n8n vs Make vs Zapier (2026): Pricing, AI Agents and Which to Choose

In 2026, choose Zapier if you want the biggest app library (9,000+ apps) and the fastest setup for non-technical teams, Make if you want visual multi-branch scenarios at a low price per action (from $9/month for 10,000 credits on Core), and n8n if you have technical help and want to pay per full workflow run or self-host for free under its Sustainable Use License. All three now ship AI agent features, but they bill for them differently, and that billing model matters more than the sticker price.

This guide compares current plans, limits, AI agents and integration counts as stated on each vendor's own pages in October 2026, then maps them to real ecommerce and marketing jobs: Shopify order flows, Klaviyo syncs, CRM updates and lead routing.

The quick answer: n8n vs Make vs Zapier

• Zapier: best for marketers who want to connect almost any SaaS app without help. Billing is per task (each successful action step).
• Make: best for visual builders running complex, branching scenarios on a budget. Billing is per credit (most module actions use one credit).
• n8n: best for teams with a developer or a technical marketer, high-volume workflows, or data that must stay on your own servers. Billing is per workflow execution, no matter how many steps it has.

Pricing in 2026: what each plan actually includes

Prices below come from each vendor's public pricing page in USD. All three discount annual billing, and prices scale with usage, so treat these as entry points rather than your final bill.

Zapier pricing

• Free: $0, 100 tasks per month, two-step Zaps only, 15-minute polling.
• Professional: starts at $19.99/month. Multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps, webhooks, AI fields, 2-minute polling. Task tiers run from 100 up to 2 million tasks per month.
• Team: starts at $69/month. 25 users, shared Zaps and connections, SAML SSO, 1-minute polling.
• Enterprise: custom pricing, unlimited users, annual task limits and advanced admin controls.

Zapier says paying yearly saves up to 33%. A task is used each time an action step completes successfully. Triggers, polling, and built-in tools like Filter, Formatter, Paths, Delay, Tables and Forms do not use tasks. Zapier now applies the same task model to AI steps, code and its SDK, and notes that the AI model tier and code runtime can change how many tasks an action uses. One Zapier MCP tool call uses two tasks.

Zapier Agents are priced separately: Agents Free includes 400 activities per month, and Agents Pro is $400 billed annually ($33.33/month) for 1,500 activities. Chatbots also have their own plans. Check the current numbers on Zapier's pricing page.

Make pricing

• Free: $0, 1,000 credits per month, 2 active scenarios, 15-minute minimum interval, 5-minute max run time.
• Core: listed at $9/month for 10,000 credits. Unlimited active scenarios, scheduling down to 1 minute, Make API access.
• Pro: listed at $16/month for 10,000 credits. Adds priority execution, custom variables and full-text execution log search.
• Teams: listed at $29/month for 10,000 credits. Adds teams, team roles and shareable scenario templates.
• Enterprise: custom pricing with SSO, audit logs, overage protection and enterprise apps.

Make switched its billing unit from operations to credits. Most module actions use one credit, router and error-handler modules use none, and some AI features using Make's AI Provider use more. Code in the Make Code App costs 2 credits per second of execution. The pricing page shows a 15% saving for annual billing, so confirm which billing toggle you are viewing on Make's pricing page. If you run out of credits, scenarios stop until you add more, though incoming webhooks queue up to your plan's limit.

n8n pricing

• Starter (cloud): $20/month billed annually, 2,500 workflow executions, 5 concurrent executions, 1 shared project.
• Pro (cloud): $50/month billed annually, 10,000 executions, up to 50 concurrent executions, admin roles and workflow history.
• Business (self-hosted only for now): $800/month billed annually, 40,000 executions, SSO and LDAP, Git version control, multiple environments, queue mode. A cloud version has a waitlist.
• Enterprise: custom, hosted or self-hosted, 200+ concurrent executions, log streaming and SLA support.

All n8n plans include unlimited users, unlimited active workflows and every integration. The big difference is the unit: an execution is one full run of a workflow, regardless of how many steps it has. A 15-step order workflow on n8n counts as one execution, while the same flow could use many tasks on Zapier or many credits on Make. The pricing page shows an annual saving of 17%, and visitors in euro regions may see euro prices. Confirm on n8n's pricing page.

