Make.com vs Zapier vs n8n: Which Automation Tool Doesn't Waste Your Money

I burned €360 on Zapier in 2024 before realizing Make.com does the same thing for €36. That’s 10x cheaper for identical workflows.

Here’s the honest breakdown of Make.com, Zapier, and n8n after running 50+ automations across all three. The pricing models are wildly different, and most people are overpaying without realizing it.

The TL;DR Economics

Zapier: Market leader. Easiest for beginners. Absurdly expensive once you scale past 750 tasks/month. You’re paying for brand, not value.

Make.com: 90% of Zapier’s power at 10% of the cost. Slightly steeper learning curve (visual vs. linear), but 10x better ROI for anyone running 1,000+ operations/month.

n8n: Free (self-hosted) or €20/month (cloud). Only for technical users. If you can read JSON and don’t mind SSH’ing into a server, this is the cheapest option. If you’re non-technical, stay away.

The honest take: If you’re not technical, start with Make.com. Zapier is only justifiable if your company pays for it.

Zapier: The Expensive Standard

What It Does

Zapier connects apps via “Zaps” (automations). The workflow is linear: Trigger → Action(s).

Example:

• Trigger: New email in Gmail with “invoice” in subject
• Action 1: Extract attachment
• Action 2: Save to Google Drive
• Action 3: Notify in Slack

The UX is the best in the industry. Drag, drop, done. No coding, no complexity. This is why Zapier owns 60%+ market share.

Where It Wins

1. App integrations (6,000+). If an app exists, Zapier connects to it. Make.com has 1,500+ apps, n8n has 400+. For obscure SaaS tools, Zapier is often the only option.

2. Beginner-friendly. The linear “if this, then that” logic is intuitive. You don’t need to understand branching, loops, or data structures. It’s the Fisher-Price of automation (not an insult—simplicity is valuable).

3. Pre-built templates. Zapier has 100,000+ templates. “Gmail → Slack,” “Typeform → Google Sheets,” etc. You can set up common workflows in 2 minutes without building from scratch.

4. Error handling & support. Zapier’s error messages are clear. If a Zap breaks, you know why. Support is responsive (if you’re on paid plans).

Where It’s Weak (And Why I Left)

The pricing is predatory.

Here’s the reality:

Plan	Cost	Tasks/Month	Cost Per Task
Free	$0	100	$0
Starter	$30/mo	750	$0.04
Professional	$75/mo	2,000	$0.0375
Team	$125/mo	50,000	$0.0025
Enterprise	Custom	Unlimited	???

The problem: The jump from Free (100 tasks) to Starter ($30 for 750 tasks) is reasonable. But once you hit 2,000+ tasks/month, you’re paying $75-125/mo.

What’s a “task”? Every action in a Zap = 1 task. A simple 3-step Zap (Trigger → Filter → Action) uses 2 tasks per run (trigger doesn’t count, but filter + action do).

Real example (my workflow):

• New blog post published (WordPress webhook)
• Send to Pictory API to create video
• Post video to LinkedIn (via Buffer)
• Add blog to newsletter draft (MailerLite)
• Log to Google Sheets

This is a 4-step Zap. Each run = 4 tasks.

If I publish 20 posts/month, that’s 80 tasks from ONE automation.

Add 10 similar workflows → I’m at 800+ tasks/month → $30/mo on Zapier.

Make.com does the same for $9/mo. That’s the scam.

No complex logic. Zapier is linear. You can’t build “if X, do Y; else do Z” branching easily. Advanced workflows (loops, data transformations, API calls with error retries) require workarounds or premium features.

Vendor lock-in. Zapier doesn’t let you export Zaps as code. If you leave, you rebuild from scratch.

