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n8n vs Zapier
A detailed comparison to help you choose between n8n and Zapier.
| Feature | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Open Source | Freemium |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $0 | $20 |
| Target Audience | solopreneurs, startups, developers | solopreneurs, startups, small-business |
| Verified | No | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | No |
| Editorial Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Categories | Automation, Developer Tools | Automation, No-Code |
| Key Features | Self-hostable, Visual workflow editor, 400+ integrations, Custom code nodes (JS/Python), AI agent workflows | 7,000+ app integrations, Multi-step Zaps, Filters & paths, Tables (database), Interfaces (front-end) |
| Free Tier Quality | excellent | limited |
Pricing Breakdown
n8n
Self-hosted: free, unlimited. Cloud Starter: $24/month (2,500 executions). Cloud Pro: $60/month (10,000 executions). Enterprise: custom.
Zapier
Free: 100 tasks/month, 5 single-step Zaps. Starter: $20/month (750 tasks, multi-step). Professional: $49/month (2,000 tasks, Paths). Team: $69/month. Company: $99/month.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (2)
Only in n8n (8)
Only in Zapier (8)
Use Case Fit
n8n
- * Self-hosted workflow automation
- * AI agent orchestration
- * Data pipeline and ETL
- * DevOps automation
- * Custom API integrations
Zapier
- * Connecting SaaS tools without code
- * Automating lead capture and CRM updates
- * Social media cross-posting
- * E-commerce order processing
- * Customer onboarding workflows
n8n
Pros
- + Self-host for free
- + Full data privacy
- + AI workflow capabilities
- + Active open-source community
- + No vendor lock-in
Cons
- - Requires technical setup for self-hosting
- - Smaller integration library than Zapier
- - Cloud pricing can add up
Zapier
Pros
- + Connects almost any app
- + No coding required
- + Saves hours of manual work
- + Reliable and well-maintained
- + Active community
Cons
- - Gets expensive with high usage
- - Free tier limited to 100 tasks/month
- - Complex Zaps can be hard to debug
Editorial Verdict
n8n takes the lead for solo founders — it offers better value and is explicitly solo-friendly. Zapier may still be the right pick if you need deep Automation features or plan to scale to a larger team.
SaaSLens Editorial Team
Editorial Team