Zapier vs n8n for CRM Automation

Quick Overview

Zapier is the market leader in no-code automation. It's polished, has the most integrations, and is designed for non-technical users. It's also expensive at scale.

n8n is an open-source alternative that's more powerful but has a steeper learning curve. It's much cheaper (especially self-hosted) and handles complex workflows better.

Aspect	Zapier	n8n
Ease of use	Excellent	Good (steeper curve)
Integrations	5,000+	400+ (growing)
Complex logic	Limited	Excellent
Self-hosting	No	Yes (free)
Custom code	Limited (Code by Zapier)	Full JavaScript/Python

Pricing Comparison

This is where the differences really show up.

Zapier Pricing

• Free: 100 tasks/month, 5 Zaps
• Starter: $19.99/month for 750 tasks
• Professional: $49/month for 2,000 tasks
• Team: $69/month for 2,000 tasks + collaboration
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

A "task" is each action in a Zap. A 5-step Zap running 1,000 times uses 5,000 tasks. Costs scale quickly.

n8n Pricing

• Self-hosted: Free forever (open source)
• Cloud Starter: $20/month for 2,500 executions
• Cloud Pro: $50/month for 10,000 executions
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

n8n counts "executions" (workflow runs), not individual steps. A 10-step workflow running once = 1 execution. This makes complex workflows much cheaper.

Real-World Cost Example

Consider a CRM workflow that runs 1,000 times per month with 8 steps:

• Zapier: 8,000 tasks = ~$100-200/month
• n8n Cloud: 1,000 executions = ~$20/month
• n8n Self-hosted: $0 (just hosting costs, typically $5-20/month)

Feature Comparison

Where Zapier Wins

• More integrations: 5,000+ apps vs 400+. Zapier has everything.
• Easier for beginners: More polished UI, better documentation
• Better support: Paid support is responsive and helpful
• Reliability: Enterprise-grade infrastructure
• AI features: Natural language workflow creation

Where n8n Wins

• Complex logic: Loops, branching, merging, sub-workflows
• Custom code: Full JavaScript nodes for any logic
• Data transformation: Better tools for manipulating data
• Self-hosting: Full control, data stays on your servers
• Cost: Dramatically cheaper at scale
• Error handling: More granular retry and error options

CRM-Specific Features

For CRM automation specifically:

• HubSpot: Both have good integrations. n8n's is more flexible for complex operations.
• Salesforce: Zapier has more pre-built actions. n8n requires more setup but handles bulk operations better.
• Deduplication: n8n handles this much better with its data processing capabilities.
• Lead routing: n8n's branching logic makes complex routing rules easier.

When to Use Each

Choose Zapier When:

• Your team is non-technical
• You need an obscure integration that only Zapier has
• You have simple, linear workflows
• Budget isn't a major concern
• You value polish and ease of use over flexibility

Choose n8n When:

• You're comfortable with some technical setup
• Your workflows have complex logic (conditions, loops)
• You run high volumes of automations
• You need custom code for data transformation
• Data privacy requires self-hosting
• Budget matters

Migration Considerations

If you're currently on Zapier and considering n8n:

What Transfers Easily

• Simple trigger → action workflows
• Common integrations (Google, Slack, common CRMs)
• Basic filters and formatting

What Requires Rework

• Multi-step Zaps need to be rebuilt as n8n workflows
• Zapier-specific features (Paths) → n8n equivalent (IF nodes)
• Formatter steps → n8n expressions or code

Migration Tips

1. Start with low-volume, non-critical workflows
2. Run both in parallel until confident
3. Migrate in batches, not all at once
4. Document your workflows as you rebuild them

Frequently Asked Questions

Is n8n really free?

n8n is open source and free to self-host forever. You just pay for your own hosting (typically $5-20/month on a small VPS). They also offer a cloud version with usage-based pricing that's typically much cheaper than Zapier for high-volume workflows.

Which is better for complex workflows?

n8n is significantly better for complex workflows. It supports loops, conditional branching, custom code, and sub-workflows. Zapier's linear flow model struggles with complex logic and often requires workarounds.

Can I migrate from Zapier to n8n?

Yes, but there's no automatic migration tool. You'll need to rebuild workflows in n8n. Most simple Zaps can be recreated in under an hour each. Complex Zaps may take longer but often end up simpler in n8n.

What about Make (formerly Integromat)?

Make is a middle ground - more powerful than Zapier, easier than n8n, cloud-only. It's worth considering if you want more power than Zapier without self-hosting.