Comparison guide · automation
n8n vs Zapier: which automation platform should you buy?
Zapier wins on breadth and approachable recipes; n8n wins when you need self-hosting, custom logic, or tighter control of data paths. Zapier Agents is a separate activities meter from Zap tasks — never quote one 'Zapier AI price.' Pick from operating constraints, not “more AI features.”
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What actually matters
- List the apps you must connect today and the ones you expect within six months — connector gaps kill more rollouts than missing AI nodes.
- Decide whether workflows must stay in your VPC or on self-hosted infra; that single constraint often picks n8n before feature lists do.
- Price Zapier as tasks + Agents activities (if you use Agents); price n8n Cloud in EUR and convert to GBP — not a single screenshot plan.
- Judge failure modes: retries, error alerts, versioning, and who gets paged when a payment or CRM sync silently stops.
- Do not start new builds on Relay.app — free wipe 15 Aug 2026 / paid 14 Sep 2026; export and migrate now.
The shortlist
- Zapier when non-technical owners need the broadest app library and Agents is a deliberate add-on budget, not a surprise.
- Make when visual credit-based flows fit better than Zapier tasks — still map AI module costs separately.
- n8n when self-host / data residency / custom code nodes are the buying reason (Cloud ~€20–€50 class — FX applies).
Evidence-backed entries
A sensible test workflow
- 01Write three real automations you need this quarter, including the failure case for each.
- 02Build the same three in both products (or a time-boxed spike) and record build time, readability, and who can maintain them.
- 03Check data residency, logging, and credential storage against your security bar before connecting production systems.
Common mistakes
- Choosing on “AI automation” marketing while the actual need is a reliable webhook and a CRM update.
- Underestimating the ops cost of self-hosting n8n — or overpaying Zapier task volume because nobody pruned dead zaps.
- Connecting finance or HR systems without an owner for credentials, audit logs, and break-glass access.
Popular-AI shortlist snapshot: August 6, 2026. This guide is a starting framework, not a permanent ranking. Model prices, access, policies, and capabilities move quickly. Check the provider before committing spend or sending sensitive data.