n8n vs Zapier: One Costs 10x More. Is It Worth It?

Zapier is the market leader, but n8n is changing the game. Is it worth paying 10x more for Zapier? We analyze both options without bias.

When to Choose Zapier#

• Non-technical team — The interface is more intuitive
• Rare integrations — Zapier has more native connectors
• No time for maintenance — It's 100% managed
• Simple flows — A → B → C without complex logic

When to Choose n8n#

• Total control — Self-hosted, your data never leaves your server
• Complex flows — Loops, conditionals, custom code
• High volume — No execution limits
• Limited budget — Free if you host it yourself

Real Cost Comparison#

Example: Same Flow in Both#

Let's see how the same automation flow looks on each platform:

// n8n - Lead sync workflow
{
  "nodes": [
    { "type": "webhook", "name": "Receive Lead" },
    { "type": "hubspot", "name": "Create Contact" },
    { "type": "slack", "name": "Notify Sales" },
    { "type": "gmail", "name": "Send Welcome" }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Receive Lead": ["Create Contact"],
    "Create Contact": ["Notify Sales", "Send Welcome"]
  }
}

Our Recommendation#

We use n8n for 90% of our automation projects. The flexibility and cost savings are significant for most cases.

Zapier charges you for every step of your automation. n8n charges you $0 for owning your infrastructure.