n8n vs Make vs Zapier: Real Automation Cost for SMBs (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

The sticker price of a Zapier, Make or n8n subscription is only part of the cost: building the workflows (2,000 to 10,000 EUR excl. VAT with a provider) and maintaining them (1 to 3 days per quarter) often weigh more over 3 years. Under 10,000 operations a month, Make or Zapier remain the simplest and cheapest to run. Beyond roughly 50,000 operations a month, self-hosted n8n on a 10 to 40 EUR monthly server becomes the most cost-effective option, provided someone keeps an eye on it.

Three billing models that do not measure the same thing

The classic trap is comparing Zapier 'tasks' with Make 'operations' as if they were the same unit. A 5-step workflow triggered 1,000 times uses about 4,000 to 5,000 Zapier tasks, 5,000 Make operations or credits, but only 1,000 executions on n8n Cloud, and nothing billed by usage on self-hosted n8n.

Orders of magnitude seen on public price lists in early 2026, before annual discounts: they change often, so check them when you sign.

Monthly cost by volume

Assumption: average workflows of 4 steps, i.e. 1 n8n execution for 4 Zapier tasks or 4 to 5 Make operations.

The 50,000 operations threshold is not magic: it is the point where the Zapier subscription exceeds the combined cost of a server and half a day of monitoring per month. Against Make, the gap opens later, around 150,000 to 300,000 operations, or as soon as you need code or in-house data hosting.

What gets forgotten: setup and maintenance

When workflows become the core of the business (quotes, invoicing, stock), a small dedicated application can be sturdier than a pile of 30 scenarios. At Kolonell, a simple application costs 2.5 to 4 M FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR), and monthly maintenance 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA (50, 110 or 180 EUR) depending on the level.

Mini case study

Claire, operations manager at a distribution SMB in Nantes (illustrative case), runs 18 workflows on Zapier, about 150,000 tasks a month and a bill of roughly 1,000 EUR monthly, 12,000 EUR a year. Migrating to self-hosted n8n costs 6,000 EUR excl. VAT to rebuild. After that she pays 30 EUR of server a month (360 EUR a year) and 2 days of maintenance per quarter at 600 EUR a day (4,800 EUR a year), i.e. 5,160 EUR annually. Saving: about 6,840 EUR a year, with the migration paid back in 10 to 11 months. At 20,000 tasks a month, the same calculation would never pay off: she would be better off staying on Make or Zapier.

FAQ

Is n8n really free?

The self-hosted community edition is free for internal use, but you pay for the server (10 to 40 EUR a month) and maintenance time, about 0.5 day a month. Some advanced features, such as fine-grained permissions, belong to the paid plans.

Can we mix several tools?

Yes, many SMBs keep Zapier for 3 or 4 simple workflows run by business teams and move the 5 to 10 high-volume workflows to n8n. That avoids paying 600 EUR a month for workflows that run 50,000 times.

What is the main risk of self-hosting?

Silent failure: an expired token blocks a workflow for 3 weeks without anyone noticing. An email or Slack alert on every failure and a daily backup reduce that risk to almost nothing.

How long does it take to automate 20 workflows?

Allow 3 to 6 weeks for audit, build and testing, with a budget of 5,000 to 10,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on complexity. Workflows touching invoicing deserve a week of testing alongside the old process.

What about GDPR?

Zapier mainly processes data in the United States, Make and n8n Cloud offer European hosting, and self-hosted n8n keeps data on your own server. For sensitive customer data, this criterion can decide before price does.

Let's scope your project. List your workflows and monthly volumes, and we will tell you which tool to choose, what setup and maintenance cost, and when a dedicated application becomes the better option. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.