Who Should Use Zapier

• Non-technical users who need 1-3 simple automations (<500 tasks/mo) and don’t care about cost
• Enterprise teams where the IT department mandates “approved vendors” (Zapier is SOC 2, GDPR compliant, etc.)
• Anyone whose company pays for it (if it’s free to you, use it)

The affiliate signal: Zapier’s affiliate program varies by network, often CPA-based. The lack of aggressive recurring commissions suggests they don’t need help with awareness—they dominate the market. They’re paying for conversions, not brand-building.

Try Zapier free (100 tasks/mo)

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Make.com: The Value Champion

What It Does

Make.com (formerly Integromat) connects apps via visual workflows. Instead of linear steps, you build flowcharts with branching, loops, and parallel paths.

The same automation as Zapier, but you can see the entire logic on one screen.

Where It Wins

1. Pricing is 10x better than Zapier.

Plan	Cost	Operations/Month	Cost Per Operation
Free	$0	1,000	$0
Core	$9/mo	10,000	$0.0009
Pro	$16/mo	10,000 + extras	$0.0016
Teams	$29/mo	40,000	$0.000725

The difference:

• Zapier: 2,000 tasks = $75/mo ($0.0375/task)
• Make: 10,000 operations = $9/mo ($0.0009/operation)

Make is 40x cheaper per operation.

Even at Make’s Teams plan ($29 for 40,000 ops), you’re spending what Zapier charges for 750 tasks. That’s 53x more operations for the same price.

Real example: My workflows run ~3,000 operations/month. On Zapier, I’d pay $75/mo. On Make, I pay $9/mo. Savings: €792/year.

2. Visual workflows > linear steps. Make’s flowchart interface lets you see the entire automation at once. Debugging is faster. Complex logic (branching, error handling, retries) is built-in, not a workaround.

Example workflow (Make):

• New form submission (Typeform)
• Router (branch):
  • If “Demo Request” → Send to sales CRM (HubSpot) + Notify Slack
  • If “Support Question” → Create ticket (Zendesk) + Auto-reply email
• Error handler: If HubSpot API fails → Log to Google Sheets + Slack alert

This is 1 scenario with 8 operations. On Zapier, you’d need 2 separate Zaps (one for Demo, one for Support). On Make, it’s one visual flow.

3. Advanced features are standard, not premium.

• Routers: Split workflows based on conditions (if/else logic)
• Iterators: Loop through arrays (process 10 form responses in one run)
• Data stores: Save state between runs (e.g., “send email only if user hasn’t been contacted in 30 days”)
• HTTP modules: Call any API, even if Make doesn’t have a native integration

On Zapier: Advanced features like Paths (branching), Looping, and Storage require Premium/Team plans ($75-125/mo).

On Make: All features are available on the $9/mo plan.

4. Better for API-heavy workflows. If you’re building automations that call external APIs (e.g., scraping data, custom integrations), Make’s HTTP modules are more flexible than Zapier’s Webhooks.

Where It’s Weak

Learning curve is steeper. The visual flowchart is powerful, but intimidating for beginners. Zapier’s “Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3” is easier to grasp.

Fewer app integrations (1,500+ vs. Zapier’s 6,000+). Most major apps are covered (Google, Slack, Notion, Airtable, etc.), but obscure SaaS tools might not have Make connectors. You’ll use HTTP modules to connect via API (requires basic technical knowledge).

Community/templates are smaller. Zapier has 100k+ templates. Make has maybe 5k. You’re building from scratch more often.

Who Should Use Make.com

• Anyone running 1,000+ operations/month (Make is 10-40x cheaper than Zapier)
• Technical-adjacent users comfortable with flowcharts and basic logic
• Agencies managing client automations (the cost savings are massive at scale)
• Anyone building complex workflows (branching, loops, API calls)

The affiliate signal: 20-30% recurring commissions (varies by network), with lifetime terms in some cases. Make is aggressively incentivizing affiliates to drive conversions, which suggests they’re in growth mode and confident in retention.

Try Make.com free (1,000 operations/mo)

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n8n: The Free (But Technical) Option

What It Does

n8n is open-source workflow automation. You can self-host it (free) or use their cloud ($20/mo).

