Why this comparison matters
Most small business owners discover automation by googling "how to connect [App A] to [App B]" and landing on a Zapier tutorial. They sign up, build a few workflows, and assume that's what automation looks like. Then six months later, the bill has crept to $400/month, the workflows are brittle, and they're wondering if there's a better way.
There usually is. The tool you start with isn't always the right one for where your business goes. Choosing correctly upfront versus migrating later can be a $5,000–$10,000 difference in platform fees over two years, before accounting for migration time.
"The most expensive automation mistake isn't building the wrong workflow. It's choosing the wrong platform and not realizing it until your monthly bill is $600."
Quick comparison: n8n vs Make vs Zapier
| Factor | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29.99/mo (2K tasks) | $9/mo (10K ops) | $20/mo cloud; ~$5/mo self-hosted |
| At scale (50K+ ops) | $599+/mo | $29–$99/mo | $50/mo cloud; ~$20/mo self-hosted |
| Ease of use | Easiest | Moderate | Steeper curve |
| App integrations | 7,000+ | 1,700+ | 400+ native + any API |
| Workflow complexity | Simple to moderate | Moderate to complex | Complex to very complex |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes (open source) |
| Data ownership | Zapier's servers | Make's servers | Your servers (if self-hosted) |
| Best for | Non-technical users, simple workflows | Mid-complexity, visual teams | Power users, high volume, data control |
Zapier: the easiest, most expensive option
Zapier is what most people think of when they hear "workflow automation." It's built around a dead-simple model: a trigger happens in App A, an action fires in App B. They call these "Zaps." The interface is clean, onboarding is fast, and there are tutorials for nearly every app combination you can imagine.
Where Zapier wins:
- 7,000+ app integrations — the broadest library by far. If you need to connect a niche CRM or a rare industry-specific tool, Zapier probably has it.
- Fastest time-to-working-workflow for non-technical users. You can be live in 20 minutes.
- Excellent documentation and community support.
- No-code multi-step Zaps on paid plans.
Where Zapier loses:
- Per-task pricing is brutal at scale. At 50,000 tasks/month, you're looking at $599+/month — on top of whatever your other software costs.
- Complex logic (branching paths, loops, error handling) is clunky compared to Make or n8n.
- Your data flows through Zapier's servers. No self-hosting option.
- Workflow reuse and versioning are limited on lower tiers.
Zapier pricing reality: A business running 100,000 tasks/month (not unusual for a mid-size service company with lead routing, reminders, and CRM syncs) pays $1,188+/month on Zapier. The same volume on Make costs $29–$99/month.
Make: the best balance for most service businesses
Make (formerly Integromat) is the tool we recommend most often for mid-size service businesses. Its visual "scenario" builder is genuinely powerful — you build workflows as flowcharts you can see end to end, rather than a linear list of steps. This makes complex branching logic much easier to understand and maintain.
Where Make wins:
- Per-operation pricing (not per-task) is dramatically cheaper at volume. One scenario run = one operation, even if it touches 10 apps.
- Visual scenario builder handles complex branching, routers, iterators, and error handlers natively.
- 1,700+ integrations covers the vast majority of mainstream business tools.
- Much better for data transformation — filtering, mapping, and aggregating data between systems is cleaner than Zapier.
- Strong scenario scheduling and versioning tools.
Where Make loses:
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier — the visual interface is powerful but takes some getting used to.
- No self-hosting. Your data is on Make's EU/US servers.
- Smaller app library than Zapier — some niche integrations aren't available (though most mainstream tools are).
"For most service businesses automating lead routing, CRM updates, appointment reminders, and invoice follow-ups — Make handles it all at a fraction of Zapier's cost."
n8n: maximum power, maximum control
n8n is the open-source automation platform. You can run it in the cloud (n8n.cloud) or self-host it on a $5/month VPS. The self-hosted version has unlimited workflows, unlimited executions, and no per-task fees. For high-volume automation, the economics are hard to beat.
Where n8n wins:
- Self-hosted = zero per-task cost. Run 1 million workflow executions a month for $10-$20 in server costs.
- Full data ownership when self-hosted — data never leaves your infrastructure.
- Native support for complex logic: loops, sub-workflows, error workflows, JavaScript/Python code nodes.
- HTTP Request node covers any API that doesn't have a native integration — which means n8n can connect to nearly anything with a REST API.
- Best-in-class for field service and high-volume automations: job dispatch, route optimization data, multi-step lead qualification.
Where n8n loses:
- Steepest learning curve of the three. Non-technical users will struggle without help setting up and maintaining workflows.
- Self-hosting requires server management — updates, backups, uptime.
- Fewer pre-built native integrations than Zapier (though the HTTP node compensates).
- Community and support are smaller than Zapier's, though growing fast.
n8n self-host economics: A Zapier Pro plan at 50K tasks/month costs $599/month. n8n self-hosted on a $20/month DigitalOcean droplet handles the same volume for $20/month. Over 12 months: Zapier = $7,188. n8n = $240.
How we choose at Aplos AI
We don't have a single "default" tool. The right choice depends on the client's volume, technical comfort, existing stack, and whether they want to self-host. Here's how we think about it:
We use n8n for: Field service companies with high job volume, clients who process thousands of leads/week, businesses with complex logic (multiple conditional paths, data enrichment), and anyone who wants to self-host for data control or cost reasons.
We use Make for: Most mid-size service businesses — HVAC, dental, law firms, insurance agencies. It handles lead routing, CRM sync, appointment reminders, invoice follow-up, and review requests cleanly and visually. The per-operation pricing keeps costs manageable as volume grows.
We use Zapier when: A client already has existing Zapier workflows they've built or paid for. When they need a specific rare integration that only exists in Zapier's library. Or when a client's team needs to maintain workflows themselves and Zapier's simplicity is worth the premium.
What about other tools?
There are other workflow automation tools — Pabbly Connect, Activepieces, Workato, Tray.io — but they serve different markets. Workato and Tray.io are enterprise products with enterprise pricing. Pabbly is cheap but limited. Activepieces resembles n8n but is earlier in maturity. For small and mid-size businesses in 2026, the comparison that matters is n8n, Make, and Zapier.
The decision framework: which one is right for you?
Answer these four questions:
- How many workflow executions per month? Under 10,000 — any tool works. 50,000+ — Zapier gets expensive fast. At 200,000+ — n8n self-hosted or Make is the only economic choice.
- How complex are your workflows? Simple if-this-then-that — Zapier is fine. Multi-branch logic with error handling — Make or n8n.
- Does your team need to maintain this? Non-technical team — Zapier or Make. Developer or automation specialist on staff — n8n unlocks the most power.
- Does data sensitivity matter? Healthcare, legal, or financial data — n8n self-hosted keeps everything on your own servers.
Not sure which tool fits your stack? We'll map your current workflow, identify the right platform, and tell you exactly what it would take to build. Free. 30 minutes.
Get a Free Tool Recommendation →The bottom line
Zapier is the right tool when ease of use matters most and volume stays low. Make is the right default for most service businesses — powerful enough for real complexity, affordable enough to scale. n8n is the right call for high-volume, technically capable teams who want maximum control and minimum long-term cost.
The biggest mistake is defaulting to Zapier because it's the most familiar, then staying there as volume grows. At 50,000 tasks/month, your tool choice costs $500+/month. At 200,000 tasks/month, it's a $2,000/month decision. That's worth 30 minutes of thinking before you commit.