Guide · stay or look elsewhere
When Zapier is still the right pick (and when it is not)
You already run Zapier. A score is not a leave order. Totals are not published yet. See the live scorecard. This page does not add new scores.
Stay on Zapier, or look at Make or n8n
Stay · Not scored yet
Stay on 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. Zapier does not outrank Make. A score is not a reason to rip those Zaps out.
Look · Not scored yet
Look at Make instead if…
You will draw the flow on a canvas — routers, branching, a sheet row then Slack — and count credits per module without running a box. Or Zapier’s task meter is why you are shopping. Longer compare: Make vs Zapier for small teams (2026) · When Make is the right pick (and when it is not).
Look · Not scored yet
Look at n8n instead 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. It is not a fourth cloud seat. Longer compare: n8n vs Zapier for small teams (2026).
A pick for a small-team job.
- You already run Zaps — or you need a first Zap this week.
- You want stay vs look at Make or n8n.
- You need dated list prices and when the task meter is why you look elsewhere.
Read more
What this page tells you. When staying on Zapier is still the honest pick while totals are not published yet, plus dated list prices from the official pages. Shopping a leave list is Zapier alternatives for small teams. When to pick each tool is also on Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each.
GuideSome scores not shown yetVendor pages accessed 2026-09-17Live scorecard
A score is not a reason to leave a working Zap
A score is not a reason to rip out a Zap that still writes the right rows, and it is not a reason to treat Zapier as a crown. This page names when staying is still the right pick, and when to look at Make, n8n Cloud, or n8n self-host. It does not add new scores. It is not a second ranking.
Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams. The full when-to-pick read is Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each. Shopping “what else exists” is a different page: Zapier alternatives for small teams.
Stay on Zapier when these jobs fit
This week
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). Templates live on the dashboard, the explore page, the app directory, the Zapier blog, and the templates hub. To use a template, click Try it.
Guided templates turn an existing Zap into a setup wizard: connect accounts, fill editable fields, then publish. The creator can lock fields and add help text. After publish, the new Zap runs on its own. If the job is a working Zap this week — not a canvas rebuild — that is the Zapier lane.
Source: Zapier — what is a Zap · Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · Zapier Templates · Zapier — guided templates · Zapier — use a guided template · accessed 2026-09-17
Operators
Non-technical operators will own the Zaps
Zapier’s quick start is “without code.” Free and Professional are individual plans — one user. Team is the first multi-user plan (25 seats on the pricing page); Enterprise is unlimited seats plus admin controls. If the people who will own the Zaps will not map modules or run a self-host box, Zapier can still be the right tool.
Ownership is still a named person. When you turn on or publish a Zap, the Zap owner must have access to every app connection used in it. If a connection is not shared with the owner, the Zap will not turn on. Name who reconnects. That is operator time, not a 2am server page. Who owns the work: Who should own your automations.
Paid plans get email support. Zapier publishes target times, and says they are not service-level guarantees. Professional: 8 hours, Monday–Friday. Team: first response 1 hour, follow-up 4 hours, including weekends. Enterprise: first response 30 minutes, follow-up 1 hour, including weekends. Live chat starts at Professional 2,000 tasks, Team, and Enterprise. Familiarity with those channels is a stay case, not a score.
Source: Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · Zapier — how to select your Zapier plan · Zapier pricing · Zapier — Zap owner must have every connection · Zapier — manage your app connections · Zapier — get help and support · accessed 2026-09-17
Catalog
The app you need is in Zapier’s directory
Zapier’s help center publishes 9,000+ apps. The public directory headline we recorded on 2026-09-16 was 10,113+. That is the widest no-code marketplace on this trio — not a new score. Make publishes 3,000+ on the integrations page and “more than 3000 apps” in its apps intro. If the connector you need is listed there and is missing on Make or n8n, staying is often simpler than a custom webhook.
Source: Zapier — introduction to apps · Zapier App Directory · Make App Integrations · Make — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-17
Estate
You already run Zaps that write the right rows
If the estate already writes the right rows and pages the right person, keep it until you can parallel-run one critical job. Leaving means rebuilding each job and comparing outcomes while the source Zap stays on. That is operator time, not a new score. A healthy-looking history is not the write — when automations look fine.
Source: Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-17
List prices (dated)
Official list pages only: Zapier pricing · Make pricing · n8n 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. This page does not claim you will save.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Seat / ops model | Free-plan limits | Meter | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 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. n8n Starter and Pro cards say Hosted by n8n. Business is marked Self-hosted. Community Edition is the free self-host path on GitHub. Make extra-credit dollars are not listed as a fixed figure on the primary pricing page.
Look at Make or n8n when the task meter is the job
Stay until you can name the same job in Zapier tasks. Look elsewhere when that task meter is the constraint. A Zapier task is a successful action step. Triggers, Filters, Paths, Formatter, and listed free apps do not count. A three-action Zap uses three tasks per run. The same lead → sheet → Slack job at 100 runs a month is about 200 Zapier tasks — unit math, not a score.
- Over the plan limit, Zapier either bills extra tasks or holds new runs. Zapier emails you at the task limit. With pay-per-task on, extra tasks bill separately until usage hits 3× the selected plan’s task limit, then remaining runs are held. The official rate depends on the plan and billing cycle — check Billing settings. This page does not invent an overage dollar rate. With pay-per-task off, new runs hold at 100% of the plan limit.
- Held runs do not resume on their own. Held causes include the task limit, a disconnected app, flood protection (100+ steps from one check), a payment issue, or an app-access policy. Community: after an upgrade from 750 to 1,500 tasks, weekend runs stayed held until someone replayed them from Zap History. Official help: held runs must be replayed.
Credits
Look at Make
Visual scenario builder, credit volume you can count, no box to run. If Zapier’s task meter is why you are shopping, compare units first. Honest cases: When Make is the right pick. Two-tool compare: Make vs Zapier.
