n8n vs Zapier: which fits your automation work
Short answer
n8n counts one execution per workflow run and can be self-hosted. Zapier counts one task per successful action step and runs only on its own servers. On the vendors’ published prices, a three-step workflow that runs 3,000 times a month costs EUR 50 on n8n Cloud Pro (about PHP 3,520) and US$129 on Zapier Professional (about PHP 8,104), both on annual billing. The right choice depends on volume, hosting and who builds the workflows.
On this page
Comparison basis
- Sources
- n8n.io/pricing and Zapier’s pricing page and help center, the vendors’ own pages
- Pages read
- 12 Oct 2026
- Currencies published
- n8n in euros, Zapier in US dollars
- Exchange rates used
- EUR 1 = PHP 70.397 and USD 1 = PHP 62.821, from the ECB reference rates for 9 Oct 2026
- Testing
- Documentation-based. No hands-on testing is claimed on this page.
Who each one suits
Verdict by use case
- Low volume, a few simple workflows, no server to manage
- Either, check the arithmetic Zapier’s Free plan has 100 tasks and two-step Zaps. n8n Cloud Starter is EUR 20 a month for 2,500 executions.
- Many steps per workflow
- Counting favours n8n n8n counts the whole run as one execution. Zapier counts each successful action step.
- Customer data must stay on your own server
- n8n n8n offers a self-hosted edition. Zapier is a hosted service only.
- A team that wants the vendor to run everything and has no one to maintain a server
- Either hosted plan n8n Cloud and Zapier are both hosted by the vendor.
- Many niche apps with no technical staff
- Check each app first Zapier states 9,000+ apps. n8n states every integration is on every plan. Look up your own apps in both directories.
Criteria table
| Criterion | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Executions per month. An execution is “a single run of your entire workflow”, however many steps it has | Tasks per month. A task is “any successful action that runs”; triggers, Filter and Paths steps do not count |
| Published currency | Euro | US dollars, billed in 19 local currencies at the exchange rate at payment |
| Entry price on annual billing | Cloud Starter EUR 20 a month, 2.5K executions (about PHP 1,408) | Professional US$19.99 a month, 750 tasks (about PHP 1,256) |
| Free option | Community Edition, self-hosted. No subscription charge is listed. Cloud trial of 1,000 executions | Free plan, 100 tasks, two-step Zaps. 14-day Professional trial |
| Hosting | n8n Cloud or self-hosted. The Business plan is self-hosted only | Hosted by Zapier |
| Connectors | “Every integration” is stated to be on all plans. No count was read | “9,000+” apps stated |
| AI features | Agents, MCP and AI nodes listed from Starter | Agents, Chatbots, Canvas and MCP basic access on all plans. AI by Zapier from Pro |
| Support | Starter: forum support. Enterprise: dedicated support with an SLA | Free: no email or live chat. Live chat from the 2,000-task Pro tiers. Team: priority support |
| Learning curve | Not stated by the vendor. Editor notes pending | Not stated by the vendor. Editor notes pending |
| Philippine payment | Euro price; the card issuer converts and may add a fee | Dollar price; whether pesos are among the 19 billing currencies is not stated |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Cost sheet in pesos
The same three workloads, priced from each vendor’s published tiers on annual billing.
Assumptions. Each run has one trigger and three successful action steps. Zapier tasks therefore equal three times the runs. n8n executions equal the runs. No other usage, overage or tax is included.
| Workload | Zapier tasks | Zapier tier and price | n8n executions | n8n tier and price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 runs a month | 900 | Professional 1,500 tasks, $39.00 (about PHP 2,450) | 300 | Cloud Starter, EUR 20 (about PHP 1,408) |
| 3,000 runs a month | 9,000 | Professional 10,000 tasks, $129.00 (about PHP 8,104) | 3,000 | Cloud Pro, EUR 50 (about PHP 3,520) |
| 30,000 runs a month | 90,000 | Professional 100,000 tasks, $489.00 (about PHP 30,719) | 30,000 | Business, EUR 667 (about PHP 46,955), self-hosted only. The Community Edition has no subscription listed, with server costs separate |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
The sheet shows how the two meters behave. Fewer steps per run narrows the gap and more steps widen it. Plans change, so check both pricing pages before deciding. The detail is on n8n pricing in PHP and Zapier pricing in PHP.
Setup effort
Neither vendor states how long a first workflow takes, and this page did not time one. What the documentation shows:
- Zapier builds a Zap from one trigger and one or more actions in its hosted editor, with nothing to install.
- n8n Cloud is also hosted. Self-hosting adds installation, updates, backups and access control, which move to the user. n8n’s hosting documentation lists Docker Compose and cloud-provider guides. See the n8n page.
- A non-technical user can start on either hosted product. The editor’s hands-on comparison of the first workflow is not yet included.
If n8n is not the fit
- Zapier suits a hosted, per-task service with a large app directory.
- Make is another hosted option. Its published plans are in Zapier alternatives.
- Power Automate is Microsoft’s tool and is priced per user. It is also in Zapier alternatives.
Switching between them
Neither vendor’s pages read for this comparison describe an import or export between the two, so this page does not claim that workflows convert automatically. Expect to rebuild each workflow in the new tool. What carries over is the plan on paper: the trigger, the steps, the connected accounts and the test cases.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?
It depends on the workload. On the cost sheet above, n8n Cloud is lower at 3,000 three-step runs a month (about PHP 3,520 against about PHP 8,104), because n8n counts a run once and Zapier counts each action step. Check both pricing pages for current figures.
Which is easier for a beginner?
Neither vendor states it and this page did not test it. Both have hosted editors. n8n adds server tasks only if you self-host.
Can n8n do what Zapier does?
Both connect apps through triggers and steps and both list AI features. App coverage differs by app, so look up each one you need in both directories.
Which is better when customer data must stay on your own server?
n8n can be self-hosted. Zapier lists no self-hosted edition. Under the Data Privacy Act you stay accountable for data given to a processor, so the contract terms matter on either.
What are the alternatives to n8n?
Zapier, Make and Power Automate are covered with published prices on the Zapier alternatives page.
Sources
All sources were read on 12 Oct 2026.
- n8n, Plans and pricing: executions, plans, features, trial.
- n8n on GitHub, Sustainable Use License: licence terms for self-hosting.
- Zapier, Pricing: plans, task tiers, features, billing currency.
- Zapier Help Center, How is task usage measured in Zapier?: task counting.
- Republic Act No. 10173, Data Privacy Act of 2012, via Lawphil: Section 21 on accountability for personal information given to a third party.
- European Central Bank euro reference rates, retrieved through the Frankfurter API (api.frankfurter.dev): EUR to PHP and USD, 9 Oct 2026.