// AUTOMATION
Zapier
vs n8n
Zapier meters you by the task and gets pricey as your automations grow. n8n runs unlimited workflows on your own server — same connect-everything power, no per-task bill.
RENTED
Zapier
From ~$30/mo, billed by tasks
OWNED
n8n
Free + your hosting
// AT A GLANCE
How they compare
Zapier
n8n
Pricing model
Subscription, metered by tasks
Free, open-source license
Task limits
Overage charges & tier jumps
Unlimited executions
Who runs it
Zapier's cloud
Your server, your control
Custom logic & code
Limited / higher tiers
Full code steps included
Lock-in
Proprietary Zaps
Open workflows, exportable
* Pricing is illustrative of published list rates and scales with seats/usage; open-source figures reflect license cost only.
// THE CATCH
Where Zapier starts to hurt
X
Per-task billing
Every step of every run counts — busy automations get expensive fast.
X
Tier ceilings
Multi-step and premium-app workflows push you into higher plans.
X
Data through their cloud
Sensitive data passes through Zapier's servers on every run.
// THE ALTERNATIVE
n8n does the same job — and you own it
n8n is a powerful workflow-automation engine — hundreds of integrations, branching logic, and full code steps — self-hosted with unlimited executions and no per-task fee.
Unlimited workflow executions
Hundreds of app integrations
Branching logic and custom code steps
Runs entirely on your own server
Workflows are yours to export and version
// THE MATH
What it costs over three years
Zapier · 3-YEAR LICENSE
$1,080+
Based on a low task volume; busy automations quickly require higher tiers billed on monthly task counts.
n8n · LICENSE FEES
$0
No per-seat or usage fees ever. You pay only for the hosting you already run — plus our flat build & maintenance.
// WHY BUILTSTEAD, NOT DIY
Open-source is only free if your time is.
n8n is the technical buyer's favorite — but it still needs hosting, securing, and ongoing maintenance to run reliably. We install it, secure it, move your data over, connect it to the rest of your tools, and keep it running — all set up in your name. You get the savings of open-source without becoming your own IT department.
01
We host it for you
Deployed on reliable infrastructure, configured, secured, and monitored — no servers for you to babysit.
02
We migrate your data
Your existing records, contacts, and history moved over cleanly, so nothing is lost in the switch.
03
We connect your stack
Wired into your other tools so data flows automatically instead of being re-entered by hand.
04
We maintain & update
Updates, backups, and security patches handled on an ongoing basis — it just keeps working.
05
Set up in your name
Everything is titled to your company on your domain. No lock-in, no markup — the keys are yours.
06
Real people to call
When something needs attention, you reach us directly — not a ticket queue in another time zone.
Ready to drop Zapier?
Get a free audit. We'll price out your switch to n8n, map the migration, and show you the three-year savings — no obligation.
// MORE COMPARISONS
// GROWTH
// FINANCE
// OPERATIONS