n8n, Make and Zapier all connect your apps, run workflows and now build AI agents. What separates them is billing. Zapier charges for every action step, Make charges credits for every module, and n8n charges once per full workflow run no matter how many steps it has. At 10,000 runs a month, that gap can be hundreds of dollars.
Our verdict: n8n is the best automation tool for most technical users in 2026. Execution-based pricing is far cheaper for multi-step workflows, its AI agent and MCP features are the deepest, and you can self-host the Community Edition for free. Zapier is still the easiest pick for non-technical teams, and Make is the best value visual builder for light, low-volume automations.
The Short Version
Best overall: n8n. You pay per workflow run, not per step. Cloud Pro is $50 a month billed yearly for 10,000 executions, and the self-hosted Community Edition is free.
Best for non-technical teams: Zapier. The simplest builder, free filters and formatters, and Zapier Agents and MCP on every plan. It gets expensive fast at volume.
Best value visual builder: Make. Core starts at $12 a month billed yearly for 10,000 credits, with AI Agents in beta on every plan.
Cheapest cloud per run: Activepieces. Plus is $20 a month flat for 10,000 runs, and its Community Edition is MIT-licensed.
Prices at a glance
Prices checked October 15, 2026, on each company's own pricing page.
| Tool | Billing unit | Free option | Entry paid plan | Self-host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | 1 execution per full run | Community Edition (self-hosted) | Starter $20/mo yearly ($24 monthly), 2,500 executions | Yes, free Community Edition |
| Make | 1 credit per module action | 1,000 credits/mo | Core $12/mo yearly ($16 monthly), 10,000 credits | No |
| Zapier | 1 task per action step (triggers free) | 100 tasks/mo, two-step Zaps | Pro $19.99/mo yearly ($29.99 monthly), 750 tasks | No |
| Activepieces | 1 credit per run (AI steps extra) | 1,000 credits | Plus $20/mo flat, 10,000 credits | Yes, MIT Community Edition |
| Pipedream | 1 credit per 30 sec of compute | Development only | Startup $99/mo yearly, 10,000 credits | No |
What 10,000 runs a month costs
Take one workflow with five steps: a webhook trigger plus four actions, like a CRM update and a Slack post. It runs 10,000 times a month. This is an estimate from published prices with yearly billing; your real bill depends on how each tool counts your steps.
- n8n Cloud: 10,000 executions, because each full run counts once. That fits Pro exactly: $50 a month ($60 monthly).
- n8n self-hosted: $0 for the software. You pay only for the server it runs on.
- Make: five modules times 10,000 runs is 50,000 credits. The 40,000 tier isn't enough, so it's the 80,000-credit Core tier at about $72 a month ($97 monthly), or the 40,000 tier at $38 plus extra credits.
- Zapier: the trigger is free, so four tasks times 10,000 runs is 40,000 tasks. That needs the 50,000-task Pro tier: $289 a month ($433.50 monthly).
- Activepieces: 10,000 runs is 10,000 credits with no AI steps, so Plus covers it at $20 a month.
The gap widens as workflows get longer. A 20-step n8n workflow still costs one execution. On Zapier, it can cost 19 tasks every time.
n8n: the best for builders and AI agents
n8n's pitch is simple: an execution is one run of your entire workflow, however many steps it has or however much data it moves. Every plan includes unlimited users, workflows and integrations.
Cloud Starter is $20 a month billed yearly for 2,500 executions and 5 concurrent runs. Pro is $50 a month billed yearly for 10,000 executions, up to 50 concurrent runs, admin roles and workflow history. Business is $800 a month billed yearly for 40,000 executions, and it's self-hosted only for now and adds SSO, Git version control and queue mode.
For AI, n8n goes furthest. Every cloud plan includes agents, MCP and AI nodes, with the AI Agent node, an MCP Server Trigger and MCP Client, human approval for agent tool calls, and hosted or embedded chat. Code steps run JavaScript or Python.
The free Community Edition runs on your own server with almost the full feature set. It's under n8n's Sustainable Use License, which allows use for your own internal business purposes or personal use, but not reselling n8n to others. If you're picking a server, our best VPS for AI agents guide covers where to host it.
