n8n vs Zapier

by Gralio Mar 10, 2025

n8n and Zapier both offer workflow automation, but target different users. n8n suits technical teams needing custom code flexibility and self-hosting, while Zapier is easier to use with more pre-built integrations for non-technical users. Choose n8n for complex, customized automations and Zapier for simpler, broader integrations.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 3701 reviews and 60 websites, saving 21 hours, 3 minutes of reading.

n8n

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Zapier

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About

n8n is a workflow automation platform designed for technical teams at growing companies. It allows you to connect different software applications and automate tasks between them. While it has a user-friendly interface, it also offers advanced features like custom code integration for more complex automations. n8n is self-hostable, boasts a large community, and offers integrations with over 400 applications.

Zapier is a tool that connects the different web applications you use in your business. With Zapier, you can automate tasks between these apps—like sending data from your CRM to your email marketing platform—without writing any code. This lets you create efficient workflows, saving you time and minimizing manual errors. Zapier integrates with thousands of popular business apps and offers a user-friendly interface, making it accessible for non-technical users.

Summary

Main difference

n8n is a more technical and flexible automation platform ideal for developers and technically inclined users. Zapier is user-friendly and geared towards non-technical users, offering a wider range of pre-built integrations.

Relative strengths of n8n (compared to Zapier)

More flexible and customizable with custom code support.
Self-hostable for greater control and potential cost savings.
Active community providing support and templates.

Relative weaknesses of n8n (compared to Zapier)

Steeper learning curve, requiring technical skills.
Fewer pre-built integrations compared to Zapier.
Documentation can be challenging to navigate.

What companies are using n8n and Zapier?

No data

Who is using n8n and Zapier?

Bill Stathopoulos

CEO, SalesCaptain

Christian Plascencia

Co-Founder & CMO at RevGrowth.ai

Robert Bradley

Founder & Chief GTM Strategist at Profit Labs A

Laurens Nys

Founder & GTM Engineer

Olesia Krilyshyn

Sales Acceleration Specialist at Reply.io

John Short

CEO at Compound Growth Marketing

Robert Bradley

Founder & Chief GTM Strategist at Profit Labs A

Who should use n8n VS. Zapier

n8n is a powerful workflow automation platform ideal for growing companies with technical teams. Users praise its flexibility and open-source nature, enabling custom code integration for complex automations. However, some find the learning curve steep. With a wide range of integrations, n8n connects various applications, automating tasks and boosting efficiency. While the documentation could be improved, the active community provides valuable support.

Zapier empowers businesses of all sizes to seamlessly connect their web applications and automate tasks, enhancing productivity and minimizing errors. Users praise Zapier's extensive automation options and user-friendly interface, while some note occasional challenges with data mapping and vague error messages. Zapier offers pre-built connectors for thousands of apps, including CRM, Slack, and webhooks support, and provides flexible pricing plans to suit diverse needs.

Best for medium-sized businesses (101-1000 employees), but suitable for small businesses and large enterprises.
Particularly well-suited for software, IT, and telecommunications companies.

Ideal for businesses of all sizes (1-1000+ employees) seeking automation across various online tools.
Suitable for businesses across all industries seeking streamlined workflows and increased productivity.

n8n and Zapier features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Connect web apps

Supported

N8n connects web apps and automates tasks with a visual, no-code interface.

Supported

Zapier connects web apps, automates tasks without coding, using a visual builder.
Custom integrations

Supported

Custom integrations are supported via custom nodes and API calls.

Supported

Zapier offers pre-built and custom integrations to simplify connections between apps.
Slack integration

Supported

n8n integrates with Slack for automated messaging and reminders.

Supported

Zapier fully supports integrating with Slack and allows for sending automated messages and reminders.
Webhooks support

Supported

N8n supports webhooks to trigger automations.

Supported

Zapier fully supports webhooks for triggering automations, offering features like "Catch Hook" and "Catch Raw Hook" for receiving data, as well as actions for sending webhooks to other apps.
Pre-built connectors

Supported

N8N offers pre-built and community connectors.

Supported

Zapier offers pre-built connectors for various applications to simplify integrations.
CRM integration

Supported

n8n integrates with various CRM systems like Salesforce, HubSpot and Agile CRM.

Supported

Zapier extensively supports CRM integrations to automate various aspects of customer relationship management, including lead management, sales processes, and customer support. It offers a wide range of integrations with popular CRM systems, automation capabilities through Zaps, and practical use cases for lead generation, sales pipeline management, customer support, and e-commerce integration.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

-0.55

Rather negative sentiment
Customer Service

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

-0.06

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

+0.78

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.6

Rather positive sentiment

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Implementation

-0.33

Rather negative sentiment

+0.46

Rather positive sentiment
Scalability

No data

+0

Neutral sentiment

n8n and Zapier Pricing

n8n offers a tiered subscription pricing model with three plans: Starter, Pro, and Enterprise. The Starter plan is $20/month, the Pro plan is $50/month, and the Enterprise plan requires contacting them for a custom quote. They offer a free trial for the Starter and Pro plans.

Plans

User sentiment

Strongly positive

See full Pricing page

Zapier uses a tiered subscription model based on the number of tasks allowed per month. They offer a free plan and paid plans for individuals, teams, and enterprises. The higher-tier plans unlock more features and provide more tasks at a lower cost per task. A yearly payment option is available with a discount.

