n8n vs Zapier: Build Unlimited Workflows for $10/Month

Zapier just sent another invoice: $598 this month. Your 15 automated workflows consumed 47,000 tasks at $0.012 each. Next month, when you scale to 30 workflows, costs double to $1,200.

n8n runs the same automation workload on a $12/month VPS with zero per-task fees. Unlimited executions, unlimited workflows, complete code access.

This comparison examines both platforms across pricing, features, complexity, and real-world performance.

The Fundamental Business Model Difference

Zapier: SaaS platform charging per "task" (each action in a workflow). Revenue scales with your automation success—the more efficient your workflows, the more you pay.

n8n: Self-hosted automation platform. You pay fixed infrastructure costs regardless of execution volume. Revenue comes from enterprise support, not task throttling.

This creates radically different incentive structures.

Pricing Reality Check: 50,000 Monthly Tasks

Zapier Pricing (2026)

For 50,000 tasks/month:

Free tier: 100 tasks/month (unusable for production)
Starter ($29.99/month): 750 tasks (99% short)
Professional ($103.50/month): 2,000 tasks (96% short)
Team ($598/month): 50,000 tasks ✓
Effective cost: $598/month ($7,176/year)

Hidden limitations:

2-step Zaps on Free (most workflows need 5+ steps)
15-minute update time on Free/Starter (too slow)
Premium app access locked behind higher tiers
Multi-step paths require Team plan minimum

n8n Pricing

Self-hosted (unlimited tasks):

VPS (4GB RAM, 2 vCPU): $24/month
Database backups: $5/month
Domain + SSL: $1.25/month
Total: $30.25/month ($363/year)

n8n Cloud (hosted):

Starter (5,000 executions): $20/month
Pro (10,000 executions): $50/month
Custom pricing for 50,000+

Cost comparison:

Zapier: $7,176/year
n8n self-hosted: $363/year
Savings: $6,813/year (95% reduction)

For companies running 200,000+ tasks monthly, Zapier costs exceed $20,000 annually while n8n remains under $500.

Feature Comparison: What You Get

Core Automation Features

| Feature | Zapier | n8n | | ------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------------ | | Workflow builder | Visual (drag-drop) | Visual (node-based) | | Trigger types | Webhook, schedule, app | Webhook, schedule, app, manual | | Conditional logic | ✓ (limited on Free) | ✓ (full access) | | Data transformation | ✓ (Code by Zapier) | ✓ (native JavaScript/Python) | | Error handling | ✓ (basic retry) | ✓ (advanced branching) | | Debugging | Limited logs | Full execution data | | Version control | No | Git integration | | API access | Limited | Full REST API |

Integration Ecosystem

Zapier integrations: 6,000+

Every major SaaS tool
Deep integrations with popular apps
Pre-built templates
Limited customization

n8n integrations: 400+

Core business tools (Slack, Gmail, Shopify, etc.)
Database connectors (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL)
Generic HTTP Request node (connect anything with API)
Custom node development (open source)
Community nodes marketplace

Reality check: Zapier's 6,000 integrations include 4,500 niche apps you'll never use. n8n's 400 cover 95% of business automation needs, plus HTTP node for the rest.

Technical Capabilities: Where n8n Excels

Custom Code Execution

Zapier:

// Code by Zapier - limited runtime
const data = inputData.items;
return data.map((item) => ({
  name: item.name.toUpperCase(),
}));
// Timeout: 10 seconds
// No npm packages

n8n:

// Function node - full JavaScript
const items = $input.all();
const axios = require("axios"); // npm packages available

for (const item of items) {
  const response = await axios.get(`https://api.example.com/${item.json.id}`);
  item.json.enrichedData = response.data;
}

return items;
// Timeout: configurable
// Full npm ecosystem

Complex Workflow Logic

n8n advantages:

Multiple trigger nodes in single workflow
Merge data from parallel branches
Loop through arrays with iteration
Switch node for complex routing
Set node for variable management
Direct database queries (no API middleman)

Example workflow n8n handles easily:

Webhook receives order
Query PostgreSQL for customer history
IF first-time customer → Send to onboarding sequence
IF returning customer → Check inventory in real-time
IF in stock → Process payment + create shipping label
IF out of stock → Add to backorder + notify supplier
Update 3 databases simultaneously
Send confirmation email
Log to internal dashboard

Same workflow in Zapier:

Requires 4 separate Zaps
Limited conditional branching
Database queries through third-party integrations
Costs 15 tasks ($0.18 per order)

Real-World Use Case: E-commerce Order Processing

Scenario

Online store processing 500 orders/day. Each order triggers:

Customer lookup (1 task)
Inventory check (1 task)
Payment processing (1 task)
Shipping label creation (1 task)
Confirmation email (1 task)
Update 2 databases (2 tasks)
Log to analytics (1 task)

Total: 8 tasks per order = 4,000 tasks/day = 120,000 tasks/month

Zapier Cost

Professional plan (2,000 tasks): Not sufficient
Team plan (50,000 tasks): Not sufficient
Company plan: Custom pricing (estimated $800-1,200/month)
Estimated annual cost: $10,000-14,400

n8n Cost

Single workflow handling all 8 steps
VPS handles 120,000 executions easily
Annual cost: $363 (VPS + backups)

5-year total cost of ownership:

Zapier: $60,000 (assuming no price increases)
n8n: $1,815
Savings: $58,185

[AFFILIATE_CALLOUT_HERE]

Configuring n8n with proper database connections, webhook security, and credential management requires DevOps experience. If you want n8n deployed with SSL, automated backups, and monitoring dashboards pre-configured, managed platforms handle the infrastructure complexity.