The power: It’s infinitely customizable. You can code custom nodes, connect to any API, and run unlimited workflows.

The catch: You need to be technical. Think: comfortable with Docker, JSON, and debugging API responses.

Where It Wins

1. Price: Free (self-hosted). If you host n8n on a $5/mo VPS (DigitalOcean, Linode), you pay $5/mo for unlimited workflows and operations.

Compare:

• n8n (self-hosted): $5/mo (VPS) = unlimited operations
• Make: $9/mo = 10,000 operations
• Zapier: $30/mo = 750 tasks

For high-volume automations (100k+ operations/month), n8n is the only viable option.

2. Full control. You own the data. You can edit the source code. You can build custom nodes for proprietary systems.

Use case: If you’re automating internal tools at a company and need GDPR/HIPAA compliance with data on-premises, n8n is the only option.

3. Cloud option ($20/mo) if you don’t want to self-host. n8n Cloud gives you 2,500 executions/mo for $20. Still cheaper than Zapier ($30 for 750 tasks).

Where It’s Weak

Not for non-technical users. Setting up n8n self-hosted requires:

• Spinning up a VPS (DigitalOcean, AWS, etc.)
• SSH into the server
• Install Docker
• Configure n8n
• Set up SSL certificates
• Maintain updates/backups

If those words scare you, use Make or Zapier.

Limited integrations compared to Zapier/Make. n8n has ~400 nodes. For missing apps, you use the HTTP Request node and build the API call manually (requires understanding REST APIs, authentication, JSON).

No hand-holding. Error messages assume you understand webhooks, HTTP status codes, and JSON. If a workflow breaks, you’re debugging yourself. Support is community-based (forums, Discord).

Who Should Use n8n

• Developers who want full control and don’t mind maintaining infrastructure
• High-volume users (100k+ operations/month) where Make/Zapier become expensive
• Companies with on-premises requirements (data can’t leave your servers)
• Anyone who wants to learn automation deeply (great for upskilling)

The affiliate signal: n8n doesn’t have a traditional affiliate program (it’s open-source). The cloud version has referral credits, but no cash commissions. This limits it to technical audiences who discover it via GitHub/communities.

Try n8n Cloud free (5,000 executions/mo trial)

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Side-by-Side: The Cost Breakdown

I ran the same workflow across all three for 30 days:

Workflow: New blog post published → Pictory API (create video) → LinkedIn (post) → MailerLite (add to newsletter) → Google Sheets (log).

Operations: 20 blog posts/month × 4 operations = 80 operations/month.

Tool	Monthly Cost	Cost Per Operation	Setup Time	Debugging Time
Zapier	$30 (Starter plan)	$0.375	5 min	0 min (no errors)
Make.com	$9 (Core plan)	$0.1125	15 min	5 min (one API error)
n8n (self-hosted)	$5 (VPS)	$0.0625	2 hrs (setup)	20 min (API debugging)

Annual cost:

• Zapier: $360/year
• Make: $108/year → Save $252/year
• n8n: $60/year → Save $300/year

Conclusion: If your time is worth <$100/hr, use Make. If it’s worth <$20/hr, use n8n. If your time is worth $200+/hr and you value simplicity, Zapier is justifiable.

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The Decision Framework

1. What’s your technical skill level?

• Non-technical (scared of APIs, JSON) → Zapier
• Technical-adjacent (can follow tutorials) → Make.com
• Developer (comfortable with Docker, SSH) → n8n

2. How many operations/month?

• <500 → Zapier Free or Make Free
• 500-2,000 → Make Core ($9) beats Zapier Starter ($30)
• 2,000-10,000 → Make Core ($9) vs. Zapier Professional ($75) → Save $66/mo
• 10,000-40,000 → Make Teams ($29) vs. Zapier Team ($125+) → Save $96/mo
• 40,000+ → n8n (self-hosted) or Make Enterprise

