Zapier vs n8n 2026: Which Workflow Automation Tool Wins?
Quick verdict: Zapier is our overall pick for Zapier vs n8n.
Zapier (4.2/5) is the fastest to first automation and the widest app catalogue; n8n (4.0/5) removes the usage meter entirely — self-host free with unlimited executions, or pay per complete execution from EUR 20/mo. The trade is onboarding versus ownership.
| Tool | Rating | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier Best overall Best for teams | 4.2/5 | Free $19.99/mo (Professional, annual) | Zapier connects 9,000+ apps with the shallowest learning curve in the class — free for 100… |
| n8n Best free | 4.0/5 | Free €20/mo (Starter, annual) | n8n is the only tool in the class you can self-host free with unlimited workflows, executi… |
Bottom line: Zapier (4.2/5) wins on time-to-value — 9,000+ apps, a free 100-task tier, and a builder a non-engineer can use in minutes. n8n (4.0/5) wins on the pricing model: the self-hosted Community Edition is free with unlimited workflows, executions and users, and cloud bills per complete execution rather than per step, so a 40-node workflow still counts as one execution (Starter EUR 20/mo at 2,500, Pro EUR 50/mo at 10,000). What n8n costs is ownership — patching, backups, monitoring and execution-data pruning — and concurrency is tight at the low end (5 concurrent on Starter). Choose Zapier when nobody will run infrastructure; choose n8n when a technical owner exists and per-step or per-task billing is the thing you want to eliminate.
Pricing and details
Zapier · 4.2/5
Free plan available · $19.99/mo (Professional, annual)
Task-based: one task = one action a Zap successfully completes, and the trigger does not count. Free gives 100 tasks/mo, unlimited Zaps but two-step Zaps only, and 1 seat. Professional starts at 750 tasks/mo and scales by tier (1,500 $29.99, 3,000 $49.99, 5,000 $69.99, up to 2M at $5,999/mo); Team starts at 2,000 tasks and includes 25 seats with SAML SSO. Filters, Paths and Formatter steps do not consume tasks. Every plan includes unlimited Zaps, Tables, Forms and Zapier MCP. Enterprise is quote-only.
Professional $19.99/mo · Team $69/mo (billed annually, ~33% cheaper)
Zapier connects 9,000+ apps with the shallowest learning curve in the class — free for 100 tasks a month, paid from $19.99/mo, and priced per completed task rather than per step or per seat.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Largest app directory in the class at 9,000+ integrations, with unlimited Zaps on every tier including Free.
- Shallowest learning curve: a working two-step Zap takes minutes, and Filters, Paths and Formatter steps do not consume tasks.
- Free plan is genuinely usable for evaluation — 100 tasks/mo, with multi-step Zaps and premium apps as the upgrade trigger.
- Every plan now includes Tables, Forms and Zapier MCP, so AI-assistant action layers are not a separate purchase.
Cons
- Task-based billing is the most expensive per unit of work in the class: Professional starts at 750 tasks for $19.99/mo annual, and high-volume pipelines scale into four figures.
- Free plan allows two-step Zaps only and a single seat — anything with branching or shared ownership requires Professional or Team.
- Weakest localisation of the five; the product and documentation are effectively English-only.
Pricing verified 2026-09-25
n8n · 4.0/5
Free plan available · €20/mo (Starter, annual)
Priced per complete workflow execution, not per step - a workflow counts as one execution no matter how many nodes it contains, and every plan includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows and every integration. Starter gives 2,500 executions/mo with 5 concurrent executions and 1 shared project; Pro gives 10,000 with 20 concurrent, admin roles, global variables, workflow history and execution search; Business gives 40,000 with SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments and a self-hosted option. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the fair-code Sustainable Use License with unlimited workflows, executions and users - you pay only for infrastructure. Enterprise is quote-only.
Annual billing saves ~17%; month-to-month is available at a higher rate
n8n is the only tool in the class you can self-host free with unlimited workflows, executions and users — and on cloud it bills per complete workflow execution, not per step, with JavaScript and Python anywhere in the flow.
Score breakdown
Pros
- Community Edition is free to self-host with unlimited workflows, executions and users — you pay only for infrastructure.
- Cloud bills per complete workflow execution, not per step: a 40-node workflow still counts as one execution.
- JavaScript and Python code nodes everywhere, plus 70+ LangChain nodes for AI agents, vector stores and RAG.
- Every cloud plan includes unlimited users and workflows, so seat count never drives the bill.
Cons
- Highest setup burden in the class: self-hosting means owning patching, backups, monitoring and execution-data pruning.
- Cloud starters are tight on concurrency — Starter allows 5 concurrent executions, and Business jumps to €667/mo.
- Interfaces and documentation are English-first, and the builder assumes a technical mental model.
Pricing verified 2026-09-25
Frequently asked questions
Which is better overall, Zapier or n8n?
Zapier is our overall pick (4.2/5 vs 4.0/5). Zapier (4.2/5) is the fastest to first automation and the widest app catalogue; n8n (4.0/5) removes the usage meter entirely — self-host free with unlimited executions, or pay per complete execution from EUR 20/mo. The trade is onboarding versus ownership.
Do Zapier and n8n offer free plans?
Zapier and n8n have a free tier. Zapier paid plans start at $19.99/mo (Professional, annual); n8n paid plans start at €20/mo (Starter, annual).
What does Zapier cost?
$19.99/mo (Professional, annual) — Task-based: one task = one action a Zap successfully completes, and the trigger does not count. Free gives 100 tasks/mo, unlimited Zaps but two-step Zaps only, and 1 seat. Professional starts at 750 tasks/mo and scales by tier (1,500 $29.99, 3,000 $49.99, 5,000 $69.99, up to 2M at $5,999/mo); Team starts at 2,000 tasks and includes 25 seats with SAML SSO. Filters, Paths and Formatter steps do not consume tasks. Every plan includes unlimited Zaps, Tables, Forms and Zapier MCP. Enterprise is quote-only. Prices were last verified on 2026-09-25.