The #1 reason people switch from Zapier to n8n or Make is pricing. But which one actually saves you more? The answer depends entirely on your volume.
Real Pricing at Different Volumes
| Volume | n8n Self-Hosted | n8n Cloud | Make.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1k ops/mo | ~€7/mo (VPS + free n8n) | Free tier | $9/mo (Free tier avail.) |
| 10k ops/mo | ~€10/mo | €20/mo | $16-99/mo |
| 50k ops/mo | ~€15/mo | €50/mo | $99-299/mo |
| 100k+ ops/mo | ~€20/mo | Custom | $599+/mo |
| 1M ops/mo | ~€40/mo | N/A | N/A (not designed for this) |
The Hidden Cost: Operations vs Tasks
A key difference: n8n charges per execution of a complete workflow. Make charges per operation — every step in your scenario counts. A 5-step workflow running once counts as 5 operations on Make but 1 execution on n8n.
This means complex workflows are significantly cheaper on n8n.
When Make.com Wins on Price
- Low volume (<2k ops/mo): Make's free tier covers your needs.
- Simple automations: If each scenario has 1-3 steps, Make's operation pricing is reasonable.
- You value time over money: Make's visual builder is faster to work with.
When n8n Wins on Price
- Any volume above 10k ops/mo: n8n self-hosted is dramatically cheaper.
- Complex multi-step workflows: Because one execution = one charge regardless of steps.
- AI/agent workflows: Heavy processing that would burn through Make credits fast.
Real World Example
A lead processing workflow: captures form data, enriches with API, scores the lead, sends Slack notification, creates CRM record, adds to email sequence.
On Make: 6 operations per run. At 500 leads/month = 3,000 ops. On the $16/mo plan (10k ops included).
On n8n self-hosted: 1 execution per run. 500 executions = negligible. Cost: ~$10/mo VPS.
On Zapier: 6 tasks per run. 3,000 tasks = $300+ on the Professional plan.
Try n8n — free & open-source
Self-hosted = unlimited workflows for ~$10/month. No per-task pricing.
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