Quick answer
- Small and medium volumes: Make Core ($12 a month on annual billing for 10,000 credits) is the lowest-priced paid option in our example.
- Zapier costs most per run because every action step is a task. At 15,000 runs a month our example needs Zapier’s 50,000-task tier: $289 a month on annual billing.
- n8n counts a whole run as one execution, so long workflows stay cheap. 15,000 runs a month fits n8n Cloud Pro’s 50,000-execution tier (€145 monthly, or €1,450 a year), or you can self-host the free Community Edition.
| Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|
| Billed by | Tasks: each successful action. Triggers, filters, paths and formatter steps are free. | Credits: most actions use 1 credit; routers and error handlers use none. | Executions: one per workflow run, regardless of steps. |
|---|
| Free option | 100 tasks a month | 1,000 credits a month | Community Edition, self-hosted |
|---|
| Entry paid plan | Professional $19.99/mo annual ($29.99 monthly), 750 tasks | Core $12/mo annual ($16 monthly), 10,000 credits | Starter €20/mo annual (€24 monthly), 2,500 executions |
|---|
| Annual saving | 33% off | Cheaper annually (no fixed % stated) | 17% |
|---|
Cost at three workload sizes
Our example: one workflow with a trigger and three actions. Zapier counts 3 tasks per run (the trigger is free). Make counts about 4 credits per run (one per module, trigger included). n8n counts 1 execution per run. We round up to the next tier each vendor sells.
| Runs a month | Zapier Professional (annual) | Make Core | n8n |
|---|
| 500 | 1,500 tasks → 1,500-task tier: $39 | 2,000 credits → 10,000 tier: $12 annual / $16 monthly | 500 executions → Cloud Starter: €20 (or self-host free) |
|---|
| 1,500 | 4,500 tasks → 5,000-task tier: $89 | 6,000 credits → 10,000 tier: $12 annual / $16 monthly | 1,500 executions → Cloud Starter: €20 (or self-host free) |
|---|
| 15,000 | 45,000 tasks → 50,000-task tier: $289 | 60,000 credits: Make prices this on a sliding scale; check Make’s credit slider | 15,000 executions → Cloud Pro 50K: €145 monthly / €1,450 a year (or self-host free) |
|---|
Zapier tier prices from Zapier’s own pricing reference; Make and n8n from their pricing pages; all read October 14, 2026. We do not show a Make figure at 60,000 credits because its slider returned inconsistent results between page loads.
Fewer steps per workflow narrows the gap: a one-action Zap uses one task per run.
Zapier task tiers (Professional plan)
| Tasks a month | Billed annually | Billed monthly |
|---|
| 750 | $19.99 | $29.99 |
| 1,500 | $39 | $58.50 |
| 2,000 | $49 | $73.50 |
| 5,000 | $89 | $133.50 |
| 10,000 | $129 | $193.50 |
| 20,000 | $189 | $283.50 |
| 50,000 | $289 | $433.50 |
| 100,000 | $489 | $733.50 |
Per month, from zapier.com/pricing, read October 14, 2026.
What can change your bill
- Zapier: only successful actions use tasks; triggers, Filter, Paths and Formatter steps do not. Non-profits get 15% off (excluding pay-per-task charges).
- Make: polling triggers count each check as an operation, and when a trigger returns many items, later modules run once per item. Router and error-handler modules use no credits.
- n8n: self-hosting removes execution limits but adds server cost and upkeep. Business (€667 a month on annual billing, 40,000 executions) is self-hosted only. The Start-up Plan gives 50% off Business to companies with fewer than 20 employees and under €5M in total funding.
Common questions
Which is cheapest for a beginner?
All three have a free option: Zapier 100 tasks a month, Make 1,000 credits a month, and n8n’s self-hosted Community Edition. Make’s free plan covers about 250 runs of our four-module example.
Does Zapier have a free trial?
Yes. New accounts get a 14-day trial of Professional, and Zapier says no credit card is required.
Why are n8n prices in euros?
n8n publishes its prices in euros. Your card provider converts them at its own exchange rate.
