. Business on the pricing page is marked Self-hosted. It is not a third cloud seat.
n8n
Zapier’s task meter is the constraint
A Zapier task is a successful action step. The same 5-step form-lead job is 4 Zapier tasks and 1 n8n execution per successful run. At 500 runs that is 2,000 tasks vs 500 executions. Compare units on Same job, three meters — that is unit math, not a score.
Source: n8n pricing · n8n — understand executions · n8n — choose how to use n8n · accessed 2026-09-16
When Zapier is the better pick
Honest cases: When Zapier is still the right pick.
Zapier
You need a working Zap this week
A Zap is a trigger plus one or more actions. Zapier’s editor is three phases: build, test, then publish. You can start from a blank Zap, a pre-built template, or Copilot (open beta).
Zapier
The app you need is in Zapier’s directory
Zapier’s help center publishes 9,000+ apps. If the connector is listed there and missing as an n8n node, staying is often simpler than an HTTP Request rebuild.
Zapier
The operators are not developers
Zapier’s quick start is “without code.” Free and Professional are one-user plans. Team is the first multi-user plan (25 seats on the pricing page). If the people who will own the Zaps will not use the n8n editor, Zapier can still be the right tool.
Source: Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · Zapier — introduction to apps · Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
Same job, two meters
Do not treat one task as one 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 and 1 n8n execution. Units only at 50 / 500 / 5,000 runs.
Deeper unit definitions: Tasks vs credits vs executions.
Switching tools
n8n export is workflow JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click n8n ↔ Zapier 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. A Zapier book moving to n8n, with Cloud and self-host kept apart, is Switching from Zapier to n8n — when the rebuild is worth it. An n8n book moving to Zapier, with Cloud and self-host kept apart, is Switching from n8n to Zapier — when the rebuild is worth it.
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
The live card is Make vs n8n vs Zapier. Totals are not published yet. It is not a third-tool comparison. If the job is actually Make or n8n Self-host, use the when-to-pick guide or Which automation tool for small teams.
Criterion scores are not published yet. The /500 total is not published yet. This page does not add new scores. Rules: How scoring works.
Sibling compares: Make vs Zapier for small teams (2026) · Make vs n8n for small teams (2026).
Official n8n and Zapier
Official
n8n
Official site only · no affiliate ID · not a partner mark.
Official
Zapier
Official site only · no affiliate ID · not a partner mark.
Sources
Primary vendor pages. Access date for every citation on this page: 2026-09-16. List prices stay as published.
n8n Cloud stores hosted-plan data in the EU, on servers in Frankfurt. That is not Canadian residency. Zapier can bill in CAD among 19 currencies. We do not invent a CAD list.
- n8n pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
- n8n — understand executions · accessed 2026-09-16
- n8n — choose how to use n8n · accessed 2026-09-16
- n8n — export and import · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — how task usage is measured · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-16
FAQ
n8n vs Zapier — which should a small team pick?
It depends on the job. Pick n8n Cloud if you will use the n8n editor and count one execution per full run. Pick self-host if you will own the box. Pick Zapier if you need a first Zap this week, a wider catalog, or an existing Zapier estate. Four questions: Which automation tool for small teams.
Is this a new n8n vs Zapier scorecard?
No. Totals are not published yet. It is not a third cloud seat here. This page does not add new scores and is not a third-tool comparison. Rules live on Methodology.
When does n8n win vs Zapier for a small team?
When the job is one execution per full run, the n8n editor hosted without running the box, or a Zapier task meter that is the constraint. If the real job is running the box, see When n8n self-host is worth it. Compare units on Same job, three meters.
When does Zapier still win vs n8n?
When the job is a first Zap this week, an app that only Zapier lists here, 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.
How do n8n and Zapier bill the same job?
A Zapier task is a successful action step. Triggers, Filters, Paths, and Formatter do not count. An n8n execution is one full workflow run. Do not treat one task as one execution. See Same job, three meters and Tasks vs credits vs executions.
Can I import a Zap into n8n, or an n8n workflow into Zapier?
No. n8n export is workflow JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click n8n ↔ Zapier import. Rebuild one critical job, compare outcomes, then cut over. See What does not migrate and Parallel-run one job before you switch.
Affiliate disclosure
Make Partner (pc=stackscorecard) is live elsewhere on the site and is not the primary call here. 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.