Cloud
Look at n8n Cloud
Same n8n editor family, vendor-hosted. n8n manages hosting, updates, and scaling. n8n recommends Cloud if you want instant access or do not want to manage infrastructure — and if you are not experienced at managing servers. Two-tool compare: n8n vs Zapier · Make vs n8n. Honest cases: When n8n Cloud is the right pick.
Self-host
Look at n8n self-host
If you will own uptime, upgrades, backups, and 2am, that is the self-host job. It is not a fourth cloud seat. That is not a Zapier miss. It is a different job. Full read: When n8n self-host is worth it.
Estimate volume before you pick a plan. Zapier’s plan guide: list the processes and how often they run. Tasks ≈ actions × volume. Triggers do not count. Compare that estimate in Make credits and n8n executions — do not treat one task as one credit as one execution. Tasks vs credits vs executions · Same job, three meters.
Source: Zapier — how task usage is measured · Zapier — how pay-per-task billing works · Zapier — how to troubleshoot held Zap or step runs · Zapier — replay Zap runs · Zapier — how to select your Zapier plan · Zapier Community — Zaps on hold, even after upgrading · n8n — choose how to use n8n · n8n — use Docker Compose · accessed 2026-09-17
Export is Zapier JSON
Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Make blueprints and n8n workflow JSON are not interchangeable with it. There is no one-click Zapier → Make or Zapier → n8n import. Import is also unavailable during a Zapier free trial. Unless you are the account owner or super admin, you can only export Zaps you own. After import, you still turn Zaps on and retest connections.
If you cannot name the same job in each vendor’s own unit, stay until you can. Do not invent a monthly dollar. What does not migrate between Zapier, Make, and n8n · Parallel-run before you switch.
Source: Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-17
Scoring status
Scoring status
The live card is Make vs n8n vs Zapier. Totals are not published yet. Self-hosted is a separate lane. This page does not add new scores.
Criterion scores are not published yet. The /500 total is not published yet. Rules: How scoring works.
Two-tool pages: Make vs Zapier for small teams (2026) · n8n vs Zapier for small teams (2026) · Make vs n8n for small teams (2026). When to pick each: Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each.
Product links
Sources
Primary vendor pages and community threads. Access date for every citation on this page: 2026-09-17. List prices stay as published.
- Zapier — what is a Zap · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier App Directory · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier Templates · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — guided templates · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — use a guided template · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — how task usage is measured · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — how pay-per-task billing works · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — how to troubleshoot held Zap or step runs · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — replay Zap runs · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n pricing · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — how to select your Zapier plan · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — get help and support · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — Zap owner must have every connection · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier — manage your app connections · accessed 2026-09-17
- Zapier Community — Zaps on hold, even after upgrading · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make App Integrations · accessed 2026-09-17
- Make — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — choose how to use n8n · accessed 2026-09-17
- n8n — use Docker Compose · accessed 2026-09-17
FAQ
When is Zapier still the right pick for a small team?
Stay when you need a working Zap this week, the people who will own it will not map a canvas or run n8n, the app only Zapier lists here, or you already run Zaps that write the right rows. A score is not a leave order and does not outrank Make. This page does not cite a total. It does not add new scores.
Does this page change the Make vs n8n vs Zapier scores?
No. Totals are not published yet. It is not a fourth cloud seat. Rules live on Methodology.
When should I look at Make or n8n instead?
Look at Make when you will draw the flow on a canvas and count credits — When Make is the right pick. Look at n8n Cloud when you want that editor family hosted and will not run a box. Look at n8n self-host (not a fourth cloud seat) when a named owner will run Docker or a VPS. Look elsewhere when the Zapier task meter is the constraint. Compare the same job in each vendor’s own unit on Same job, three meters. This page does not claim you will save.
Can I import my Zaps into Make or n8n?
No. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Make blueprints and n8n workflow JSON are not interchangeable with it. There is no one-click Zapier → Make or Zapier → n8n import. Import is also unavailable during a Zapier free trial. Rebuild one critical job on the destination, compare outcomes, then cut over. See Parallel-run one job before you switch.
Are Zapier’s support times a service-level agreement?
No. Zapier publishes target email response times by plan — Professional 8 hours (Monday–Friday), Team first response 1 hour and follow-up 4 hours (including weekends), Enterprise first response 30 minutes and follow-up 1 hour (including weekends). Zapier states those times are goals, not service-level guarantees. Actual times can vary with volume and complexity. Live chat starts at Professional 2,000 tasks, Team, and Enterprise.
What happens when a Zapier account hits its task limit?
A Zapier task is a successful action step. Triggers, Filters, Paths, and Formatter do not count. Zapier emails you at the task limit. With pay-per-task on, extra tasks bill separately until usage hits 3× the selected plan’s task limit, then remaining runs are held. With pay-per-task off, new runs hold at 100% of the plan limit. Community: held runs must be replayed after you upgrade or the cycle resets. This page does not invent an overage dollar rate.
Does this page invent monthly prices or a 2026 winner?
No. Dated list prices come from the official Zapier, Make, and n8n pricing pages. Make $ is omitted where the list page did not show a fixed figure. This page does not claim you will save. Compare the same job in each vendor’s own unit on Same job, three meters. Commissions do not move a score.
Will a commission change these numbers?
No. Make Partner is the site’s one live affiliate; this page carries no affiliate link. n8n and Zapier stay official-site URLs with no affiliate ID. Zapier has no Stack affiliate — this page does not invent one. Commissions do not move a score, a weight, or a list price.
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 invented IDs. Zapier has no Stack affiliate. Rankings are not sold. Policy: Affiliate disclosure · Disclosures.