Workflow automation tools
Ken is our productZapier vs n8n: Which Is Better in 2026?
Pick Zapier if non-technical teammates build the automations or you need one of its 9,000+ apps. Pick n8n if you have technical staff, since it bills per workflow run rather than per step and you can self-host it for free.
Ken is our product. Every fact about other tools comes from their public pages on the date shown.
The Verdict
Zapier or n8n?
Ken's view, from each vendor's public pages checked Oct 17, 2026.
Pick Zapier if
- Non-technical teammates build the automations, and Copilot drafts a Zap from a plain-language description.
- You need prebuilt steps for a long tail of apps, with 9,000+ in the catalog.
- You want a hosted free plan, with 100 tasks a month on two-step Zaps; n8n's free option is self-hosted, with a 14-day cloud trial.
Pick n8n if
- You have technical staff and want to self-host the free Community Edition.
- Your workflows have many steps, since a whole run counts as one execution.
- You want unlimited users and every integration on every plan.
At a Glance
In short Of the 9 features below, Zapier has 6 and n8n has 7 in full, from each vendor's public pages checked Oct 17, 2026.
| Feature | Zapier | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes - 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only | Yes - self-hosted Community Edition; cloud is a 14-day trial |
| Prebuilt app integrations | Yes - 9,000+ apps; premium apps on paid plans | Yes - 500+ integrations, every integration on every plan |
| HTTP requests and webhooks | Yes - Webhooks by Zapier is a premium app, Professional and up | Yes - HTTP Request node and webhook triggers on every plan |
| AI steps and agents | Yes - AI by Zapier on paid plans, 1 to 5 tasks per step | Yes - AI Agent node and MCP on every plan |
| Built-in B2B contact data and email finding | No - through connected apps only | No - through connected apps only |
| Native email and LinkedIn sending | Partial - email through a connected Gmail or Outlook account; LinkedIn app only posts | Partial - email through a connected Gmail or Outlook account; LinkedIn node only posts |
| CRM steps (HubSpot, Salesforce) | Yes - HubSpot on every plan; Salesforce is a premium app | Yes - HubSpot and Salesforce nodes on every plan |
| Custom code steps (JavaScript or Python) | Yes - JavaScript or Python on every plan, 1 task per step | Yes - JavaScript and Python on every plan; no Python libraries on Cloud |
| Self-hosting | No - cloud only | Yes - free Community Edition under the Sustainable Use License |
Rows are the features buyers compare in workflow automation tools. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
How Much Do Zapier and n8n Cost?
In short Zapier's lowest paid plan is Professional, $29.99 a month ($19.99 billed yearly). n8n's lowest paid plan is Starter, $24 a month ($20 billed yearly).
| Tool | Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly (per month) | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Free | $0 | $0 | Flat |
| Includes100 tasks a month; Two-step Zaps only; 15-minute polling; 1 seat | ||||
| Zapier | Professional | $29.99 | $19.99 | Usage tiers |
| Includes750 tasks a month at the entry tier; Multi-step Zaps; Unlimited premium apps and webhooks; AI by Zapier steps; 1 seat | ||||
| Zapier | Team | $103.50 | $69 | Usage tiers |
| Includes2,000 tasks a month at the entry tier; 25 users; Shared Zaps, folders and app connections; SAML SSO; 1-minute polling | ||||
| Zapier | Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesUnlimited users; Annual task limits; Advanced admin permissions and app controls; Technical Account Manager at a set threshold or as an add-on | ||||
| n8n | Community Edition | $0 | $0 | Flat |
| IncludesSelf-hosted on your own servers; Code steps, HTTP requests, webhooks and AI agent nodes; No SSO, Git version control or shared projects | ||||
| n8n | Starter | $24 | $20 | Flat |
| Includes2,500 workflow executions a month; Hosted by n8n; 5 concurrent executions; 1 shared project; 1,600 Assistant credits a month | ||||
| n8n | Pro | $60 | $50 | Flat |
| Includes10,000 workflow executions a month; Hosted by n8n; 20 concurrent executions; 3 shared projects and admin roles; Workflow history and 7 days of insights | ||||
| n8n | Business | $960 | $800 | Flat |
| Includes40,000 workflow executions a month; Self-hosted only; SSO and LDAP; Git version control and multiple environments; 6 shared projects | ||||
| n8n | Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | Custom |
| IncludesHosted by n8n or self-hosted; 200+ concurrent executions; Log streaming and external secret store; Dedicated support with SLA | ||||
Prices in USD from each vendor's pricing page: Zapier checked Oct 17, 2026, n8n checked Oct 17, 2026.
- Zapier: Professional runs from 750 to 2 million tasks a month and Team from 2,000 to 2 million. At 2,000 tasks, Professional is $49 a month billed yearly ($73.50 monthly) and Team is $69 ($103.50).
- Zapier: Yearly billing saves 33% versus monthly billing.
- Zapier: Pay-per-task billing keeps Zaps running past the task limit at a higher per-task rate, up to 3 times the plan's task limit, then Zaps pause until the next usage period. It is on by default for accounts that joined after January 2024; Free cannot use it.
- n8n: n8n bills per workflow execution. In its words: "An execution is a single run of your entire workflow. It doesn't matter how many steps are in the workflow or how much data it processes."
- n8n: Prices are the USD prices n8n shows US visitors. Visitors in Europe see euros instead: Starter €20, Pro €50 and Business €667 a month billed yearly.
- n8n: Pro also comes with 50,000 executions a month at $144 a month, or $120 a month billed yearly, with 50 concurrent executions.
What Are the Key Differences Between Zapier and n8n?
In short 8 differences that change which tool fits, each from the vendors' own pages.
| Topic | Zapier | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Tasks. Each app step that runs uses 1 task; Formatter, Filters, Paths and triggers use none. | Executions. One run of the whole workflow counts once, however many steps it has. |
| Entry paid plan | Professional, $29.99 a month or $19.99 billed yearly, for 750 tasks | Starter, $24 a month or $20 billed yearly, for 2,500 executions |
| Free option | Free plan with 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps only | Free self-hosted Community Edition; n8n Cloud has a 14-day trial with no card |
| Self-hosting | No, cloud only | Yes: the free Community Edition runs under the Sustainable Use License, for internal business, non-commercial or personal use; Business also runs self-hosted |
| Apps | 9,000+ apps; webhooks and Salesforce are premium apps on Professional and up | 500+ integrations, every one on every plan, plus an HTTP Request node for any REST or GraphQL API |
| Users | 1 seat on Professional, 25 users on Team | Unlimited users on every plan |
| Code steps | JavaScript or Python on every plan, from 1 task per step | JavaScript or Python on every plan; Python on n8n Cloud cannot import libraries |
| SSO and version control | SAML SSO on Team, from $69 a month billed yearly | SSO and Git version control from Business, $800 a month billed yearly, self-hosted only |
Zapier vs n8n FAQ
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?
Usually, for workflows with several steps. n8n Starter is $20 a month billed yearly for 2,500 executions, and a run counts once however many steps it has. Zapier Professional is $19.99 a month billed yearly for 750 tasks, and each app step uses a task.
Can you self-host Zapier?
No. Zapier runs only in its cloud. n8n has a free self-hosted Community Edition, and its Business plan also runs on your own servers.
Which has more integrations, Zapier or n8n?
Zapier lists 9,000+ apps. n8n lists 500+ integrations, all on every plan, and its HTTP Request node calls any REST or GraphQL API.
Do Zapier and n8n have free plans?
Zapier has a free plan with 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps. n8n's free option is the self-hosted Community Edition; n8n Cloud has a 14-day trial with no card.
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Related
Sources
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