Setup and Deployment Comparison

Zapier Setup (15 minutes)

Sign up at zapier.com
Connect apps via OAuth
Build Zap with visual editor
Test and activate
Start paying per task

Pros: Immediate, no technical knowledge Cons: Vendor lock-in, costs scale unpredictably

n8n Self-Hosted Setup (45 minutes)

# Docker deployment on Ubuntu VPS
ssh root@your-vps-ip

# Install Docker
apt update && apt install -y docker.io docker-compose

# Create n8n directory
mkdir /opt/n8n && cd /opt/n8n

# Create docker-compose.yml
cat > docker-compose.yml <<EOF
version: '3.8'
services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=your-secure-password
      - N8N_HOST=n8n.yourdomain.com
      - N8N_PORT=5678
      - N8N_PROTOCOL=https
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - WEBHOOK_URL=https://n8n.yourdomain.com/
    volumes:
      - ./n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n
EOF

# Start n8n
docker-compose up -d

# Configure NGINX reverse proxy + SSL
apt install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx
certbot --nginx -d n8n.yourdomain.com

Pros: Complete control, unlimited usage Cons: Requires basic Linux skills

Migration Path: Zapier to n8n

Step 1: Audit Current Zaps (30 minutes)

Zap inventory:
- Name, trigger, actions, monthly executions
- Identify critical vs nice-to-have
- Estimate n8n complexity (most are 1:1 conversions)

Step 2: Rebuild Top 5 Zaps in n8n (2-4 hours)

Run parallel for 2 weeks:

Keep Zapier active
Build identical workflows in n8n
Compare results for accuracy
Monitor error rates

Step 3: Gradual Cutover (1 week per workflow)

Redirect 10% of traffic to n8n workflow
Monitor for 48 hours
Increase to 50%, then 100%
Disable Zapier version
Repeat for next workflow

Step 4: Cancel Zapier (after 100% migration)

Typical migration timeline: 4-6 weeks for 10-20 workflows

When Zapier Still Makes Sense

Use Zapier if:

You need 100% uptime SLA with vendor accountability
Your team has zero technical capacity
You're automating <5,000 tasks/month (cost difference minimal)
You require deep integrations with niche SaaS apps
Compliance requires vendor security certifications

Use n8n if:

Running >10,000 tasks/month (ROI is immediate)
You have DevOps/technical team member
Data sovereignty matters (healthcare, finance, EU)
You need custom code in workflows
Your automation needs will scale significantly

Advanced n8n Capabilities

Database-First Workflows

// Direct PostgreSQL queries (no API overhead)
SELECT customer_id, total_purchases, last_order_date
FROM customers
WHERE total_purchases > 1000
AND last_order_date < NOW() - INTERVAL '90 days'

Use query results to trigger re-engagement campaigns.

Multi-Environment Deployment

Development instance for testing
Staging for QA
Production with high availability
Costs: 3x VPS ($36/month total)

Version Control Integration

# Export workflows as JSON
# Commit to Git
# Deploy via CI/CD pipeline
git add workflows/
git commit -m "Add customer onboarding workflow"
git push
# Webhook triggers n8n workflow import

Horizontal Scaling

For 1M+ executions/month:

Queue mode with Redis
Multiple worker nodes
Load balancer
Still cheaper than Zapier at scale

Data Privacy and Security

Zapier Security Concerns

Data flows through Zapier servers
Stored on third-party infrastructure
Subject to Zapier's data retention policies
Compliance certifications apply to Zapier, not you

n8n Self-Hosted Security Benefits

Data never leaves your infrastructure
Complete audit trail in your logs
Encryption at rest (your control)
GDPR/HIPAA compliance simplified
No third-party data processing agreements

Critical for:

Healthcare patient data
Financial transaction processing
EU customer data (GDPR)
Proprietary business intelligence

The Exit-Saas Perspective

Zapier's business model depends on your automation tax. Every efficiency you create generates revenue for them.

n8n inverts this relationship: automation becomes a fixed-cost asset, not a variable expense.

Example: Customer onboarding automation

Zapier: Costs increase as you acquire more customers (perverse incentive)
n8n: Fixed cost regardless of customer growth (scales with success)

5-year financial impact: Year 1: 50,000 tasks/month → Zapier: $7,176, n8n: $363 Year 3: 200,000 tasks/month → Zapier: $24,000, n8n: $363 Year 5: 500,000 tasks/month → Zapier: $48,000+, n8n: $363

Total 5-year difference: $150,000+ savings

That's a full-time engineer's salary. Spend it on building your product instead of paying automation taxes.

Browse our tools directory for n8n deployment guides, workflow templates, and integration examples.

The best automation platform is the one that gets cheaper as you succeed.