The catch: n8n is built for technical people. Expect to read JSON and, if you self-host, handle updates yourself. There's no free cloud plan, only a trial.
Make: the best value visual builder
Make's canvas shows your whole scenario as connected bubbles and connects to 3,500+ apps. Make now bills in credits: most module actions cost 1 credit, while routers and error handlers are free.
At 10,000 credits a month, Core is $12, Pro is $21 and Teams is $38, billed yearly. Monthly billing is $16, $28 and $51. The free plan gives 1,000 credits with a 15-minute minimum between runs.
Every plan gets Maia, which builds scenarios from a chat, Make AI Agents in beta and an MCP server, using Make's AI provider or your own model key.
The catch: every module costs a credit, including the trigger reading data, so long scenarios burn credits fast. AI features from Make's provider can cost more than 1 credit, and the Code app costs 2 credits per second. Unused credits expire at the end of the term.
Zapier: the easiest, and the priciest at scale
Zapier is still the tool you hand to a non-technical team. Its builder is the most guided, Copilot writes Zaps from a description, and many helpers are free: triggers, Filter, Formatter, Paths, Delay, Looping and Tables don't count as tasks. Only successful action steps do.
The free plan gives 100 tasks a month on two-step Zaps. Pro starts at $19.99 a month billed yearly for 750 tasks, rising to $129 for 10,000 and $289 for 50,000. Team, with shared Zaps and SAML SSO for up to 25 users, starts at $69 a month billed yearly for 2,000 tasks.
For AI, Zapier MCP is on every plan, so Claude or ChatGPT can trigger Zapier actions. Zapier Agents get basic access on every plan, with more as an add-on billed in activities, not tasks.
The catch: price. Per-step billing makes busy multi-step Zaps several times more expensive than n8n or Make, and Zapier MCP tool calls use tasks too. Overages on monthly plans cost 2.5 times the base task rate.
What about Activepieces and Pipedream?
Activepieces is the closest open-source rival to n8n. A run costs one credit however many steps it has. AI steps cost about 2 to 20 credits depending on the model, or 1 credit if you bring your own keys on Plus and up. Plus is $20 a month flat for 10,000 credits, and Team is $200 for 50,000. Its Community Edition is MIT-licensed, a looser license than n8n's.
Pipedream has moved toward developers building integrations and agents into their own products. Free covers development only, and Startup is $99 a month billed yearly with 10,000 credits, where one credit is 30 seconds of compute. MCP servers and 3,000+ connectors are on every plan.
The verdict
n8n is the best automation tool for most technical users in 2026. Per-run pricing makes multi-step workflows cheap, its AI agent and MCP features lead the group, and self-hosting costs nothing but a server.
Choose Zapier if your team needs the simplest tool and runs modest volume, and accept that the bill climbs with every step. Choose Make for a visual builder at a low entry price, and Activepieces if you want n8n-style per-run pricing with an MIT license. For the wider picture, see our best AI agent tools guide.
FAQ
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?
Yes, for multi-step workflows. n8n counts one execution per full workflow run, while Zapier counts a task for every action step. A five-step workflow running 10,000 times a month fits n8n Cloud Pro at $50 a month billed yearly, but needs Zapier's 50,000-task Pro tier at $289 a month billed yearly, based on published prices.
n8n vs Make: which is better?
n8n is better for technical users, long workflows and AI agents, because it bills per run and can be self-hosted for free. Make is better for people who want a visual canvas and low entry pricing, with Core at $12 a month billed yearly for 10,000 credits.
Is self-hosted n8n free?
Yes. The n8n Community Edition is free to self-host and includes almost the full feature set. It's under the Sustainable Use License, which allows internal business and personal use but not reselling n8n. You still pay for your own server.
How much does n8n cost?
n8n Cloud Starter is $20 a month billed yearly ($24 monthly) for 2,500 executions, and Pro is $50 a month billed yearly ($60 monthly) for 10,000 executions. Business is $800 a month billed yearly for 40,000 executions and is self-hosted only. The Community Edition is free.
What is the best automation tool in 2026?
n8n is the best automation tool for most technical users in 2026, thanks to per-run pricing, strong AI agent and MCP features and a free self-hosted edition. Zapier is the easiest for non-technical teams, and Make is the best value visual builder at low volume.