What do n8n, Make and Zapier do?
All three connect programs with each other without you having to write code. A trigger, such as a new form on the website, starts a workflow with several steps: create the contact in the CRM, send an email, add an entry in accounting. All three tools can also include AI steps, for example a language model that classifies an enquiry.
How do the three tools differ?
| Criterion | n8n | Make | Zapier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Visual, rather technical, custom code possible | Visual as a flowchart | Very simple, step by step |
| Operation | Cloud or self-hosted | Cloud only | Cloud only |
| Billing | Cloud by executions, self-hosted only server costs | By operations or credits used | By number of tasks run |
| Complex logic | Very strong: branches, loops, code | Strong | Rather limited |
| Connections | Many ready-made, any API via HTTP | Very many ready-made | The most ready-made |
| Suited for | Data-sensitive and extensive workflows | Medium complexity | Quick, simple workflows |
When is Zapier the right choice?
- You want to set up simple workflows yourself without technical knowledge
- You use niche apps that only have a ready-made connection in Zapier
- The number of runs per month is manageable
- No sensitive personal data is processed
When does Make fit best?
- Your workflows have branches and conditions but should remain easy to follow visually
- You want a cloud solution without your own server
- Data should be processed in data centres in the EU
- The team wants to be able to adjust workflows later on its own
When is n8n the best choice?
- Data protection is central and the data should stay on a server in Switzerland
- There are many runs, so billing per execution would become expensive
- The workflows are complex or need custom logic in code
- AI agents should complete several steps on their own, for example read enquiries, look things up and reply
n8n is published under a so-called fair-code licence (Sustainable Use License). You may self-host it to automate processes in your own business. You should still know the licence terms if you want to build n8n into a product of your own.
What does the choice mean for data protection?
With cloud tools, your data passes through the provider’s servers. Make offers data centres in the EU, while Zapier generally processes data in the USA. With a self-hosted n8n instance at a Swiss hosting provider, the data stays in the country, except for the services the workflow itself calls. In any case, name the chosen tool in your privacy policy.
Can I switch tools later?
Yes, but the workflows have to be rebuilt in the new tool. There is no reliable automatic export between the tools. Document every workflow with its trigger, steps and purpose, then a switch can be planned and handing it over to another person is easier as well.