n8n vs Zapier vs Make for AI agents: what one agent run costs on each
For AI agents, pick n8n if you want memory, tools and your own model at a flat price per run, or a self-hosted setup. Pick Zapier if you want an agent working in minutes across 9,000+ apps and can live with task multipliers. Pick Make for the cheapest hosted start on a visual canvas. The difference shows up in how tool calls are billed. We priced one agent (3 tool calls, 1,000 runs a month) on all three, using pricing and help-center rules read on Oct 25, 2026.
Verdict
- n8n: tool calls don't add executions, and memory, vector stores and MCP come on every plan. You host it or pay $20 to $50 a month for cloud, plus your model bill.
- Zapier: easiest start and widest app reach. AI by Zapier defaults to the Premium tier (5× tasks), and each tool call is billed at the same multiplier.
- Make: cheapest hosted plan. Agents bill 1 credit per operation, plus token credits if you use Make's AI Provider. Your own key needs a paid plan.
n8n vs Zapier vs Make for AI agents
| n8n | Zapier | Make | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent feature | AI Agent node (tools, memory, output parsers, MCP) | AI by Zapier step with tools; Zapier Agents; Chatbots | Make AI Agents; Make AI Toolkit |
| How an agent run is billed | 1 execution for the whole run | (1 + tool calls) × tier multiplier: Standard 1×, Advanced 3×, Premium 5× (default) | 1 credit per operation; + token credits on Make's AI Provider |
| Your own model key | Yes, every plan | Yes, at 1× tasks | Paid plans only |
| Model cost included? | No | Yes on Standard, Advanced and Premium tiers | Only via Make's AI Provider (as credits) |
| Free way to try | Self-host, or cloud trial | Zapier Agents: 400 activities a month free; AI by Zapier only in preview on Free | Free plan, 1,000 credits, Make's AI Provider only |
| Entry paid price | $20/mo (2,500 executions) | $19.99/mo (750 tasks); Agents Pro about $33/mo for 1,500 activities | $12/mo (10,000 credits) |
| Runaway protection | Execution caps per plan; set your own max iterations | AI step pauses at 75 tasks per run by default (up to 500) | Scenarios stop when credits run out |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No | No |
| Apps | Hundreds plus HTTP Request | 9,000+ | 3,500+ |
What one agent costs a month
Our test case: an agent triggered by an email or form, which makes 3 tool calls (look up a record, search a knowledge source, write a row), then sends one output. It runs 1,000 times a month.
| Setup | Billed per run | Cheapest plan that fits | Model cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier, AI by Zapier Premium (default) | 21 tasks | $289 Pro, 50,000-task tier | Included in the tier |
| Zapier, AI by Zapier Advanced | 13 tasks | $189 Pro, 20,000-task tier | Included in the tier |
| Zapier, your own AI key | 5 tasks | $89 Pro, 5,000-task tier | Billed by your provider |
| Make AI Agents, your own key | 6 credits | $12 Core, 10,000-credit tier | Billed by your provider (paid plan needed) |
| n8n Cloud, AI Agent node | 1 execution | $20 Starter, 2,500 executions | Billed by your provider |
| n8n self-hosted | 1 execution | $0 licence; server extra | Billed by your provider |
Zapier formula from Zapier's model tier help page: tasks = (1 + tool calls) × tier rate, plus 1 task for the output action. Make: 1 credit each for the trigger, the agent run, each tool module and the output (Make's credit usage help page). n8n: 1 execution per run (n8n's executions docs). Annual prices, read Oct 25, 2026. The cheapest-looking row isn't always the cheapest overall: Zapier's Premium tier includes a frontier model, while every "your own key" row adds a model bill. That bill can be a few dollars or a few hundred, depending on the model and prompt length.
Pricing and limits (checked Oct 25, 2026)
| Tier | n8n Cloud | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Self-hosted Community; cloud trial 1,000 executions | 100 tasks, two-step Zaps; 400 agent activities | 1,000 credits |
| Entry | Starter $20 (2,500 executions) | Pro $19.99 (750 tasks) | Core $12 (10,000 credits) |
| Mid | Pro $50 (10,000 executions) | Pro $129 (10,000 tasks) | Pro $21 (10,000 credits, more features) |
| Team | Business $800 (40,000, self-hosted) | Team from $69 (2,000 tasks, 25 seats) | Teams $38 (10,000 credits) |
Prices and limits read from n8n.io/pricing, zapier.com/pricing and make.com/en/pricing on Oct 25, 2026, in US dollars with annual billing unless noted. Plans change often, so re-check before you buy. We have no affiliate deal with any of the three.
