--- title: "n8n vs Zapier (2026): integrations, pricing and AI agents" description: "n8n vs Zapier for 2026, graded 0 to 3 on integrations, logic, AI agents and self-hosting. n8n is the pick: free self-hosted, or €20/month billed annually." canonical: "https://thenotetakers.com/n8n-vs-zapier" last_updated: "2026-11-05" --- # n8n vs Zapier (2026): integrations, pricing and AI agents **n8n is the pick. Graded 0 to 3 on integrations, multi-step logic, AI agents, and self-hosting and API, it totals 12 of 12 and Zapier totals 11 of 12, because self-hosting is not documented on Zapier's pages. n8n is free as the self-hosted Community edition, and n8n Cloud starts at €20/month on Starter, billed annually, for 2,500 executions. Zapier lists 10,450+ apps to n8n's 2,000+, from $19.99/month on Pro, billed annually, for 750 tasks.** ## n8n vs Zapier: n8n is the pick for 2026 n8n is the pick under this page's rule: the higher total grade across the four rows. Both tools reach grade 3 on three rows. The fourth, self-hosting and API, decides it. Zapier's grade 2 reflects what its pages document. It does not say Zapier cannot be self-hosted. ## How we grade Each tool gets a depth grade from 0 to 3 on four rows. Each row is then shelved in this order: 1. Depth grade, highest first. 2. Plan required, lowest first: free, then the entry paid plan, then higher plans, then Enterprise or sales only. 3. Price: the lowest list price for that plan, with its billing period. A tie after all three steps goes alphabetical, which says nothing about which tool is better. When the plan required has no published price, an entry with a published price shelves ahead of it. The page pick is the tool with the higher total across the four rows. "Not documented" never counts as "no". Each entry carries its own "Last checked" date, and every price, limit and feature links to the vendor's page. When two pages from one vendor disagree, the entry gives both numbers. | Grade | Integrations, triggers and actions | Multi-step logic and code | AI steps and agents | Self-hosting and API | |---|---|---|---|---| | 0 | None | None | None | None | | 1 | Single step only | Filters only | AI only through an HTTP call to a model provider | One of: inbound webhooks, public API, self-hosting | | 2 | Multi-step workflows, no instant or webhook triggers | Branching, no built-in error routes or code step | AI steps inside workflows, no agents | Two of the three | | 3 | Multi-step workflows plus instant or webhook triggers over a native app catalog | Branching, built-in error routes and a code step | AI agents that pick and call tools | All three | - n8n is grade 3 for integrations, triggers and actions on the Community edition, free self-hosted ([n8n integrations](https://n8n.io/integrations/), [Webhook node docs](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.webhook/)). - n8n is grade 3 for multi-step logic and code on the Community edition, free self-hosted ([Switch node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.switch/), [error handling](https://docs.n8n.io/flow-logic/error-handling/), [Code node](https://docs.n8n.io/code/code-node/)). - n8n is grade 3 for AI steps and agents on the Community edition, free self-hosted, and it shelves ahead of Zapier on a full tie, by name ([AI Agent node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/cluster-nodes/root-nodes/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent/)). - n8n is grade 3 for self-hosting and API on the Community edition, free self-hosted ([n8n hosting docs](https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/), [n8n public API](https://docs.n8n.io/api/)). - Zapier is grade 3 for integrations, triggers and actions on Pro, $19.99/month billed annually ([zapier.com/pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing), [zapier.com/apps](https://zapier.com/apps)). - Zapier is grade 3 for AI steps and agents on the Free plan, with 400 activities a month ([zapier.com/pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing), [Agents pricing](https://zapier.com/l/agents-pricing)). ## n8n vs Zapier at a glance Shelved by depth grade, then plan required, then price. Last checked: Nov 5, 2026. | Row | n8n grade | n8n plan and price | Zapier grade | Zapier plan and price | Shelved first | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Integrations, triggers and actions | 3 | Community, free self-hosted | 3 | Pro, $19.99/month billed annually | n8n | | Multi-step logic and code | 3 | Community, free self-hosted | 3 | Pro, $19.99/month billed annually | n8n | | AI steps and agents | 3 | Community, free self-hosted | 3 | Free plan | n8n (full tie, alphabetical) | | Self-hosting and API | 3 | Community, free self-hosted | 2 | Pro, $19.99/month billed annually (webhooks); API plan not documented | n8n | | Total | 12 of 12 | | 11 of 12 | | n8n is the pick | n8n: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. Zapier: 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 11. Zapier's fourth row counts inbound webhooks and the Workflow API. Self-hosting is not documented on its pages. | Fact | n8n | Zapier | |---|---|---| | Native integrations | 2,000+ (the same page counts 2622; the features page says 500+) | 10,450+ apps (the pricing page says 9,000+) | | Multi-step logic and code | Switch node, error workflows, Code node | Paths and custom error handling from Pro; Code by Zapier | | AI steps and agents | AI Agent node with a chat model you connect; built-in MCP server | Agents, 400 activities a month on Free; AI by Zapier from Pro; MCP on every plan, 2 tasks per call | | Self-hosting | Yes | Not documented | | Pricing unit | Execution: one per workflow run, any number of steps | Task: one per successful action step; triggers, Filter and Paths use none | | Plans | Community free; Starter €20/month, Pro €50/month, Business €667/month, all billed annually; Enterprise through sales | Free 100 tasks; Pro 750 tasks $19.99/month billed annually or $29.99/month; Team 2,000 tasks $69.00/month billed annually or $103.50/month; Enterprise through sales | ## n8n Last checked: Nov 5, 2026. - **Integrations, triggers and actions, grade 3 (Community, free self-hosted).