The three tools at a glance
Before we go into detail, a brief overview of the three platforms and their fundamental differences:
Only two in view? Direct two-way comparisons in detail: → Make vs. Zapier · → Make vs. n8n
Zapier — the market leader
Zapier was founded in the US in 2011 and is the best-known automation tool worldwide. With over 7,000 integrations it offers the largest app library. The strength: simple workflows can be set up in minutes. The weakness: complex logic, loops and conditional branching quickly hit limits — and prices rise considerably with volume.
Make (formerly Integromat) — the best value for money
Make is an EU company based in Prague (Czech Republic). The visual workflow builder is considerably more powerful than Zapier’s and offers around 1,500 integrations. Make scores with a fair pricing model (billing by operations rather than tasks), complex workflow logic and EU hosting. For many mid-sized companies, Make is the best entry into process automation.
n8n — the open-source platform
n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”) is an open-source automation tool that you can run on your own servers. With over 400 native integrations it offers fewer prebuilt connectors than the competition — but more than makes up for this with custom nodes, HTTP requests and native code execution. The core strength: full data control, unlimited executions and the best AI integration on the market.
Feature comparison
The three tools differ not only in the number of integrations but fundamentally in what they can do with your data:
| Criterion | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrations | 7.000+ | 1.500+ | 400+ (+ custom nodes) |
| AI integration | Basic (GPT, Claude) | AI module, good | Native: MCP, AI agents, LangChain |
| Complex workflows | Limited | Good (visual) | Unlimited (code + visual) |
| Error handling | Basic | Good | Advanced (try/catch, custom) |
| API access | Limited | Good (HTTP module) | Full (HTTP, code, CLI) |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes (Docker, Kubernetes) |
Integrations: quantity vs. quality
Zapier leads on the sheer number of integrations. In practice, however: most companies use 10 to 20 different tools. What matters is not whether an automation tool has 7,000 connectors, but whether the ones relevant to you are among them — and how deep the integration goes.
n8n compensates for the lower number of native integrations with a universal HTTP request node and the ability to write your own nodes in JavaScript or Python. If your software has an API (and nearly all of it does today), you can connect it in n8n — without waiting for a prebuilt connector.
AI integration: the future factor
This is where the biggest difference between the three tools shows. While Zapier and Make offer AI as an additional feature (e.g. GPT calls within a workflow), n8n has integrated AI as a core component of the platform:
- Native MCP support: n8n supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) natively — meaning AI agents can access your systems directly, without you having to build a separate workflow for every connection.
- AI agent nodes: Prebuilt building blocks for AI agents that make decisions on their own, call tools and work through multi-step tasks.
- LangChain integration: Direct connection to the LangChain framework for advanced AI applications such as RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) and agent-based workflows.
For companies that want to use AI not just as a gimmick but as a strategic automation tool, n8n is currently by far the most capable platform.
Price comparison: what does automation really cost?
The pricing models of the three tools differ fundamentally. A direct comparison therefore requires a concrete scenario:
Zapier
- Free: 100 tasks/month, 5 Zaps
- Starter: from $19.99/month (750 tasks)
- Professional: from $49/month (2,000 tasks)
- Team: from $69/month (2,000 tasks, collaboration)
- Enterprise: from $99/month (custom)
Note: In Zapier, a “task” is every single action within a workflow. A workflow with 5 steps uses 5 tasks per run. At 100 runs a day that is 500 tasks — the Starter plan then lasts only a day and a half.
Make
- Free: 1,000 operations/month, 2 scenarios
- Core: from $9/month (10,000 operations)
- Pro: from $16/month (10,000 operations, advanced features)
- Teams: from $29/month (10,000 operations, team features)
- Enterprise: custom
Make also bills by operations, but offers considerably more for less money. Additional operations can be booked flexibly.
n8n
- Community (self-hosted): free — unlimited workflows, unlimited executions
- n8n Cloud Starter: from $20/month (2,500 executions)
- n8n Cloud Pro: from $50/month (10,000 executions)
- Enterprise: custom
n8n self-hosted = unlimited executions for €0 in licence costs. You only pay server costs (from approx. €10/month at a cloud host such as Hetzner) and, if applicable, the setup. A typical mid-sized company that spends €200 to €500 per month on Zapier gets by with n8n self-hosted for under €30 — with more capability and full data control.
GDPR compliance — the decisive factor
For German companies, the question of data processing is not a nice-to-have but a legal obligation. And this is where the three tools differ fundamentally:
Zapier: US servers, US company
Zapier is a US company and processes data on US servers. Since the CJEU’s Schrems II ruling, data transfer to the US has been legally problematic. There is the EU-US Data Privacy Framework as the successor to the Privacy Shield, but its durability is disputed. If you let customer data, orders or HR data flow through Zapier, you bear a legal risk — especially in regulated industries.
