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n8nWorkflow automation you can run on n8n's cloud or host yourself, with code nodes for logic the built-in nodes do not cover. ZapierConnects the apps you already use so that something happening in one app triggers actions in others, without writing code.

n8n vs Zapier for AI agents and automation

A plain comparison: who each tool is for, where each one breaks, and when neither is the answer. No affiliate links.

Who this is for

Teams moving from simple automations to AI agent workflows, often with a technical person on staff.

Side by side

n8n and Zapier, compared
Compared onn8nZapier
What it is forWorkflow automation on n8n's cloud or your own server, with code nodes.No-code app-to-app automation.
Starting price (checked 2026-10-09)20 EUR/mo Starter billed annually; Community Edition free to self-host.$19.99/mo Professional billed annually.
What you pay forWorkflow executions, any number of steps.Each completed action (task).
Self-hostingYes, free Community Edition.No.
Integrations listed2,307, plus HTTP and code nodes.10,217+.
Where it breaksSelf-hosting needs technical knowledge; Starter caps at 2.5K executions and 5 concurrent runs; Business is 667 EUR a month.Multi-step workflows at volume get costly; monthly overage is billed at 2.5x.
SetupLow-code.No-code.
A custom build beats it whenThe workflow is core to your product and needs tests, versioning and code review like the rest of your software.Per-task cost passes what a small hosted service would cost, or you need logic Zapier steps cannot express.

The verdict

The deciding factor is whether you have someone technical. n8n bills per workflow execution with unlimited steps, can be self-hosted for free, and lets you drop into code, which makes long AI workflows far cheaper at volume. The cost is that self-hosting is yours to run and debug, and the cloud plans cap executions. Zapier has a much larger app catalog and needs no technical owner, but it bills per completed action, so a 10-step AI workflow costs roughly ten times a 1-step one.

Non-technical team with modest volume: Zapier. Technical team, long workflows, or data that must stay on your own servers: n8n.

Read the full take on each

n8nGood at, breaks when, priceZapierGood at, breaks when, price

Sources

  1. n8n.io/pricing/
  2. docs.n8n.io/choose-how-to-use-n8n/
  3. n8n.io/integrations/
  4. zapier.com/pricing
  5. help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496181445261-Zap-limits
  6. zapier.com/blog/n8n-vs-zapier

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Who runs this shop

Kratuva makes AI-first software. Our first product is Ruam, for teams that work apart. It shows how the working day went without screenshots or keystroke logging. Join the Ruam waitlist.

Occasionally we build with teams we like. Say hi: indra@kratuva.com.

Checked 9 Oct 2026

Every price and claim links to its source. Prices change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy. No affiliate links: nobody paid to be here. Logos belong to their owners and are shown only to name each tool, not as an endorsement.