You want to automate a process and every article tells you something different. One blog swears by Zapier, the next by n8n, a third calls Make the golden middle. Which tool actually fits your SMB? This article puts the three side by side on price, features, hosting and GDPR. No affiliate spin. A decision guide you read in ten minutes and apply to your own situation in five.
For the broader context also read our AI automation SMB guide or no-code vs custom automation.
What are Zapier, Make and n8n exactly?
All three tools do the same thing at the core: they connect apps and data through visual flows so repetitive work happens automatically. The difference is in the philosophy and where the software runs.
- Zapier is the oldest and largest player. A US-based SaaS with 7000+ apps, designed to get your first flow live in five minutes. Target audience: marketers and operators with no coding background.
- Make (formerly Integromat) is a European SaaS with a visual canvas. More powerful than Zapier on logic and data transformations, often cheaper, but you need about an hour to learn the UI.
- n8n is open-source and you can host it yourself on your own server. It combines visual flows with the option to drop code nodes (JavaScript, Python) into your flow. Cheap at volume, but you maintain it yourself.
For broader context, also read our guide to AI automation for SMBs, which explains where these tools fit in the bigger picture.
How do costs differ at SMB scale?
On paper, prices look comparable. In practice they diverge as your volume grows. Zapier charges per “task” (one step in a flow), Make per “operation” (one API call), and n8n self-hosted has only hosting costs, no variable fees. That difference adds up fast once a flow has multiple steps.
| Volume per month | Zapier | Make | n8n self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 operations | €30 (Starter) | €10 (Core) | €10-15 (VPS) |
| 10,000 operations | €75 (Professional) | €20 (Core) | €10-15 (VPS) |
| 100,000 operations | €280 (Team) | €55 (Pro) | €15-30 (VPS) |
| 500,000 operations | €800+ (Company) | €220 (Teams) | €30-60 (VPS) |
Important detail: one Zapier zap with 5 steps consumes 5 tasks per run. A Make scenario with 5 modules consumes 5 operations. In n8n that consumption is free, you only pay for your VPS. For an SMB doing 50,000+ operations per month, the price gap between Zapier and n8n easily exceeds €3,000 per year.
What can each tool do and not do?
Price is one thing. What the tool can actually do technically matters just as much. Below is a feature matrix on the points that matter most for SMB automation.
| Feature | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of native connectors | 7000+ | 1800+ | 500+ (and growing) |
| Visual canvas | Linear | Full canvas | Full canvas |
| Conditional logic (paths, branches) | Limited (extra cost) | Standard | Standard |
| Code nodes (JS / Python) | Limited (Code by Zapier) | Limited | Full (your own code) |
| AI nodes (OpenAI, Anthropic) | Yes | Yes | Yes, incl. local models |
| Error handling and retries | Standard | Good (auto-retry) | Fully configurable |
| Self-hosting possible | No | No | Yes (Docker / VPS) |
| Data residency (EU hosting) | US-only | EU option available | Full control |
In short: Zapier wins on breadth (apps), n8n on depth (code and control), Make sits somewhere in between. For heavy data transformations or bespoke logic, Zapier is often too limited. For a quick Gmail-to-Slack connection, n8n is overkill.
When do you pick Zapier?
Zapier is strong when speed and breadth matter more than cost or control. Three scenarios where Zapier is the right pick:
- You want to get a proof-of-concept live within an afternoon to demonstrate internally that automation works.
- You use a lot of niche apps (e.g. Calendly + Pipedrive + Slack + a vertical SaaS) that exist in Zapier but not in Make or n8n.
- Your volume stays under 10,000 tasks per month and the €75 subscription is not an issue.
For solo founders and small teams (under ten people) with simple flows, Zapier is often by far the fastest route. We see it most often in onboarding flows and basic lead routing.
When do you pick Make?
Make is the pragmatic middle ground. Cheaper than Zapier, more powerful on logic, and without the hosting hassle of n8n. Three scenarios where Make shines:
- Your flows have lots of conditional paths, loops or data transformations (think: lead scoring, multi-step approval, complex forms).
- You expect 10,000 to 100,000 operations per month and do not want to pay four times as much to Zapier.
- You want EU data residency but do not want to run your own server. Make offers EU hosting as an option.
For sales automation and marketing flows with heavy logic, Make is often our first pick. The canvas gives clear visibility into what is happening, and the price scales without surprises.
When do you pick n8n?
n8n is the choice for teams that want volume, control or code freedom. It is free open-source software that you run yourself, with a paid cloud version if you prefer. Three scenarios where n8n is the clear winner:
- Your volume goes above 50,000 operations per month and you do not want to keep worrying about subscription costs.
- You want to drop your own JavaScript or Python code directly into your flow (custom AI prompts, bespoke validation, complex API calls).
- You work with sensitive data (legal, medical, financial) and want everything to stay inside your own environment.
Self-hosting sounds heavy, but in practice n8n runs at our client setups on a €10 Hetzner VPS, with automatic backups and SSL. Set up once, then it runs. See how we did this for clients like Planit. If you want custom platforms built on n8n, we deliver the full setup including code ownership.
What about data privacy and EU hosting?
For Dutch SMBs with GDPR obligations, data residency is a serious topic. Especially if you handle customer data, personal information or sensitive documents.
- Zapier runs on AWS US-East. Data crosses to the US by default. For GDPR compliance you need a Data Processing Agreement and you have to think carefully about what data flows through.
- Make has offered an EU hosting option (Germany) since 2024. For most use cases that is enough for GDPR compliance, provided you choose the right plan.
- n8n self-hosted gives you full control. Your data never leaves your server, you choose the location (e.g. a Hetzner server in Nuremberg or Amsterdam). For legal, medical or financial clients this is often the only workable option.
Honest nuance: GDPR compliance is more than just server location. It is also about who has access, how you encrypt data and which logs you retain. But as a starting point, for sensitive data, n8n self-hosted is the safest route.
What is our pick in 80% of cases?
Honest answer: for most of our SMB clients, we pick n8n self-hosted, with Make as a second choice for clients who do not want their own server. Why?
- Code ownership. In n8n all flows are JSON files you can export. We deliver them, you run them. No lock-in.
- Scales without surprises. Whether you run 5,000 or 500,000 operations per month, your VPS costs stay under €30. No pricing surprises as you grow.
- Code nodes for bespoke logic. Many client cases require one step no standard connector solves. With n8n you write that in 10 lines of JavaScript, done.
- GDPR-friendly. Data stays inside our EU servers (Hetzner Nuremberg). No DPA negotiations with US providers.
For clients who do not want a technical partner or run very small volumes, we recommend Make. Zapier comes into play mainly for solo founders who want to wire something simple together in an afternoon. For the broader trade-off between no-code and custom builds, read when to choose no-code versus custom.
How do you pick in 5 minutes?
A quick decision tree based on three questions. Answer them in order:
- Question 1: how often does your flow run per month? Under 5,000 times? Start with Make. Above 50,000? Go straight to n8n. In between: it depends on questions 2 and 3.
- Question 2: do you need code nodes or bespoke logic? Yes? Pick n8n. No? Make or Zapier will do.
- Question 3: how sensitive is your data? Customer personal data or legal/medical info? n8n self-hosted. Standard business data? Make is fine.
Still on the fence? Book a free intake call. In thirty minutes we will look together at which tool fits your use case and volume. No sales pressure, just honest advice. Even if the conclusion is that you can build it yourself in Make.
