AI Automation · Pricing comparison
n8n vs Zapier: Pricing
Zapier is the cheaper option ($4.010000000000002/mo less), both offer a free plan, n8n rates slightly higher. Below we break down plans, free tiers, and value so you can decide which fits your budget and workflow.
Last checked July 24, 2026
At a glance
Zapier is the cheaper option ($4.010000000000002/mo less), both offer a free plan, n8n rates slightly higher.
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n8n vs Zapier: side-by-side
| Feature | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Automation | AI Automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan details | Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions. | Free plan with 100 tasks/month and basic Zaps. |
| Starting price | $24/mo (Cloud Starter) | $19.99/mo (Professional, billed yearly) |
| Highest known plan | Custom Enterprise | $69/mo+ (Team), scaling with tasks |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Best for | Engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and AI agents | Non-technical teams wanting the fastest path to working automation |
| Team support | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Editor rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
Pricing and free plans
n8n uses a freemium model, starting at $24/mo (Cloud Starter). Self-hosting costs infrastructure + your time. Cloud tiers scale by executions. Its free plan: Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions.
Zapier uses a freemium model, starting at $19.99/mo (Professional, billed yearly). Per-task billing: multi-step Zaps multiply consumption. AI Agents priced as add-ons. Its free plan: Free plan with 100 tasks/month and basic Zaps.
Which is cheaper?
If budget is the deciding factor, Zapier wins on entry price. If output quality or specific features matter more, weigh the feature lists below before deciding.
n8n: pros and cons
Pros
- Free forever if self-hosted
- No per-task pricing anxiety
- Best AI-agent flexibility
Cons
- Self-hosting is real DevOps work
- Non-technical users hit walls
- Fewer integrations than Zapier
Zapier: pros and cons
Pros
- Biggest integration catalog
- Fastest to first automation
- AI agent layer included
Cons
- Per-task cost explodes at scale
- Add-ons for AI features
- Overage billing complaints
Who each tool is best for
- Best for beginners: Zapier — lower barrier to entry and easier to start for free or cheaply.
- Best for teams: n8n.
- n8n is best for: Engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and AI agents.
- Zapier is best for: Non-technical teams wanting the fastest path to working automation.
Our call
Verdict
On price alone, Zapier is the value pick at $19.99/mo (Professional, billed yearly). n8n edges ahead on our editor rating. For most people, choose n8n if you want engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and ai agents, and Zapier if you want non-technical teams wanting the fastest path to working automation.
n8n vs Zapier FAQ
Which is cheaper, n8n or Zapier?
Zapier has the cheaper entry price — about $4.010000000000002/mo less. n8n starts at $24/mo (Cloud Starter), while Zapier starts at $19.99/mo (Professional, billed yearly).
Does n8n or Zapier have a free plan?
Both offer a free plan. n8n: Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions. Zapier: Free plan with 100 tasks/month and basic Zaps.
Is n8n or Zapier better for beginners?
Zapier tends to be the easier starting point thanks to its pricing and free access, though both cover the same core ai automation needs.
Which is better for teams?
n8n is the stronger team pick given its collaboration support and rating.