AI & Automation

n8n vs Zapier vs Make.com — which automation platform should you use?

By PSI Square Team
Published: Sep 11, 2026
10 min read
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n8n vs Zapier vs Make.com — which automation platform should you use?

AI & Automation • technical guide

What each platform is best at

- **Zapier**: Easiest onboarding, largest app connector ecosystem (7,000+ integrations), ideal for non-technical team members. - **Make.com**: Visual scenario builder with complex data mapping, array manipulation, and moderate pricing for mid-market ops teams. - **n8n**: Source-available workflow automation engine. Can be self-hosted on private AWS/DigitalOcean infrastructure, offering unlimited executions without per-task fees.
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Pricing comparison at different usage levels

- **Low Volume (1,000 tasks/mo)**: Zapier ($20/mo), Make ($9/mo), n8n ($0 self-hosted or $20 cloud). - **High Volume (100,000 tasks/mo)**: Zapier ($600+/mo), Make ($100/mo), n8n ($0 self-hosted VPS cost ~ $20/mo).

Self-hosted vs cloud — when it matters

Self-hosting n8n is essential for businesses with strict data privacy requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2) or high-frequency webhook data pipelines where third-party cloud data exposure is prohibited.
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