Side-by-side comparison
n8n vs Zapier
vs
Zapier
Automate workflows across 8,000+ apps with AI and no-code tools
AgenticnessAdaptive Collaborator 🤝
Side-by-side comparison based on our agenticness evaluation framework
At a glance
Quick Facts
| Feature | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Workflow Automation | Workflow Automation |
| Deployment | Hybrid (cloud + self-hosted) | Cloud-hosted |
| Autonomy Level | Semi-autonomous | Semi-autonomous |
| Model Support | Multi-model | Single model |
| Open Source | -- | No |
| MCP Support | -- | Yes |
| Team Support | Enterprise | Enterprise |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Interface | gui, cli, web | web, api |
32-point evaluation
Agenticness
11/32
Guided Assistant đź’¬
n8n
12/32
Adaptive Collaborator 🤝
Zapier
Dimension Breakdown (0-4 each)
Action Capability
n8n
3
Zapier
2
Autonomy
n8n
1
Zapier
1
Planning
n8n
2
Zapier
1
Adaptation
n8n
1
Zapier
1
State & Memory
n8n
0
Zapier
2
Reliability
n8n
0
Zapier
1
Interoperability
n8n
2
Zapier
2
Safety
n8n
2
Zapier
2
Scores from our agenticness evaluation framework. Higher is more autonomous.
Features & Use Cases
n8n
Features
- Build workflows visually with a drag-and-drop editor
- Add custom JavaScript or Python inside workflows
- Install and use npm packages in workflows
- Connect to 400+ integrations
- Use AI-native workflow building based on LangChain
- Run self-hosted or in n8n Cloud
- Deploy with Docker or via npx for local setup
- Use enterprise controls such as advanced permissions, SSO, and air-gapped deployments
Use Cases
- Automating internal business processes across multiple SaaS tools
- Building AI-assisted workflows that combine app actions with LLM steps
- Creating custom integrations and event-driven automations for engineering teams
- Self-hosting automation for teams that need more control over data and deployment
- Running repeatable ops workflows with approvals, logic, and code-based edge cases
Zapier
Features
- Build two-step and multi-step Zaps
- Add logic branches, scheduling, and data formatting
- Connect apps with Webhooks by Zapier
- Store workflow data in Tables
- Create custom forms with Forms
- Use Zapier Copilot to generate Zaps, code steps, and field mappings
- Create AI fields using an OpenAI account
- Share Zaps, folders, and app connections with teams
Use Cases
- Automating lead capture from forms into a CRM
- Routing support requests into internal workflows
- Sharing team-wide automations with permissions and shared app connections
- Building AI-assisted internal tools with forms and tables
- Connecting business apps through multi-step no-code workflows
Pricing
n8n
Pricing not publicly available.
- **Free / self-hosted:** Source-available under a fair-code license; self-hostable.
- **Cloud:** Available via n8n Cloud.
- **Enterprise:** Enterprise licenses available for additional features and support; contact sales.
Zapier
- **Free:** $0/mo; includes 100 tasks/month, Zaps, Tables, Forms, and Zapier Copilot with daily message limits.
- **Professional ($19.99/mo starting, billed annually):** Adds multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps, webhooks, AI fields, and email/live chat support on higher task tiers.
- **Team ($69/mo starting, billed annually):** Includes 25 users, shared Zaps and folders, shared app connections, SAML SSO, and Premier Support.
- **Enterprise:** Contact sales for custom pricing, unlimited users, advanced admin controls, VPC peering, annual task limits, and observability.
Analysis
Our Verdict
Go with n8n when you need a more engineer-friendly automation platform you can **self-host or run air-gapped**, with **custom JavaScript/Python + npm packages + custom nodes** and **LangChain-based AI workflow building** across its **400+ integrations**. Go with Zapier when you want a **cloud-native** workflow builder that’s quickest for business users and teams—using **Zaps** plus **Tables and Forms** for lightweight internal tools, **Zapier Copilot** for generating automations and mappings, and **Zapier MCP** to connect AI tools to a very large app ecosystem—while benefiting from built-in collaboration and enterprise controls like **SAML SSO** on higher tiers.
Choose n8n if...
- +Choose n8n if you need **self-hosting or hybrid control** (Docker/npx/local start) and **enterprise/security options** like advanced permissions, SSO, and **air-gapped deployments**—n8n is explicitly built for teams that want more control than typical no-code tools.
- +Choose n8n if your automations require **custom logic and extensibility**, e.g., dropping in **custom JavaScript or Python**, installing **npm packages in workflows**, and extending functionality with **custom nodes**.
- +Choose n8n if you want **AI-native workflow building with LangChain**—it’s designed to combine app actions with LLM steps as part of the workflow, not just add AI fields to otherwise standard Zaps.
- +Choose n8n if you’re connecting lots of systems and want breadth via **400+ integrations**, plus the ability to run those workflows reliably in your own environment (n8n Cloud or self-hosted).
Choose Zapier if...
- +Choose Zapier if you want the fastest path to building **multi-step, app-to-app automations via a web UI** with strong guardrails—its core model is triggers/actions/logic executed as Zaps.
- +Choose Zapier if you want an all-in-one platform that includes **Zaps + Tables + Forms** for building lightweight internal tools (e.g., storing workflow data and collecting inputs) without having to operate a separate workflow runtime.
- +Choose Zapier if you rely on **Copilot-style automation** and AI-assisted setup—Zapier Copilot can generate Zaps, code steps, and field mappings, and Zapier also supports **AI fields** using an OpenAI account.
- +Choose Zapier if you need **MCP connectivity at scale**: Zapier MCP is positioned to connect AI tools to **8,000 apps**, and Zapier is also the better fit when you’re comfortable being cloud-only (Zapier deployment is CLOUD) for easier rollout and collaboration (shared folders/Zaps, SAML SSO in Team).