** The integrations page says "2,000+ integrations" and also counts 2622, while the features page says "500+ apps". These pages conflict, so all three numbers are here. The Webhook node starts a workflow when an app sends an event. On HubSpot, the node creates, updates, deletes and gets contacts, deals, lists, engagements and companies. The HubSpot Trigger docs add a limit: "If you activate a second trigger, the previous trigger stops working." - **Multi-step logic and code, grade 3 (Community, free self-hosted).** The Switch node routes a workflow on comparison operations, with multiple output routes. Each workflow can set an error workflow that runs if an execution fails. The Code node runs JavaScript or Python as a step. Self-hosted n8n can import external npm modules there, and n8n Cloud cannot. - **AI steps and agents, grade 3 (Community, free self-hosted).** You connect a chat model and one or more tools to the AI Agent node, and "the agent decides which tools to call to complete a task." The built-in MCP server lets clients such as Lovable or Claude Desktop connect. You enable MCP on the instance, then on each workflow. Neither the agent node nor MCP is on n8n's list of Community exclusions. - **Self-hosting and API, grade 3 (Community, free self-hosted).** You can self-host on your own infrastructure, on-premises or in a private cloud, with Docker Compose, one-line setup or other methods. Without a license key, n8n runs as the free Community edition. The public API is on every self-hosted edition and on Cloud Starter, Pro and Enterprise, but not on the free trial. - **Plans.** Community: free self-hosted, without SSO, projects, sharing, environments or version control using Git, among others on [n8n's list](https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/community-edition-features.md). Starter: €20/month billed annually, 2,500 executions. Pro: €50/month billed annually, 10,000 executions. Business: €667/month billed annually, 40,000 executions, self-hosted only, with SSO and LDAP. Enterprise: contact sales. The pricing page says all plans include unlimited users and workflows and every integration. It also has a monthly option; the figures here are the annual ones. **Best for:** self-hosting, and flat pricing per workflow run however many steps it has. **Limitation:** on Community you run the server, and it excludes SSO, projects and sharing. The license covers "your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use". n8n Cloud cannot import external npm modules in the Code node. For more on n8n, see the [n8n review](/n8n-review) and [Make vs n8n](/make-vs-n8n). ## Zapier Last checked: Nov 5, 2026. - **Integrations, triggers and actions, grade 3 (Pro, $19.99/month billed annually).** The app directory says 10,450+ apps, and the pricing page says 9,000+. These pages conflict, so both numbers are here. Free runs two-step Zaps. Pro adds multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps and webhooks. The Catch Hook trigger receives webhook data from outside apps, on Professional, Team and Enterprise. On HubSpot, Zapier publishes 95 operations, including Update Contact, Update Deal and New Contact Property Change. - **Multi-step logic and code, grade 3 (Pro, $19.99/month billed annually).** Paths runs different actions based on rules you define, with up to 10 branches per group and 3 levels of nesting. A Zap is limited to 100 steps, counting steps inside paths. The error handler customizes how a Zap runs when it hits an error. Paths and the error handler are on Professional, Team and Enterprise, not Free. Code by Zapier allows 1 second of included runtime per step on Free and 30 seconds on Pro and Team. - **AI steps and agents, grade 3 (Free plan).** Agents run on Free with 400 activities a month and a cap of 10 per run. Agents do work across 9,000+ apps, and their activities include running an action, web browsing and web search. That quota is separate from tasks. A separate Agents Pro tier gives 1,500 activities and a cap of 40 per run, from about $33.33/month billed annually, apart from Zapier Pro. Zapier says it "is moving Agents to AI by Zapier." AI by Zapier, on Pro and up, adds AI to Zaps without your own API key. - **Self-hosting and API, grade 2 (Pro, $19.99/month billed annually, for webhooks; API plan not documented).** Webhooks start on Pro. The Workflow API lets developers "create custom workflow experiences". Self-hosting is not documented on the Zapier pages checked. Zapier MCP is in every plan, offers 30,000+ actions across 9,000+ apps, and uses 2 tasks per successful tool call. - **Plans.** Free: 100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps. Pro: 750 tasks/month at $19.99/month billed annually or $29.99/month. Team: 2,000 tasks/month at $69.00/month billed annually or $103.50/month, with 25 users, shared Zaps and folders, shared app connections and SAML SSO. Enterprise: unlimited users and SCIM provisioning, priced through sales. **Best for:** the larger native catalog, and billing where triggers, filters and Paths use no tasks. **Limitation:** Free is two-step only. Webhooks, Paths, custom error handling and AI by Zapier need Pro. Every successful action step uses a task, so longer Zaps cost more per run. If Make is also on your list, see [Zapier vs Make](/zapier-vs-make). ## Executions vs tasks The two tools count usage differently, so their quotas do not compare one to one. Zapier's own example: a Zap that uploads a file to Dropbox and sends a Slack message uses two tasks per run, so ten runs use 20 tasks. On n8n, ten runs of a workflow are ten executions, whatever the step count. A webhook-triggered n8n workflow counts one execution per inbound request. By the same rules, a Zap with five action steps uses 5 tasks a