Moving from Zapier or Make to n8n: when it pays off, and when to stay
Moving pays off when your automations have many steps and run often, because the three count usage differently: Zapier counts a task for each successful action, Make a credit for each module action, and n8n one execution per workflow run however many steps it has. n8n can also be self-hosted from its free Community Edition, which suits data that must stay on your own server. Stay where you are when your automations are few and simple, your team builds them without help, or you have not checked that every app you rely on has a ready-made step in n8n.
A move is a rebuild, not an export: list what runs today, rebuild the busiest workflow first, run old and new side by side, and switch the old one off only when both give the same result.
How each one counts, and where it runs
| Tool | What is counted | Entry paid plan (as stated) | Where it runs | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | A task each time an action completes; failed actions are not counted | Professional from US$19.99/month billed annually (US$29.99 monthly) for 750 tasks | Zapier’s cloud | Few, simple automations built by the team itself |
| Make | A credit for each module action (read, search, create, update, transform…) | Core US$9/month for 10,000 credits (monthly price; annual saves 15%) | Make’s cloud | Visual scenarios where the number of actions stays predictable |
| n8n | One execution per workflow run, "however many steps" (n8n) | Cloud Starter €20/month billed annually for 2,500 executions | n8n Cloud, or your own server with the free Community Edition | Many-step, frequent workflows; data that must stay on your server; a team comfortable with a technical tool |
When each one is the better choice
- Stay on Zapier when you have a few simple Zaps, your team builds them without help, and your task count fits a small plan.
- Stay on Make when your scenarios run a predictable number of actions and the team already knows them well.
- Move to n8n when your workflows have many steps or run thousands of times a month, you pay overage, or the data has to stay on your own server.
List prices, from each vendor’s page
Read on 30 September 2026, as each vendor states them. These are not Betterlane prices.
| Item | What they state | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Zapier Free / Professional | US$0 for 100 tasks; Professional from US$19.99/month billed annually for 750 tasks | Zapier, Plans and pricingRead on Sep 30, 2026 |
| Zapier, going over your tasks (pay-per-task) | 2.5× the base rate on monthly plans, 1.25× on annual plans | Zapier, Plans and pricingRead on Sep 30, 2026 |
| Make Free / Core / Pro | US$0 for up to 1,000 credits; US$9 / US$16 a month for 10,000 credits | Make, PricingRead on Sep 30, 2026 |
| n8n Cloud Starter / Pro | €20 / €50 a month billed annually, for 2,500 / 10,000 executions | n8n, Plans and pricingRead on Sep 30, 2026 |
| n8n Community Edition | Free to self-host; you pay for the server and its upkeep | n8n, Plans and pricingRead on Sep 30, 2026 |
What we run ourselves
Betterlane’s own lead handling, on n8n Cloud since September 2026. Not client work.
- Our lead workflow has 30 steps (nodes); n8n counts each lead it handles as one execution.
- The same workflow in Zapier or Make would be counted per action or per module, so its cost would grow with every step we add.
Questions
Can I import my Zaps or scenarios into n8n?
Plan on rebuilding each one. Keep the old version running until the new one gives the same result on the same inputs.
Is self-hosted n8n really free?
The Community Edition is free (n8n). You pay for the server and for someone to keep it updated, backed up and watched.
What should move first?
The workflow that runs most often or has the most steps: it is where the counting difference shows first, and the one worth testing hardest.
Sources
- Zapier, Plans and pricing · Read on Sep 30, 2026
- Make, Pricing · Read on Sep 30, 2026
- n8n, Plans and pricing · Read on Sep 30, 2026
Related
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