Side-by-side pricing, features and compliance for any tools in the directory.
Side-by-side comparison of n8n, Zapier: pricing, capabilities, integrations and compliance — from verified HokAI records.
n8n GmbH
Pick it if: Platform/DevOps Engineers
Its edge: Execution-based billing model combined with code flexibility—allows building infinitely complex workflows at 40-90% lower cost than task-based competitors like Zapier/Make
The catch: Steep learning curve for non-technical users; requires API knowledge and DevOps skills for self-hosting; limited support on lower tiers relies on community forums
Zapier Inc.
Pick it if: Operations managers automating cross-functional processes
Its edge: Unmatched breadth: 8,000+ app integrations with native MCP support for AI agents (Claude, ChatGPT), enabling orchestration across entire tech stacks without custom backend work
The catch: Task-based pricing model that escalates rapidly; high total cost of ownership for volume automation compared to competitors (Make, n8n, Activepieces)
| Entry price | Free to start | Free to start |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | true | true |
| Paid tiers | Community Edition — $0/mo; Starter (Cloud) — $20/mo; Pro (Cloud) — $50/mo | Free — $0/mo; Professional — $29.99/mo; Team — $103.5/mo |
| Hidden costs | Self-hosting infrastructure costs ($5-40/month for basic VPS, scaling to hundreds for production); DevOps resource investment for maintenance, patching, scaling, and database management; Business plan execution fees can escalate quickly for | Task overages: $0.01-0.03 per task when exceeding monthly limit; high-volume users pay 3-5x more than competitors; Complexity tax: Advanced workflows require field mapping, conditional logic, and custom code—demanding technical expertise; P |
| Budget fit | mid | mid |
| Killer feature | Execution-based billing model combined with code flexibility—allows building infinitely complex workflows at 40-90% lower cost than task-based competitors like Zapier/Make | Unmatched breadth: 8,000+ app integrations with native MCP support for AI agents (Claude, ChatGPT), enabling orchestration across entire tech stacks without custom backend work |
|---|---|---|
| Primary weakness | Steep learning curve for non-technical users; requires API knowledge and DevOps skills for self-hosting; limited support on lower tiers relies on community forums | Task-based pricing model that escalates rapidly; high total cost of ownership for volume automation compared to competitors (Make, n8n, Activepieces) |
| Best for | Platform/DevOps Engineers; IT Operations Directors; Solutions Architects | Operations managers automating cross-functional processes; Marketing ops scaling lead capture and nurturing; Sales ops accelerating deal velocity and CRM hygiene |
| Worst for | Non-technical marketing teams; Business analysts without API knowledge; End users needing instant deployment | Healthcare IT (not HIPAA-compliant); Finance teams handling regulated data (lacks robust audit controls); On-premise-only organizations (cloud-SaaS only) |
| Minimum skill level | intermediate | beginner |
| Defensibility | 8 | 8 |
| Target audience | Technical Founders & DevOps Engineers, IT Operations Teams (IT Ops, Sec Ops), Software Developers, Enterprise Architects, Data Engineers, Compliance Officers (regulated industries), Operations Managers, Systems Integrators | Marketing & RevOps Teams, IT Operations & Support, Sales Operations, Product & Engineering Teams, HR & Admin, Solopreneurs & Freelancers, Small to Enterprise Businesses, Developers building AI agents |
| Key features | Hybrid Visual + Code Builder; 500+ Pre-Built Integrations; AI-Native Architecture with MCP Support | Massive App Library; AI Workflows & Agents; Zapier MCP (Model Context Protocol) |
|---|---|---|
| Capabilities | Vision; Function calling | Vision; Function calling |
| Strengths | The hybrid visual-plus-code approach means workflows are not capped by whatever the built-in nodes happen to support, a real advantage over strictly no-code tools.; Complete data control with self-hosting on your own infrastructure; the Com | Largest integration ecosystem among no-code platforms, covering nearly every major business app category.; Fast onboarding for non-technical users thanks to ready-made templates and guided setup.; Flexible, usage-based pricing that starts f |
| Watch out for | Steeper learning curve than pure no-code tools like Zapier: requires familiarity with APIs and basic programming concepts.; Self-hosting requires real DevOps expertise for server setup, maintenance, database administration, and scaling.; Li | Task-based pricing escalates quickly: complex multi-step workflows consume tasks fast.; More expensive at scale than usage-based competitors, which often charge less per equivalent operation volume.; Free plan is severely limited to two-ste |
| Knowledge cutoff | — | Real-time via connected app APIs |
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