Make: EU servers, EU company
Make (formerly Integromat) is based in Prague and operates servers in the EU. That is a clear advantage for GDPR compliance. The data does not leave the European Economic Area. For most mid-sized use cases, Make is therefore in good shape from a data protection point of view — as long as you have no need to control the infrastructure entirely yourself.
n8n: full control on your own servers
n8n self-hosted runs on your own server — whether in your own data centre, at a German cloud host or on an EU instance at AWS/Azure. No data leaves your infrastructure. There is no third party, no data transfer, no processor relationship with an external platform. That is the highest level of data sovereignty an automation tool can offer.
Risk of US data transfer: In the event of a data protection breach through an unlawful transfer of personal data to the US, fines of up to 4% of annual turnover (Art. 83 GDPR) are possible. In addition, affected individuals can claim damages. Check carefully which data flows through your automation tool — and where it is processed.
When which tool? The clear recommendation
After hundreds of automation projects in mid-sized companies, we have developed clear recommendation patterns:
- Zapier: for simple workflows and quick results Zapier is the right choice if you want to connect individual apps (e.g. “write new Typeform response to Google Sheet”), do not have large automation volume and GDPR compliance is not a critical topic for your data. Typical: small teams, marketing automation with US tools, quick prototypes.
- Make: for medium complexity and budget awareness Make is ideal for companies that need more complex workflows (more in the Make vs. Zapier comparison), are looking for good value for money and prefer EU hosting. Typical: mid-sized companies automating their first 5 to 15 processes and preferring a visual tool.
- n8n: for enterprise, GDPR obligations and AI automation n8n is the best choice for companies with high automation volume, strict data protection requirements, a wish for AI integration or the requirement never to hand data to third parties (detailed Make vs. n8n comparison). Typical: companies with 20 or more employees, regulated industries, companies with their own IT or IT service providers.
n8n + MCP servers: the enterprise combination
The combination of n8n and MCP servers is what lifts automation from simple workflow linking to intelligent process control. The principle:
- n8n handles orchestration: start workflows, transform data, check conditions, distribute results.
- MCP servers give AI agents structured access to your systems: CRM, ERP, databases, file systems — without you having to build a separate connector for each system.
An example: a customer sends an email with a complex enquiry. n8n receives the email and passes it to an AI agent. The agent accesses via MCP your CRM (customer history), your ERP (availability, prices) and your knowledge base (product specifications). It creates a well-founded reply, which n8n then sends — and at the same time creates a ticket in the helpdesk.
This is not a pipe dream. We implement this today for mid-sized companies — on their own servers, GDPR-ready and without vendor lock-in.
Migration: from Zapier or Make to n8n
If you already use Zapier or Make and want to switch to n8n, migration is less effort than feared:
- Transfer the workflow logic: Most workflow patterns (trigger, filter, transformation, action) exist in all three tools. The logic stays the same — only the interface changes.
- Step-by-step migration: You do not have to switch everything at once. Start with the workflows where GDPR compliance or volume is most critical, and migrate the rest gradually.
- Parallel operation: During the transition phase, Zapier/Make and n8n can run in parallel. That way you make sure every migrated workflow works correctly before you switch off the old one.
- No data loss: The actual data sits in your target systems (CRM, ERP, databases) — not in the automation tool. Changing the automation tool has no effect on your business data.
From practice: We plan a migration from Make scenarios to n8n including testing and parallel operation; the timeline depends on the number and complexity of the scenarios. The monthly cost advantage (often €200 to €500) usually pays back the migration costs within 2 to 3 months.
Further reading
Which tool fits you?
In the free initial consultation, we analyse your workflows and recommend the right automation tool — with a concrete cost-benefit calculation.
Book an AI Check arrow_forwardFrequently asked questions
Which is better: n8n, Make or Zapier?
There is no universally best tool. Zapier suits simple workflows and small teams. Make fits medium complexity well and offers EU hosting. n8n suits enterprise use, GDPR-critical data, complex AI workflows and companies that want to keep full control of their data.
Is n8n really free?
Yes, the self-hosted version of n8n is free and open source under the Sustainable Use License. You can run n8n on your own server — with unlimited workflows and unlimited executions, without licence costs. Costs arise only for hosting and maintenance. The n8n cloud version costs from €20 per month.
Which automation tool is GDPR-compliant?
n8n self-hosted on an EU server has the lowest third-country exposure, because the workflow data does not pass through another provider. Make offers data storage in the EU; you check the hosting region and sub-processors in the DPA. Zapier is headquartered in the US and processes data on US servers, which can be problematic under Schrems II, especially with sensitive customer data.