run, so Pro's 750 tasks cover 150 runs. Starter's 2,500 n8n executions cover 2,500 runs of that workflow. That is arithmetic from the two rules, not a vendor figure. Going over the limit also differs. On n8n, workflows keep running and "overage charges may apply if you do not upgrade to the next usage tier." On Zapier, usage stops at your task limit until the next cycle unless pay-per-task is on. With it on, usage stops at 3x your task subscription. From December 1, 2026, Next Gen Zaps use at least 1 task per completed run. ## Best for - Best for self-hosting: n8n (Community edition, free) - Best for long workflows on a fixed quota: n8n (Starter, €20/month billed annually, 2,500 executions) - Best for the largest app catalog: Zapier (10,450+ apps, Pro from $19.99/month billed annually) - Best for simple two-step automations on a free plan: Zapier (Free, 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps) ## FAQ ### Is n8n better than Zapier? Under this page's grade, n8n totals 12 of 12 and Zapier 11 of 12. The gap is self-hosting, which n8n documents and Zapier's pages do not, while Zapier lists more apps and has a free plan. ### Is n8n free? Yes, as the self-hosted Community edition, under a license that covers "your own internal business purposes or for non-commercial or personal use". n8n Cloud starts at €20/month on Starter, billed annually. ### Is n8n cheaper than Zapier? Self-hosted Community is free, and the paid entry points are €20/month for n8n Starter and $19.99/month for Zapier Pro, both billed annually. The units differ: n8n counts a whole run and Zapier counts each action step, so longer workflows use less of an n8n quota. ### Does n8n have more integrations than Zapier? No. n8n lists 2,000+ integrations and Zapier 10,450+ apps, and other pages from each vendor say 500+ and 9,000+. ### Can Zapier be self-hosted? Self-hosting is not documented on Zapier's pages. Its published plans are Free, Pro, Team and Enterprise. ### Do n8n and Zapier have AI agents? Yes: n8n's AI Agent node decides which connected tools to call. Zapier Agents run on a separate quota, 400 activities a month on Free, and are moving to AI by Zapier. ### Do n8n and Zapier support MCP? Yes. n8n has a built-in MCP server you enable on the instance and then per workflow, and Zapier MCP is in every plan at 2 tasks per successful tool call. ### What counts as an execution in n8n? One run of the entire workflow, however many steps it has. Only production runs count, so manual editor runs do not, and a sub-workflow counts through its parent execution. ## Sources - [n8n pricing](https://n8n.io/pricing/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n integrations](https://n8n.io/integrations/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n features](https://n8n.io/features/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: hosting](https://docs.n8n.io/hosting/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: Community edition features](https://docs.n8n.io/deploy/host-n8n/community-edition-features.md), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n license](https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/master/LICENSE.md), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: executions](https://docs.n8n.io/workflows/executions/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: Webhook node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.webhook/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: Switch node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.switch/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: error handling](https://docs.n8n.io/flow-logic/error-handling/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: Code node](https://docs.n8n.io/code/code-node/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: AI Agent node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/cluster-nodes/root-nodes/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: MCP server](https://docs.n8n.io/advanced-ai/accessing-n8n-mcp-server/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: public API](https://docs.n8n.io/api/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: HubSpot node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/app-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.hubspot/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [n8n: HubSpot Trigger node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/trigger-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.hubspottrigger/), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier apps](https://zapier.com/apps), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier and HubSpot](https://zapier.com/apps/hubspot/integrations), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier: task usage](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496196837261-How-is-task-usage-measured-in-Zapier), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier: Paths](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496288555917-Add-branching-logic-to-Zaps-with-Paths), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier: custom error handling](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/22495436062605-Set-up-custom-error-handling), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier: webhooks](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496288690317-Trigger-Zaps-from-webhooks), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier Agents](https://zapier.com/agents), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier Agents pricing](https://zapier.com/l/agents-pricing), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier: Agents moving to AI by Zapier](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/26559132765325), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier MCP](https://zapier.com/mcp), checked Nov 5, 2026 - [Zapier Workflow API](https://docs.zapier.com/powered-by-zapier/introduction), checked Nov 5, 2026