Make vs Zapier vs Self-Hosted n8n for SME Automation: Dublin Cost Comparison 2026

The verdict in three sentences

For a 25-employee SME running 40,000 tasks a month, Zapier is the easiest to start with but becomes the most expensive as volume climbs. Make gives the best cost to power ratio for mid-complexity scenarios, as long as you count operations properly. Self-hosted n8n wins on marginal cost, but it needs real technical upkeep, otherwise the savings turn into risk.

What each tool really costs at 40,000 tasks a month

The classic mistake is comparing entry-level plans. A Dublin wine and spirits distributor that syncs quotes, customer follow-ups, its CRM and trade orders never stays on a free tier. Each tool also meters usage differently: Zapier counts tasks (each successful action), Make counts operations (every module run, including filters and searches), n8n counts workflow executions, and when self-hosted it counts nothing at all.

Watch the Make gap: a 6-module scenario running 7,000 times consumes 42,000 operations, not 7,000. An SME that miscounts jumps from the 10 EUR plan to the 30 EUR plan or beyond. Same at Zapier: a multi-step Zap with filters and paths pushes you onto Team plans, around 95 EUR a month at this volume, and higher task tiers can approach 550 EUR.

Which tool for which flow in a drinks distributor

Not all flows are equal. Some are critical (a pub's order that must land in the ERP), others are comfort features (a Slack ping when a quote is opened). The right answer is often hybrid.

The heaviest flow, CRM and invoicing sync, is nearly half the volume. It is the one that blows up a Zapier bill, and the one that justifies moving to n8n or to a coded integration. Small comfort flows can stay on a simple no-code tool the sales team can edit on its own.

When to go beyond no-code

Three signals say you need a custom integration rather than a pile of scenarios: more than 30 interdependent workflows nobody fully understands, silent errors creating stock discrepancies, or trade-specific rules (customer allocations, en primeur, excise duty) that standard connectors handle poorly. In that case Kolonell builds a custom application or integration layer: 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) for a simple project, 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) for a medium one, 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) for a complex one. Hosting and options are set in the quote. Application maintenance follows the 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA monthly grid (53, 114 or 183 EUR).

The right architecture often keeps n8n as the orchestrator and adds custom code for sensitive business rules. You keep visual flexibility, and you get code-level reliability where a mistake is expensive.

Mini case study

Aoife, managing director of a 25-person wine and spirits distributor in Dublin, loses 15 hours a week to re-keying: quotes copied into the CRM, manual follow-ups, stock updated by hand. At a loaded cost of 38 EUR an hour, that is 15 h x 4.33 weeks x 38 EUR, or 2,468 EUR a month, about 29,600 EUR a year.

Zapier on a top tier: about 550 EUR a month, 6,600 EUR a year. Make: 30 EUR a month, 360 EUR a year, plus 20 hours of internal setup. Self-hosted n8n: 240 EUR of server a year plus 5 hours of maintenance a month at 65 EUR, or 3,900 EUR, total about 4,140 EUR a year. Aoife picks a hybrid: n8n for CRM and stock sync, Make for follow-ups. Estimated annual cost around 4,500 EUR, against 29,600 EUR of time freed. Payback comes in under two months, even after adding a simple custom integration for allocation rules.

FAQ

Is Make really cheaper than Zapier at the same volume?

Usually yes, often 5 to 10 times cheaper at 40,000 actions a month. But Make bills every module, so a 6-step scenario uses 6 operations per run. Recalculate with your real scenarios before deciding.

Is self-hosted n8n safe for customer data?

Yes, if the server is hardened, patched and backed up. Budget 3 to 6 hours of maintenance a month and an Irish or EU host to keep GDPR simple. With nobody to look after it, choose n8n cloud or Make instead.

How long does a Zapier to n8n migration take?

For 20 to 30 Zaps, plan 2 to 4 weeks including tests. Critical flows should run in parallel for at least 7 days so you can compare outputs before switching off the old setup.

When does a custom integration pay off?

When the no-code bill passes roughly 300 to 500 EUR a month, or when sync errors cost more than a few hours of fixes each week. A coded integration removes per-task pricing and makes business rules reliable.

Can the sales team keep Zapier?

Yes, for low-volume flows (under 2,000 tasks a month) with low criticality. The entry plan is then enough, and the team keeps its autonomy without touching sensitive flows.

Let's scope your project. We map your flows, count your real volumes and propose the most economical architecture, from no-code to a custom integration, with a rollout plan measured in weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.