Plans

User sentiment

Rather negative

-0.55

See full Pricing page

n8n and Zapier review insights

3695 reviews analysed from and

Users love

Powerful and flexible automation capabilities with a wide range of applications.
Open-source and self-hostable, giving users control over their data and costs.
Fair-use pricing model and affordable cloud hosting options.
Active community sharing templates and providing support.
Custom code integration with Javascript for advanced users.

Extensive automation options for various tasks and processes.
Great support; issues are usually resolved promptly.
Flexible and connects different platforms seamlessly.
User-friendly interface.

Users dislike

Steep learning curve for beginners and those without technical backgrounds.
Limited built-in integrations compared to competitors like Zapier or Make.com.
Documentation can be sparse and sometimes confusing.
Limited error handling and debugging capabilities, especially with custom code.
Community support can be helpful but inconsistent, with delays in responses.

International customer zip codes can cause issues.
Keap integration is buggy and requires frequent troubleshooting.
Data mapping can be challenging to get right.
Error messages are vague and difficult to understand.

n8n and Zapier Ratings

G2

4.8/5

(42)
Capterra

4.6/5

(29)
TrustPilot

4.2/5

(6)
Glassdoor

5.0/5

(6)

G2

4.5/5

(1282)
Capterra

4.7/5

(2350)
Glassdoor

3.5/5

(247)

Company health

Employee growth

59% increase in the last year

13% increase in the last year

Web traffic

54% increase in the last quarter

12% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

January 2021 - $14M

December 2020 - $1M

How easily can non-technical users build automations in each platform?

Zapier is designed for ease of use with non-technical users, offering a user-friendly interface and pre-built connectors for various applications, enabling them to build automations without coding. While n8n also has a user-friendly interface, it is geared more towards technical users and its user reviews mention a steep learning curve for non-technical users. n8n's strength lies in its flexibility and custom code integration for more complex automations which may not be as easily accessible to a non-technical user.

Which product offers more pre-built integrations for common business apps?

Zapier offers more pre-built integrations than n8n. While n8n offers over 400, Zapier integrates with thousands of applications, making it more suitable for users looking for a wide range of ready-to-use connections.

What are the advantages of n8n?

n8n's advantages include its self-hosting capability, giving users greater control over their data and costs, and its open-source nature, fostering a large community and extensive customization options through custom code integration. While Zapier offers more pre-built integrations, n8n's fair-use pricing and active community providing templates and support make it a strong alternative for technical teams comfortable with some coding and seeking a flexible, cost-effective automation solution.

What are the disadvantages of n8n?

n8n has a steeper learning curve for users without technical backgrounds, and its documentation can be confusing. It offers fewer pre-built integrations compared to competitors like Zapier, potentially requiring more custom code development. Error handling and debugging can be challenging, especially with custom code. While n8n has a helpful community, support can be inconsistent and sometimes slow.

Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?

n8n can be cheaper than Zapier depending on usage. n8n's cheapest paid plan is $20/month, while Zapier's is $19.99/month. However, n8n allows self-hosting, which can significantly reduce costs for users comfortable with managing their own infrastructure. Zapier offers a free plan with limited task allowances, while n8n does not. Therefore, for very light usage, Zapier's free plan is cheaper.

Alternatives to n8n and Zapier

Albato

Albato is a web-based platform that helps you connect different software applications your business uses and automate tasks between them, without writing code. It allows you to set up workflows where an event in one app triggers an action in another, for example, adding a new lead to your CRM when they fill out a form on your website. Albato offers a user-friendly interface, a library of pre-built integrations for popular apps, and 24/7 customer support.

Prismatic

Prismatic is a platform that helps software companies connect their product to other business applications. It allows you to build connections visually or with code, manage integrations at scale, and even lets your customers set up their own connections through a customizable marketplace. Prismatic focuses on making integration easier for software developers and customer-facing teams.

ClickUp

ClickUp is a comprehensive work management platform designed to consolidate various work processes into one centralized location. It offers a wide array of features including task management, project planning, document collaboration, communication tools, goal setting, and automation options. ClickUp aims to enhance team collaboration, improve visibility across projects, and streamline workflows for increased productivity regardless of team size or industry.

Bardeen

Bardeen is a productivity tool designed to automate repetitive tasks. It allows users to connect different web applications and create automated workflows called "playbooks." These playbooks can be triggered manually or by specific events, streamlining actions like data entry, information retrieval, and notifications. Bardeen is well-suited for individuals and teams looking to save time and increase efficiency in their daily work.

Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate helps you automate repetitive tasks and business processes. It connects different apps and services, letting you build automated workflows without needing coding skills. This means less manual work and more time for important tasks. Power Automate is suitable for businesses of all sizes and is designed to improve productivity and efficiency.

Cyclr

Cyclr is a platform that helps you connect your software to other software applications. It provides a user-friendly way to build integrations using pre-built connectors to popular apps, or by creating custom connections. With Cyclr, you can automate data flows between applications, synchronize information, and create new functionalities. It's designed to be adaptable to your needs, whether you want to manage integrations yourself or offer them directly to your users through a customizable marketplace. Cyclr prioritizes data security and compliance.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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