Decide
Side by side.
Two tools, side by side, on the same six pillars. The better number in each row is picked out for you.
n8nMakeZapier
The verdict
Choose n8n for technical teams automating with control. Choose Make for complex multi-step automations. Choose Zapier for business-team automation.
Zapier leads on security & compliance (+8), integrations & ecosystem (+7) and maturity & reliability (+9). n8n leads on value for money (+3) and momentum (+8). Make leads on capability (+2). Overall they sit 0.2 apart — decide by the pillar that pays your bills.
| Criteria | n8n n8n GmbH | Make Make (Celonis) | Zapier Zapier, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIP Score | 84.1Excellent | 84.3ExcellentBest | 82.5Excellent |
| Capability30% | 82 | 84 | 78 |
| Value for Money15% | 91 | 88 | 75 |
| Security & Compliance15% | 80 | 80 | 88 |
| Integrations & Ecosystem15% | 85 | 90 | 97 |
| Maturity & Reliability10% | 79 | 84 | 93 |
| Momentum15% | 88 | 80 | 72 |
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free (self-hosted) / Cloud from €24 per month | Free / $9 per month (Core) | Free / from $19.99 per month |
| Maturity | Established | Established | Mature |
| Pricing transparency | Public tiers + free entry | Public tiers + free entry | Public tiers + free entry |
| Enterprise readiness | Mid-market ready | Mid-market ready | Enterprise-ready |
| Setup lift (est.) | Days to weeks | Days to weeks | Days |
| Best for | Technical teams automating with control | Complex multi-step automations | Business-team automation |
| Key risk | Sustainable-use license is not OSI open source | Steeper learning curve than the simplest automation tools | Task-based pricing gets expensive at volume |
Head to head
The comparisons people ask for most, already written up: verdict, all six pillars, pricing and the catch on each. Only tools that genuinely compete are paired.