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There is no universal cheapest choice among Zapier, Make, and n8n. The answer depends on how often your workflows run and what each platform counts: Zapier charges by tasks, Make by credits for module actions, and n8n Cloud by complete workflow executions. Because those units differ, compare your own usage—not a single feature-table number.
How each platform counts usage
A run on one platform is not automatically equivalent to a run on another. The billing unit determines how workflow complexity affects your allowance.
| Platform | What the meter counts | Published plan examples | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Tasks. Zap steps and external connector calls can use tasks; rates can vary by AI model tier, code runtime, and connector type. | Free: $0 for 100 tasks per month. Professional starts at $19.99 per month. | The paid task allowance is selectable, and tasks are shared across Zaps, AI steps, code, MCP, and SDK. Check how your actions are counted. |
| Make | Credits. Each module action in a scenario counts as one credit. | Free: up to 1,000 credits per month. Core: $9 per month for 10,000 credits. At the displayed 10,000-credit selection, Pro is $16 and Teams is $29. | Quota selection and billing cadence can affect the offer. Free lists a 15-minute minimum interval between runs; Core supports scheduling down to the minute. |
| n8n Cloud | Monthly workflow executions. One complete workflow run counts as one execution regardless of its steps or data volume. | Starter: €20 per month billed annually for 2,500 executions. Pro: €50 per month billed annually for 10,000 executions. Both include unlimited steps. | The listed prices are annual-billing figures. An execution allowance does not by itself establish runtime capacity. |
These are vendor-published examples on official pricing pages accessed October 7, 2026, not a like-for-like cost test. Zapier and Make examples are in USD; n8n examples are in EUR. Confirm current prices, quotas, and billing cadence with each vendor before choosing.
Why workflow shape changes the comparison
Zapier: count billable tasks, not just triggers
Zapier’s task meter can reflect steps and external connector calls, so a workflow that does several actions after each trigger may use multiple tasks per run. Some actions may have variable task rates. Estimate using the actual Zap and verify each action against Zapier’s pricing and usage details; do not assume one trigger equals one task.
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Make: count module actions
For Make, estimate the module actions performed in a scenario. A scenario that processes more actions can consume more credits each time it runs. Make describes an action such as adding a spreadsheet row or fetching account data as one credit; consult the live Make pricing page for applicable credit rules and the quota you intend to select.
n8n Cloud: count complete runs
n8n Cloud counts a full workflow run as one execution, no matter how many steps it contains or how much data it processes. That makes its stated meter less sensitive to step count than task- or action-based meters, but it does not establish that every workflow will fit a plan’s runtime or other limits. n8n recommends reviewing execution logs for existing use and estimating trigger frequency for proposed workflows. Its pricing page and execution guidance describe the unit and estimation approach.
Estimate your monthly usage before comparing prices
- Choose a representative month. Estimate how many times each workflow will trigger. Include scheduled runs and expected webhook events.
- For Zapier, estimate task use per run. Count the billable Zap steps and external connector calls, then account for any variable-rate actions.
- For Make, estimate credits per scenario run. Count module actions that process data and check the platform’s credit rules for the scenario.
- For n8n Cloud, estimate complete workflow executions. Count full runs, not steps. If you already use n8n, check execution logs; for a new workflow, estimate its trigger frequency.
- Compare against current plan selections. Match the resulting monthly total to each current quota and price, taking billing cadence and currency into account.
- Add costs outside the plan separately. Include any relevant API or AI-model charges, required plan features, and—if self-hosting—hosting and operating effort.
For example, suppose a workflow runs 2,000 times in a month and performs four billable actions each time. That is an assumption-based estimate of 8,000 actions or credits on an action-metered platform, if every action is counted once, versus 2,000 complete executions on n8n Cloud. The Zapier task total still depends on which steps and connector calls count, including any variable rates. This arithmetic illustrates the meters; it is not a vendor-published benchmark or a price verdict.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsHow to decide beyond the meter
Usage cost is only useful if a plan supports the workflow and the way your team will operate it. Check the specific integration and trigger you need, the chosen plan’s quota and billing cadence, and whether its features meet your requirements for collaboration, logs, or execution priority. The pricing information does not establish that one platform wins on every feature.
Consider self-hosted n8n as a deployment choice
n8n offers a standard self-hosted Community Edition. Its pricing page lists Business as self-hosted only and Enterprise as available hosted or self-hosted. Those options do not mean self-hosting has zero total cost: the plan figures do not price a server or the work of maintaining the deployment. Account for responsibility for hosting, upgrades, backups, credentials, and monitoring when comparing it with a hosted plan. See n8n’s plan and deployment details.
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