Zapier, Make or a self-hosted engine: which fits a small service business?
Zapier, Make and n8n all connect the apps a business already uses. They differ in what they charge for, how complex a workflow can get before it fights you, and where your data lives. This page compares them for an owner-run service business of 2 to 50 people.
Declared interest: I build and maintain workflows in n8n for a living, so read this knowing which one I chose. Where Zapier or Make is the better tool, the page says so.
01
Which one is cheapest for a small service business?
For a handful of simple automations, Zapier or Make is cheapest, because both have free tiers and cheap entry plans and nothing to host. As volume and step count grow, n8n usually costs less, because self-hosted n8n has no per-task charge at all and n8n Cloud bills per workflow run rather than per step.
The reason is what each one counts. Zapier charges for every successful action step, Make for every credit (one per operation by default), and n8n Cloud for each complete workflow run, however many steps it has.
02
What does each one charge for?
Each tool bills a different unit, and the unit decides how the bill grows. The figures below were read from each vendor’s own pricing page on 24 September 2026; they change, so check the current page before you decide.
| Tool | Billing unit | Free tier | Entry paid plan | At the limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Task: each successful action step. Triggers, filters and paths are free. | 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only | Professional: $19.99 a month billed annually, for 750 tasks | Stops, or pay-per-task at 1.25× the base rate (annual) or 2.5× (monthly) |
| Make | Credit: one per operation by default; some AI modules use more | 1,000 credits a month, 2 active scenarios, 15-minute minimum interval | Core: $12 a month billed monthly, for 10,000 credits | Buy extra credits in bundles, or upgrade |
| n8n Cloud | Execution: one complete workflow run, unlimited steps | No free Cloud plan listed; the self-hosted edition is free to run | Starter: €20 a month billed annually, for 2,500 executions | Upgrade to a higher tier |
| n8n self-hosted | None: no per-run or per-step charge | The whole product | The cost of a server, and of maintaining it | No usage limit from n8n |
03
When is Zapier the better choice?
When the automation is short and simple: a form into a spreadsheet, a new lead into a CRM, a notification into chat. Zapier sets these up fastest, needs no server, and covers more ready-made apps than most businesses will ever use.
If that describes everything you need automated, Zapier is the right tool and a custom build would cost more than it saves.
04
When is Make the better choice?
When you want more complex, branching workflows than Zapier makes comfortable, at a low monthly price, and you are happy for the platform to host everything. Make’s visual editor handles branches and data transformation well within its own canvas.
Its costs follow the number of operations, so a workflow that runs often with many steps uses credits quickly.
05
When is a self-hosted engine worth it?
When volume or step count has made per-task billing expensive, when a workflow needs real branching, loops, retries and error handling, or when customer data should stay on infrastructure you control. Self-hosted n8n meets all three: you pay for the server, not for each run.
The trade is that someone has to run and maintain that server. For a business without a technical person, that is the part a managed service exists to cover.
06
Can you move from Zapier to a self-hosted engine without downtime?
Yes, if both run side by side until the new workflows are proven. I rebuild each Zap as a workflow with proper error handling, run both in parallel on real data, and switch over only when the new one matches.
07
Where did these figures come from?
From each vendor’s pricing page and help centre, read on 24 September 2026: Zapier pricing, how Zapier counts tasks, Make pricing, Make credits and n8n pricing. Prices change; the vendor’s own page is always the current word.