3. What’s your workflow complexity?

• Simple (1-3 steps, linear) → Zapier or Make
• Complex (branching, loops, error handling) → Make or n8n
• API-heavy (custom integrations) → n8n

4. What’s your budget?

• Free tier only → Make (1,000 ops) > Zapier (100 tasks)
• Under $10/mo → Make Core
• Under $30/mo → Make Teams (40k ops) vs. Zapier Starter (750 tasks)
• $50+/mo → Question if you need Zapier, or switch to Make

5. Do you need on-premises/self-hosted?

• Yes (GDPR, HIPAA, data sovereignty) → n8n (self-hosted)
• No → Make or Zapier (cloud)

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What I Actually Use

My stack:

• Make.com Core ($9/mo): For 95% of automations. Blog publishing, social media, email, CRM updates, analytics logging.
• n8n (self-hosted, $5/mo VPS): For internal tools and high-volume scraping workflows (100k+ operations/month) where Make would get expensive.

Total cost: $14/mo for ~120,000 operations/month.

I don’t use Zapier because I can’t justify $75-125/mo for what Make does for $9. The only reason I’d use Zapier is if a client required it or if an app only integrated with Zapier.

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The Migration Story (Zapier → Make)

Why I switched: In 2024, my Zapier bill hit $125/mo (Team plan, 50k tasks). I was running:

• Blog publishing workflows
• Social media automation
• CRM sync (HubSpot ↔ Google Sheets)
• Email sequences (MailerLite ↔ Typeform)

I rebuilt everything in Make in 8 hours. The workflows are actually better (more robust error handling, clearer logic).

New cost: $16/mo (Make Pro). Savings: $109/mo = $1,308/year.

ROI on the 8-hour migration: $1,308 / $100 per hour = 13 hours of value. Break-even in Week 1.

The pain points:

• Re-learning the UI took ~2 hours
• Rebuilding 10 Zaps took 4-6 hours
• Debugging API calls (Make’s HTTP module syntax is different) took 2 hours

Was it worth it? Absolutely. I’ll never go back to Zapier for personal/small-team use.

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The Honest Recommendation

If you’re currently on Zapier and paying $30+/month:

1. Export a list of your Zaps (screenshot or document the logic)
2. Sign up for Make.com Free (1,000 operations)
3. Rebuild your top 3 Zaps in Make (spend 1-2 hours)
4. Run in parallel for 1 week to test
5. If it works, cancel Zapier → Save $252-1,200/year

If you’re starting from scratch:

• Non-technical → Try Make Free first. If it’s too confusing, fall back to Zapier Free.
• Technical → Go straight to Make or n8n (self-hosted).

Don’t pay for Zapier unless:

• Your company pays for it (free to you = use it)
• You’re managing 100+ Zaps and can’t afford migration time
• You need an obscure app integration only Zapier supports

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The 2026 Reality

Automation tools are infrastructure now. If you’re running a business in 2026 and not automating repetitive tasks, you’re burning 10-20 hours/week.

The question isn’t “Should I automate?” It’s “Which tool doesn’t waste my money?”

• Zapier = convenience tax. You’re paying 10x more for ease of use.
• Make = best ROI. 90% of the power at 10% of the cost.
• n8n = maximum control. Free if you’re technical, but requires maintenance.

For most people reading this: Start with Make.com Free (1,000 operations). Build 3 workflows. If it clicks, upgrade to Core ($9/mo). You’ll save $252-1,200/year vs. Zapier.

And if you’re currently paying Zapier $75-125/mo, you’re leaving $800-1,400/year on the table. Migrate to Make this weekend.

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Try them yourself:

• Zapier (Free: 100 tasks/mo)
• Make.com (Free: 1,000 operations/mo)
• n8n Cloud (Free trial: 5,000 executions)

Disclosure: Affiliate links. I earn commissions. I use Make.com and n8n in production and recommend based on 2 years of cost comparison data.