Self-hosting n8n: the free option and its license

n8n's Community Edition is self-hosted from its public GitHub repository, and self-hosted n8n runs as Community Edition unless you add a Business or Enterprise license key. n8n's docs recommend Docker Compose or its one-line Docker setup for installs and note that npm installation is being deprecated.

The code is released under the Sustainable Use License, which is "fair-code," not a standard open-source license. In plain terms:

• You can use and modify n8n for your own internal business purposes, or for personal and non-commercial use.
• You can only distribute it to others free of charge and for non-commercial purposes.
• Files marked ".ee" (enterprise features) are excluded and need a paid n8n Enterprise License.

If you plan to resell n8n as a hosted product or embed it in something you sell, read the license carefully or talk to n8n first. For a brand automating its own store, internal use is the normal case.

Self-hosting is not free in practice. You pay for the server, and you own updates, backups, uptime, security patches and credential storage. If nobody on your team is comfortable with Docker and a database, n8n Cloud or Make is usually the safer starting point.

AI agents compared

Zapier Agents, Copilot and MCP

Zapier Agents are AI teammates that can act across Zapier's 9,000+ apps, use knowledge you attach (FAQs, docs, public links), browse the web and run from a Chrome extension. Zapier's Agents FAQ still references a beta. Inside the Zap editor, Copilot (beta) helps you build Zaps from a description, and AI fields and AI by Zapier steps add model calls inside workflows. Zapier MCP lets external AI assistants trigger actions in your connected apps.

Make AI Agents and Maia

Make AI Agents are built on the same visual canvas as scenarios, with a Reasoning panel that shows each decision and controls for rules and manual approvals. The pricing page labels Make AI Agents and AI Web Search as beta and includes them on every plan, using either Make's AI Provider or your own LLM key. Maia by Make is a conversational builder for scenarios and agents, and Make also offers an MCP server.

n8n AI Agent node, MCP and evaluations

n8n includes an AI Agent node and AI steps, an MCP Server Trigger and MCP Client, human approval for tool calls, hosted and embedded chat, and evaluations for testing AI output. Cloud plans include AI models without needing your own API keys and a monthly allowance of Assistant credits (1,600 on Starter, up to 9,600 on Pro). The n8n Assistant is in preview, and on self-hosted n8n you bring your own key. Because billing is per execution, a long agent loop with many tool calls still counts as one run, though your LLM costs still apply.

Integration counts, as officially stated

• Zapier: 9,000+ apps.
• Make: 3,500+ apps on its pricing and integration pages. Some older Make pages say 3,000+, and its pricing FAQ describes 1,000+ standard third-party apps, so the count depends on what is included.
• n8n: its integrations directory showed 2,366 integrations at the time of writing. Any API can also be reached with the HTTP Request node.

Raw counts matter less than whether your specific apps have native triggers and actions. For example, n8n has a built-in Shopify node and Shopify Trigger, but its Klaviyo page tells you to use the HTTP Request node for custom API calls. Zapier and Make both list Klaviyo integrations. Always check your exact apps before you commit.

Comparison table: n8n vs Make vs Zapier (2026)

Which to choose for ecommerce and marketing teams

Shopify order and fulfillment flows

Order workflows tend to have many steps: tag the order, update a sheet or ERP, notify the warehouse, alert support on high-value orders. On per-action billing, each step adds cost per order. If you process a steady volume of orders and have technical help, n8n's per-execution model is often the most predictable. Make is a strong middle ground with its visual routers. Zapier is fastest to set up and fine for lower volumes. If your store setup itself needs work first, see our Shopify growth service.

Klaviyo and email or SMS syncs

For syncing customers, events and segments into Klaviyo, Zapier and Make give you ready-made modules that marketers can configure. On n8n you will use the HTTP Request node and Klaviyo's API, which is flexible but needs someone comfortable with APIs. Most core Klaviyo flows (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase) should live inside Klaviyo itself, and automation tools should only feed it clean data. Our email and retention team can help plan that split.

