Automation Pricing Calculator — n8n vs Zapier vs Make
Compare automation platform costs side by side. Enter your workflow details and see exactly what you would pay on n8n, Zapier, and Make each month.
Monthly Cost Comparison
How the Automation Pricing Calculator Works
This free calculator compares the monthly cost of running your automation workflows on three leading platforms: n8n, Zapier, and Make (formerly Integromat). Each platform uses a different billing model, making direct comparisons difficult without a calculator like this.
How Each Platform Counts Usage
Zapier charges per task — each step in a workflow counts as one task. A 5-step workflow running 1,000 times = 5,000 tasks. Make charges per operation, similar to tasks. n8n charges per execution — a 5-step workflow running 1,000 times = 1,000 executions regardless of steps. This can mean a 5-20x cost difference at scale.
n8n vs Zapier vs Make: Key Differences
Zapier leads with 6,000+ integrations and is the easiest to learn. Make offers 1,500+ integrations with deeper API access at lower prices. n8n has 1,000+ integrations plus the unique advantage of self-hosting — eliminating monthly fees entirely if you have the technical skills to maintain a server.
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose Zapier if you need maximum app compatibility and simplicity. Choose Make if you want powerful features at a lower price point. Choose n8n if you want full control, self-hosting capability, and the lowest long-term cost for high-volume automations.
Self-Hosting n8n: Hidden Costs
While n8n is free to self-host, you still need a server. A basic VPS costs $5-20 per month depending on your provider (Hetzner, DigitalOcean, AWS). Factor in your time for maintenance, updates, and monitoring. For small teams, n8n Cloud at $20/month may be more cost-effective than self-hosting.
Automation Pricing Calculator for Teams
For growing teams, automation costs can spiral quickly. A marketing team running 50 workflows with 10 steps each at 5,000 monthly runs could pay $0 on self-hosted n8n, $99-599 on Make, or $299-799 on Zapier depending on the plan. Use this automation pricing calculator to forecast costs before committing to a platform, and revisit when your usage grows to ensure you are still on the most cost-effective option.
Privacy and Data
This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No workflow data, pricing inputs, or comparison results are sent to any server. Your automation strategy stays completely private.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Zapier count tasks?
Zapier counts every step (action) in a workflow as one task. A 5-step Zap running 1,000 times per month uses 5,000 tasks. Multi-step Zaps can consume your task quota very quickly.
How does Make count operations?
Make counts each module execution as one operation. Like Zapier, a 5-module scenario running 1,000 times uses 5,000 operations. Make offers more operations per dollar than Zapier on most plans.
How does n8n count executions?
n8n counts per workflow execution, not per step. A 5-node workflow running 1,000 times = 1,000 executions. This makes n8n significantly cheaper for complex, multi-step workflows.
Is self-hosted n8n really free?
The n8n Community Edition is free and open-source with unlimited workflows and executions. You need a server to run it (VPS costs $5-20/month), plus time for maintenance. There are no software licensing fees.
Which platform is cheapest for high volume?
For high-volume automations, self-hosted n8n is the cheapest option (just server costs). For cloud-hosted solutions, Make typically offers the best value, followed by n8n Cloud, then Zapier.