n8n vs Zapier
Cheapest paid tier each vendor publishes. Free plans are listed above; tiers priced on request are not plotted because there is no figure to plot.
Where they differ
From the pricing tiers and capability tags we track. A capability missing on one side means we have not recorded it there, not that the tool cannot do it.
At a glance
n8n and Zapier both appear in this directory's automation listings. Prices below were read from the vendors' own pages, most recently on October 26, 2026. Paid plans start at $20/mo on n8n and $19.99/mo on Zapier. n8n also runs on macOS and Windows and Linux. No score and no winner: the facts do the picking.
Capability tags are factual labels we assign when a tool is added; they describe what a tool does, not how well it does it.
Checked against the vendors. Written from each vendor's own site and last re-checked there: n8n on October 26, 2026 · Zapier on October 12, 2026. Vendors change pricing and features without notice, so confirm anything that decides your purchase on the vendor's page.
n8n
Connect apps and automate workflows visually with code optionality
n8n is a source-available workflow automation platform, licensed as fair-code rather than open source, that connects applications and services. Workflows automate tasks and move data between systems. They are built in a visual editor, with custom code available on any step.
Zapier
Connect apps and automate workflows across thousands of services
Zapier connects web apps and automates repetitive tasks between them without code. Workflows, called Zaps, run when a trigger event happens in one app and carry out actions in others. It integrates with more than 9,000 apps.
Also in automation
A tool we have an affiliate relationship with. It is not part of the comparison above and we are not calling it the better pick.
- Building no-code web scrapers from text prompts
- Running browser automation tasks through an AI agent CLI
- Extracting structured data from dynamic and authenticated websites
n8n and Zapier in action
Each vendor's own walkthrough, from its homepage or official YouTube channel. We don't make these videos and we don't rate them.
n8n
Zapier
Key features
n8n
- Visual workflow builder
- Hundreds of pre-built integrations
- Custom JavaScript code execution
- Self-hosted and cloud options
- Data transformation capabilities
Zapier
- Integrates with more than 9,000 web apps
- Creates automated workflows called Zaps
- Supports multi-step Zaps and conditional logic
- Offers pre-built Zap templates
- Provides task history and monitoring
What each one does well
n8n
- ✓ Self-hosting automation to keep data on your own infrastructure
- ✓ Workflows that mix visual building with custom JavaScript
- ✓ Building custom data pipelines between services and databases
Zapier
- ✓ Automating repetitive tasks between web apps
- ✓ Connecting SaaS tools that don't integrate natively
- ✓ Standardizing multi-step business workflows without code
People also ask
Which is cheaper, n8n or Zapier?
Zapier is cheaper: paid plans start at $20/mo for n8n and $19.99/mo for Zapier.
Does n8n or Zapier have a free plan?
n8n publishes no free plan, and Zapier has a free plan.
What is the difference between n8n and Zapier?
n8n and Zapier are both tracked for workflow-automation, app-integration, no-code. Of the capabilities they do not share, only n8n is tracked for developer-api, templates, and only Zapier is tracked for ai-agents.
How much do n8n and Zapier cost?
n8n: from $20/mo. Zapier: free plan, then $19.99/mo.
Answers are generated from the tracked plans and capability tags shown above, so they move when the vendors' pages do.
Full fact sheets, FAQs, and discussion links: n8n · Zapier · all automation tools