Compare other tools| Tool | n8n | Zapier |
|---|
| Price | Open source, free to self-host | From $29.99/month$239.88/year billed annually |
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| Free plan | Free to use | Free plan |
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| Best for | - Developers who need code steps alongside visual automation nodes
- Teams with data residency requirements who need to self-host
- Technical users building multi-step AI agent workflows
| - Non-technical users who want to automate tasks between apps without code
- Small teams connecting CRM, email, project management and communication tools
- Teams that need a large library of ready-made app connectors
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| Ease of use | Takes some experience | Usable by beginners |
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| Key features | - Visual node-based flow builder
- JavaScript and Python code nodes
- AI agent nodes with tool calling and looping
- Self-hostable on any server or container
- Hundreds of built-in service integrations
| - Trigger-and-action Zap builder
- Multi-step Zaps with filters, paths and formatters
- AI steps for summarising and transforming data
- Thousands of app integrations
- Scheduled and webhook-triggered workflows
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| Integrations | Slack, GitHub, Google Workspace, Postgres, MongoDB, Airtable, Webhook | Gmail, Slack, HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable |
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| API | Available | Available |
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| Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
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| Platforms | Web, Command line, API | Web |
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| Main advantages | - Self-hosting removes per-task cost at high automation volumes
- Code nodes handle transformations that visual-only tools cannot
- AI agent nodes enable multi-step reasoning without custom model hosting
| - Largest app integration library of any automation tool
- No-code setup means most users are productive within minutes
- Free tier covers basic single-step automations
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| Main disadvantages | - Self-hosted version requires server maintenance and updates
- Steeper setup compared to fully managed SaaS tools
| - Task pricing climbs quickly with high-volume workflows
- Complex data mapping and conditional logic can feel limited compared to code-based tools
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| Data checked | Checked October 4, 2026 | Checked October 4, 2026 |
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| Try n8n | Try Zapier |
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Which one to choose
Choose n8n if
- Developers who need code steps alongside visual automation nodes
- Teams with data residency requirements who need to self-host
- Technical users building multi-step AI agent workflows
Read review
Choose Zapier if
- Non-technical users who want to automate tasks between apps without code
- Small teams connecting CRM, email, project management and communication tools
- Teams that need a large library of ready-made app connectors
Read review