n8n vs Zapier: Open Source vs Market Leader

Introduction

n8n and Zapier represent two fundamentally different philosophies in workflow automation. Zapier is the cloud-only market leader with 8,000+ integrations, built for business users who want automations running in minutes. n8n is an open-source, self-hostable platform built for technical teams who want full control over their data, infrastructure, and workflow logic.

The choice between them often comes down to a single question: do you value convenience and breadth of integrations, or do you prioritize control, customization, and cost efficiency at scale?

In this comparison, we dig into the real differences that matter for your workflow automation decision in 2026.

Quick Comparison

Pricing Breakdown

Pricing is where n8n and Zapier diverge most dramatically, and the difference compounds as your automation volume grows.

Zapier charges per task. Every action step in a workflow counts as one task. A 10-step Zap running once costs 10 tasks. Plans include:

• Free: 100 tasks/month, single-step Zaps
• Professional: $19.99/month for 750 tasks
• Team: $69.99/month for 2,000 tasks
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (typically $600+/month)

n8n charges per workflow execution, regardless of how many steps the workflow contains. A workflow with 50 steps costs the same as one with 2 steps. This is the critical difference.

n8n Cloud plans:

• Starter: ~$20/month for 2,500 executions
• Pro: ~$50/month for 10,000 executions
• Business: ~$667/month for 40,000 executions (self-hosted, includes SSO/SAML)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

n8n Self-Hosted:

• Community Edition: Free forever (you pay only for your server infrastructure)
• Typical hosting cost: $5-50/month on a VPS like DigitalOcean or Hetzner

The economics become stark with complex workflows. Consider a workflow with 20 steps that runs 100 times per month. On Zapier, that is 2,000 tasks, requiring the $69.99 Team plan. On n8n Cloud, it is only 100 executions, well within the Starter plan at $20/month. Self-hosted, it costs nothing beyond your server.

At enterprise scale, teams report savings of 90-98% when migrating from Zapier to self-hosted n8n.

Self-Hosting and Data Sovereignty

Self-hosting is the single biggest differentiator between n8n and Zapier. It is often the deciding factor for organizations with specific data requirements.

n8n self-hosting capabilities:

• Deploy on any infrastructure: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, or on-premises
• Run via Docker, Kubernetes, or direct Node.js installation
• Full control over data residency and processing location
• Integrate with internal monitoring tools like Datadog or Prometheus
• No data ever leaves your infrastructure

Why this matters:

• GDPR compliance: Keep EU customer data within EU borders
• HIPAA requirements: Healthcare data never touches third-party servers
• Financial regulations: Banking and fintech data stays on your infrastructure
• Government and defense: Meet strict data sovereignty requirements
• Internal tools: Connect to databases and APIs behind your firewall

Zapier is cloud-only. All workflow data is processed on Zapier's US-based AWS servers. For many businesses this is perfectly acceptable, but for regulated industries or privacy-conscious organizations, it can be a non-starter.

Developer Experience

n8n is built for developers and technical teams in a way that Zapier simply is not.

n8n developer features:

• Full JavaScript and Python code execution within any workflow node
• Custom node development for proprietary integrations
• Git integration for version control on Business and Enterprise plans
• Detailed execution logs with step-by-step debugging and replay
• HTTP request nodes for connecting to any API without a native integration
• Community-built node library with 7,000+ workflow templates
• Native support for LangChain, vector databases, and custom LLM workflows

Zapier developer features:

• Code by Zapier step for limited JavaScript or Python
• Webhook support for custom triggers and actions
• API access on all plans
• Pre-built templates for common workflows
• Zapier Agents for AI-powered autonomous tasks

The practical difference is significant. In n8n, if a native integration does not exist for your internal tool, you can build a custom node, write direct API calls, or use code nodes to handle any data transformation. In Zapier, you are largely constrained to what the platform provides through its pre-built connectors.

n8n also excels in AI workflow development. Its native LangChain integration and support for custom LLM workflows make it a strong choice for teams building AI-powered automations, from RAG pipelines to autonomous agents.

Ease of Use

Zapier wins decisively on ease of use. Its linear, step-by-step workflow builder is designed so that someone with zero technical background can build a working automation in under five minutes. The massive library of 8,000+ pre-built integrations means you rarely need to configure anything manually.

Zapier's AI Copilot further lowers the barrier, helping users discover integrations, troubleshoot errors, and optimize workflows using natural language.

n8n has a steeper learning curve. The visual workflow editor is powerful but requires understanding of concepts like data mapping, JSON structures, and execution flow. Most users report becoming productive within one to two hours, but the initial setup, especially for self-hosted instances, requires comfort with Docker, environment variables, and server administration.

That said, n8n's visual debugging is actually superior once you are past the learning curve. You can see exactly what data flows through each node, replay failed executions, and inspect every step of a workflow in detail.

Integrations

Zapier has an overwhelming advantage in integration count: 8,000+ native apps versus n8n's 400+. If you need to connect to a niche SaaS tool, Zapier almost certainly has it.

However, n8n compensates with depth and extensibility:

• HTTP Request nodes connect to any API without needing a native integration
• Custom nodes can be built for any proprietary system
• Community contributes new nodes regularly
• Code nodes handle any transformation or logic gap

For teams that primarily use mainstream tools like Slack, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and HubSpot, both platforms cover your needs. The integration gap matters most when you rely on specialized or industry-specific software.

Who Should Choose n8n

n8n is the right choice if you:

• Have a technical team comfortable with Docker, APIs, and server management
• Need to self-host for data sovereignty, GDPR, or regulatory compliance
• Run complex, high-volume workflows where execution-based pricing saves substantially
• Want to build custom integrations with proprietary internal systems
• Are developing AI-powered workflows with LangChain or custom LLMs
• Prioritize long-term cost optimization over immediate ease of setup

Who Should Choose Zapier

Zapier is the better fit if you:

• Have a non-technical team that needs to build automations without developer support
• Require immediate access to 8,000+ app integrations
• Want zero infrastructure management and maintenance
• Run simple to moderate workflows where task-based pricing stays reasonable
• Value polished support, documentation, and a large user community
• Need to deploy automations quickly without a setup phase

Final Verdict

Zapier and n8n are not competing for the same user. Zapier is the right tool for business teams who need reliable, easy automation across a massive app ecosystem and are willing to pay a premium for convenience. n8n is the right tool for technical teams who want control, customization, and cost efficiency, and are willing to invest the setup time to get it.

The hybrid approach also works well. Some organizations use Zapier for quick, simple automations that non-technical staff manage, while running n8n self-hosted for complex, high-volume, or data-sensitive workflows. This lets each platform play to its strengths.

If you are a developer or technical team evaluating automation platforms, n8n's execution-based pricing and self-hosting capability offer a compelling value proposition that only improves as your automation needs scale.

Explore all workflow automation platforms to find the right fit for your team.