What real n8n agents are built from
From our study of 13,574 public n8n templates (snapshot Oct 20, 2026), counting the 4,247 templates that contain an agent node:
| Building block | Share of n8n agent templates | What it means for your platform choice |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule trigger | 30.0% | Scheduled agents fire every time; on Make every scheduled check costs a credit |
| Chat entry (chat, Telegram, WhatsApp) | 29.0% | Chat agents run per message, so per-run pricing matters |
| Memory | 29.0% | Multi-turn agents need memory; check each tool supports it natively |
| Structured output parser | 38.6% | Agents that write to sheets or CRMs need fixed JSON |
| HTTP Request | 45.3% | Many agents call APIs without a native node |
| Vector store (RAG) | 9.7% | Knowledge-base agents; Zapier and Make offer knowledge sources instead |
| Error Trigger | 2.4% | Few agents ship with failure alerts; add one whichever tool you choose |
| Guardrails / evaluation | 0.4% / 0.4% | Testing agents is still rare |
We publish library totals only, not individual templates. Groups overlap, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Small business, agencies and beginners
- Small business, non-technical: Zapier or Make. Start with one recipe and a human approval step.
- Agencies running many client workflows: self-hosted n8n keeps cost flat per client. Budget time for updates, backups and n8n's breaking upgrades.
- Beginners: start with a 3-step recipe on whichever tool you already pay for, then follow how to create an AI agent.
Agent-style recipes to start from
- Telegram AI agent with memory in n8nn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- Draft support replies from your help docsn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- Prep brief when a sales call gets bookedn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- Flag upset customers before they churnn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- Draft replies to Google reviewsn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- One specific first line per prospectn8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
- Summarize a contract PDF with Clauden8n JSON + Zapier blueprint
All 25 files are on the free n8n templates page.
Related comparisons
- n8n vs ZapierCost of the same workflow at 100 to 10,000 runs a month
- n8n vs MakeCredits vs executions, polling and loops
- Activepieces vs n8nCredits vs executions, plans and app coverage
- 25 free n8n templatesImport one and price it on your own plan
- n8n node libraryUsage data and known problems for the 22 most used nodes
Questions
- Which is better for AI agents: n8n, Make or Zapier?
- n8n if you want agents with memory, tools and your own model at a flat price per run, or self-hosted. Zapier if you want an agent working today across thousands of apps and don't mind task multipliers. Make if you want the cheapest hosted start and a visual canvas.
- Which is better, n8n or Make or Zapier?
- It depends on volume and complexity more than features. For short flows at low volume, Make Core ($12) or Zapier Pro ($19.99) is enough. For long, looping or AI-agent workflows, n8n's per-execution pricing usually wins. See the cost tables on n8n vs Zapier and n8n vs Make.
- What are the top automation tools for AI agents?
- Zapier, Make and n8n are the three most compared no-code options. Each now has an agent feature: Zapier Agents and AI by Zapier, Make AI Agents, and n8n's AI Agent node. Pick by billing unit and hosting first, then by the apps you need.
- Is anything better than n8n?
- For some jobs, yes. Zapier is faster for simple app-to-app flows and connects more apps. Make is cheaper for small visual scenarios. A coded agent framework gives more control if you have developers. n8n sits in between: visual, but with code and self-hosting when you need them.
- Is n8n becoming obsolete?
- Not on the evidence we have. In our study of 13,574 public n8n templates, 55.2% of public n8n templates use AI nodes and 31.3% use an agent node. Of the templates still public on Oct 20, 895 were created in September 2026 alone. Check n8n's breaking-changes notes before any major upgrade.
- Do I pay for the AI model separately?
- On n8n, yes, always: you connect your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini or other key. On Make, yes, unless you use Make's AI Provider, which turns tokens into credits. On Zapier, AI by Zapier's Standard, Advanced and Premium tiers include the model in the task price. Bring your own key and it's 1× tasks plus your provider's bill.