n8n vs Zapier
AI Automation pricing comparison · 2026
n8n pricing ranges from $0–$800/month, while Zapier ranges from $0–$103.5/month. Zapier is typically 60% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Verdict · Vendr median · year 1
n8n
saves
$14K
vs
Zapier
· 25 seats
Cheapest
$700
Spread
95%
Estimated license cost
at 25 seats
List price × seats. Click a tier below to lock it.
Pro (Cloud)
$18K/yr
year 1 license · $60/seat
Team
$31K/yr
year 1 license · $104/seat
What buyers actually pay
median, annual
Vendr deal-flow data. The real benchmark, not list price.
↓ Lowest median
Median annual
$700/yr
Vendr · n=51
Median annual
$15K/yr
Vendr · n=79
avg 25% negotiated
REF · 01
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Where this data comes from
Vendr · TrustRadius · Reddit · BBB · official docs
Sources
11 sourced facts
7 hidden-cost · 1 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
3w ago
Confidence
High confidence
Sources
33 sourced facts
26 hidden-cost · 4 contract · Vendr median · 2 review platforms
Last verified
3w ago
Confidence
High confidence
REF · 02
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Tier ladder
Click a tier to lock the cost row to it. Locking surfaces a tier-specific Visit CTA.
REF · 04
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
n8n
Zapier
Auto-renewal
Yes
Yes
Cancellation
Not specified in sources
Not publicly stated; users report no partial refunds are issued at any point after billing
Commitment
✓
Monthly or annual billing options available
✓
Annual (monthly billing available at higher rates)
Price escalation
No published schedule, but enterprise pricing structure makes scaling expensive - users report dramatic price jumps from free/starter tiers to enterprise (from $20/month to $20,000/year)
No published automatic uplift schedule; flat renewal rates available with pushback per Vendr
Can downgrade
✓
Yes
✓
Yes
REF · 05
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
User reviews
TrustRadius · Trustpilot · G2
Decide
Get a quote from each vendor
Each link opens the vendor's pricing page in a new tab.
License cost is computed from publicly listed plans (real math, list price × seats).
Median annual cost is from Vendr's deal flow when available — see source badges.
Hidden costs and contract terms each cite their own sources. We do not invent composite scores.
VS
n8n and Zapier are both popular ai automation solutions, but they differ in pricing and approach. n8n starts free, paid from $24/mo while Zapier starts free, paid from $29/mo. This comparison breaks down every tier, hidden cost, and feature to help you pick the right tool for your budget.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Community Edition (Self-Hosted) | Free /month | Free /month |
| Starter (Cloud) | $24 /month | $29.99 /month |
| Pro (Cloud) | $60 /month | $103.50 /month |
| Business (Self-Hosted) | $800 /month | Custom |
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
n8n
7 scenarios$10/month
Developer Self-Hosting on VPS
for hosting only. n8n Community Edition is free with unlimited executions. Requires ~5 hours/month for setup, updates, and maintenance.
$24/month
Small Team with Light Cloud Usage
for Starter (2,500 executions/month, 5 active workflows). Team must pause 5 workflows or upgrade to Pro ($60/month) for 15 active workflows if more are needed.
$60/month
Growing SaaS with Complex Automations
for Pro (10,000 executions/month, 15 active workflows). Must upgrade to Business ($800/month) for unlimited active workflows if exceeding 15, or optimize to pause inactive workflows.
Zapier
11 scenarios$0/month (free tier with basic features)
Solo / Getting Started
$73/month
Growing Business
$99/month
Enterprise Setup
Market Intelligence
n8n
- Median annual cost
- $700
- Based on
- 51 deals
Zapier
- Median annual cost
- $15,000
- Average negotiated discount
- 25%
- Based on
- 79 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | n8n | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | Not specified in sources | Not publicly stated; users report no partial refunds are issued at any point after billing |
| Minimum commitment | Monthly or annual billing options available | Annual (monthly billing available at higher rates) |
| Price escalation | No published schedule, but enterprise pricing structure makes scaling expensive - users report dramatic price jumps from free/starter tiers to enterprise (from $20/month to $20,000/year) | No published automatic uplift schedule; flat renewal rates available with pushback per Vendr |
| Can downgrade | Yes | Yes |