If you're building automations to sell, learn n8n: it's open-source and self-hostable, so there's no per-task fee eating your margin. Zapier is the easiest on-ramp but the most expensive at scale; Make sits in the middle. Here's the honest 2026 breakdown.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing model | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Beginners, low volume | Per-task (gets pricey fast) | Low margin at scale |
| Make | Visual builders, mid volume | Per-operation (cheaper) | Renting the runtime |
| n8n | Selling automations | Free self-hosted | None — you own it |
Zapier — the on-ramp
Zapier is the easiest to start with and the most expensive to scale. It's brilliant for simple, low-volume triggers, but per-task pricing punishes exactly the high-volume automations businesses pay the most for. Great for a client's internal glue; rough as the engine of a service.
Make — the middle
Make (formerly Integromat) is more visual and more affordable at volume than Zapier, with genuinely powerful routing. If you never want to touch self-hosting, it's a strong pick. The ceiling is real, though: you're still renting someone else's runtime.
n8n — what we build on
n8n is open-source and self-hostable, which means: no per-task tax, full control, and the ability to run AI models, custom code, and private data on infrastructure you own. For someone building automations as a business, that's the difference between a 30% margin and a 90% one.
The honest recommendation
- Just automating your own stuff? Any of them. Pick the one whose UI you like.
- Building automations to sell? Learn n8n. The self-hosted, no-per-task-fee model is what makes the $500–$5,000 builds profitable — and it's what every workflow in the Vault is built on.
How do I choose between n8n, Make, and Zapier?
- Just automating your own stuff? Any of them — pick the UI you like.
- Selling automations to clients? Learn n8n — the no-per-task-fee model is what makes builds profitable.
- Need it live today with zero setup? Start on Make or Zapier, then migrate the winners to n8n.
Start with the free guide; every template imports straight into n8n.
Related reading
- AI automations you can sell — what to build once you've picked n8n
- The Vault — 10 ready-to-import n8n templates