CRM updates and lead routing

Lead routing usually means: capture a form, enrich it, score it, assign an owner, notify on Slack and create a CRM record. Make's routers and filters handle branching well and are easy to audit visually. Zapier's Paths and Filters do the same with less setup and do not use tasks themselves. If you want an AI agent to qualify leads or draft replies, compare how each tool bills that agent: Zapier Agents use separate activity plans, Make AI steps may use extra credits, and n8n counts the whole run as one execution plus your model costs.

AI content and reporting workflows

Generating product descriptions, summarizing reviews or building weekly reports can involve long loops over many items. These are where per-step billing grows fastest, so n8n or careful Make design usually wins on cost. For the content side, our AI content ops service covers prompts, review steps and quality checks.

When none of the three is the right answer

If you are paying for very high task volumes for one core process, a small custom app can sometimes replace the automation entirely. We cover that path in replacing Zapier with a custom app. If your main need is an AI assistant that handles inbox and meeting work, read our Lindy vs Zapier comparison.

Zapier alternatives: how to estimate your real cost

1. List your top five workflows and how often each runs per month.
2. Count the action steps in each. On Zapier, successful action steps are tasks. On Make, count module actions as credits, minus routers and error handlers.
3. On n8n, count one execution per run.
4. Add AI usage separately: Zapier task rates for AI steps, Make AI Provider credits, or your own LLM API bill.
5. Price the tier that covers your total with 20 to 30% headroom, then compare monthly vs annual billing.

Common mistakes

• Comparing plan prices without comparing units. A task, a credit and an execution are not the same thing.
• Forgetting polling intervals. Free plans on Zapier and Make check every 15 minutes, which is too slow for live lead routing.
• Self-hosting n8n without an owner. Unpatched servers and lost backups cost more than a cloud plan.
• Ignoring the n8n license. Internal use is fine. Reselling it as a hosted service is a different question.
• Letting AI agents run without limits. Use approval steps, caps and logging, especially for actions that email customers or change orders.
• Rebuilding Klaviyo or Shopify features in an automation tool. Use native flows first and automate only the gaps.

Checklist before you commit

• Your five core apps have native triggers and actions on the tool.
• You have estimated monthly tasks, credits or executions with headroom.
• The schedule or webhook speed meets your needs.
• Someone owns error alerts and failed-run reviews.
• AI steps have approval or limits where they touch customers.
• If self-hosting, backups, updates and security are assigned.
• You re-checked the pricing page the week you buy.

Not sure which platform fits your stack, or want the workflows built and maintained for you? Our marketing automation service designs Shopify, Klaviyo and CRM workflows on Zapier, Make or n8n, picking the tool that fits your volume and team rather than forcing one platform.

Sources

• Zapier pricing: plan prices, task rules, Agents and Chatbots plans, 9,000+ apps.
• Make pricing: plan prices per 10,000 credits, credit rules, limits, AI features, 3,500+ apps.
• n8n pricing: cloud and Business plans, executions, concurrency, AI features, Community Edition.

Frequently asked questions

Is n8n really free?

The self-hosted Community Edition costs nothing to license for internal business use under the Sustainable Use License, but you still pay for hosting and maintenance. n8n Cloud plans start at $20 per month billed annually.

Is Make cheaper than Zapier?

At entry level, Make's Core plan is listed at $9 per month for 10,000 credits, while Zapier Professional starts at $19.99 per month at its lowest task tier. Real cost depends on how many steps your workflows run.

Which tool has the most integrations?

Zapier states 9,000+ apps, Make states 3,500+, and n8n's directory listed 2,366 integrations at the time of writing. n8n and Make can also call any API through HTTP modules.

Do AI agents cost extra on these platforms?

Zapier Agents have separate plans, including a free tier with 400 activities per month. Make AI Agents are on all plans but AI Provider steps can use extra credits, and n8n cloud plans include monthly Assistant credits while self-hosted users bring their own model keys.

Can I switch from Zapier to Make or n8n later?

Yes, but there is no one-click migration, so workflows must be rebuilt. Start by moving your highest-volume workflows, since that is where savings usually show up first.