Which is cheapest for a small business?

At low volume, Make and Zapier's free and entry plans are the cheapest. Make Core starts at about $9 a month billed annually for 10,000 credits, Zapier Professional at $19.99 a month for 750 tasks, and n8n Starter at 20 euros a month. Self-hosted n8n Community Edition has no license fee but needs a server and upkeep.

How is a Zapier task different from a Make credit or an n8n execution?

Zapier counts each successful action step as a task. Make counts each module action as a credit, so a trigger plus three actions on five items uses about twenty. n8n counts one execution per full workflow run, whatever the number of steps.

When does custom code make sense?

When the workflow touches health data a platform will not handle, needs systems with no connector, needs recovery rules specific to your business, or runs at volumes where per-step pricing adds up. Custom work also needs an owner for hosting and fixes, which our $350 a month care plan covers.

Can you work with the platform we already pay for?

Yes. We build and fix workflows in Zapier, Make and n8n, and add error alerts so failures get noticed the same day. We only suggest custom code when the platform is the problem.

All comparisons

Zapier vs Make vs n8n vs Custom Code

What each one charges for, where your data runs, and when owned code is worth the upfront cost.

Zapier, Make and n8n all connect apps without much code, but they bill for different things and run in different places. Custom code costs more to build and less to run at scale. This page compares billing units, entry prices, hosting, code support, error handling and health data, using each vendor's public pricing.

Quick answer

Zapier is the easiest to start and bills per task. Make is the cheapest per action at low prices and bills per credit. n8n bills per full workflow run and can be self-hosted. Custom code costs more up front, from $2,500 a workflow with us, and fits health data, unusual systems and high volumes.

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At a glance

Zapier
Make
n8n
Custom Code

6 dimensions · Sources checked 2026-10-29

Compare what changes in practice

Dimension	Zapier	Make	n8n	Custom Code	Verdict
What you pay for	Tasks: each successful action step; triggers and built-in tools are free	Credits: each module action, including the trigger check	Executions: one per full workflow run, whatever the number of steps	The build, then hosting and upkeep	Count your real steps and runs per month before comparing plan prices.
Entry price	Free for 100 tasks; Professional from $19.99/month billed annually for 750 tasks	Free for 1,000 credits; Core about $9/month billed annually for 10,000 credits	Starter 20 euros/month billed annually; Community Edition self-hosted with no license fee	From $2,500 per workflow with us; care plan $350/month if we host and fix it	Platforms win on entry price. Custom wins when volume or complexity makes per-step billing expensive.
Hosting	Zapier's cloud only	Make's cloud only	n8n cloud in Frankfurt, or self-hosted on your server	Your cloud account or server	If data must stay on your own infrastructure, the choice narrows to n8n self-hosted or custom code.
Code and custom APIs	Code steps in JavaScript or Python, webhooks on paid plans	HTTP modules, functions and custom apps for any public API	JavaScript and Python steps, HTTP requests, custom nodes when self-hosted	Anything the systems' APIs allow	All three platforms can call an API. Custom code is for logic the platforms make awkward.
Errors and retries	Autoreplay and custom error settings on paid plans	Error handler modules; webhooks queue while credits run out	Automatic retries and error workflows on every plan	Designed per workflow: retries, duplicate protection, alerts	Whatever you pick, add alerts so a silent failure gets caught the same day.
Health data	Zapier says it does not support PHI or sign BAAs	Confirm eligibility and contract terms with Make first	Self-hosting can support a controlled setup; it is not compliance by itself	Can be built with BAAs for every vendor in the data path	Map every vendor that touches patient data before any of it flows.

What you pay for

Zapier: Tasks: each successful action step; triggers and built-in tools are free
Make: Credits: each module action, including the trigger check
n8n: Executions: one per full workflow run, whatever the number of steps
Custom Code: The build, then hosting and upkeep
Verdict: Count your real steps and runs per month before comparing plan prices.

Entry price

Zapier: Free for 100 tasks; Professional from $19.99/month billed annually for 750 tasks
Make: Free for 1,000 credits; Core about $9/month billed annually for 10,000 credits
n8n: Starter 20 euros/month billed annually; Community Edition self-hosted with no license fee
Custom Code: From $2,500 per workflow with us; care plan $350/month if we host and fix it
Verdict: Platforms win on entry price. Custom wins when volume or complexity makes per-step billing expensive.

Hosting

Zapier: Zapier's cloud only
Make: Make's cloud only
n8n: n8n cloud in Frankfurt, or self-hosted on your server
Custom Code: Your cloud account or server
Verdict: If data must stay on your own infrastructure, the choice narrows to n8n self-hosted or custom code.

Code and custom APIs

Zapier: Code steps in JavaScript or Python, webhooks on paid plans
Make: HTTP modules, functions and custom apps for any public API
n8n: JavaScript and Python steps, HTTP requests, custom nodes when self-hosted
Custom Code: Anything the systems' APIs allow
Verdict: All three platforms can call an API. Custom code is for logic the platforms make awkward.

Errors and retries

Zapier: Autoreplay and custom error settings on paid plans
Make: Error handler modules; webhooks queue while credits run out
n8n: Automatic retries and error workflows on every plan
Custom Code: Designed per workflow: retries, duplicate protection, alerts
Verdict: Whatever you pick, add alerts so a silent failure gets caught the same day.

Health data

Zapier: Zapier says it does not support PHI or sign BAAs
Make: Confirm eligibility and contract terms with Make first
n8n: Self-hosting can support a controlled setup; it is not compliance by itself
Custom Code: Can be built with BAAs for every vendor in the data path
Verdict: Map every vendor that touches patient data before any of it flows.

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Paying more for Zapier, Make or n8n each month?

Send us your busiest workflow and we'll price it on each platform and as custom code.

What happens next

1.You send one line about the task.
2.Shariq reads every message and replies by email within one business day.
3.If it fits, you get a written plan or a short call. Your choice.
4.If it does not fit, we tell you and point you to a better option.

“Shariq built our Open Dental to GoHighLevel sync and our AI routing system for new patient inquiries. Both projects were delivered fast, worked right away, and he was responsive whenever we needed adjustments. He understands dental practice workflows and doesn't overcomplicate things.”

Michael Ling, Owner, Smile Again Dental