Last updated: October 17, 2026
For most small offices, Zapier or Make is the right first automation tool: hosted, simple, and $10 to $20 a month to start. n8n wins once you run many workflows or want data on your own server, but self-hosting means you own the security patches. Use fixed workflows by default and add AI only for the reading step.
Where things stand
The three main tools charge differently. Zapier counts tasks: free for 100 a month, Professional from $19.99. Make counts credits: free for 1,000 a month, Core $10.59 a month billed monthly for 10,000 (September 2026). n8n Cloud counts whole workflow executions, not individual steps: Starter is €20 a month billed annually for 2,500 executions, Pro €50 for 10,000. A ten-step workflow costs ten tasks in Zapier and one execution in n8n, which is why n8n gets cheaper as workflows grow.
Self-hosted n8n Community Edition is free under n8n’s Sustainable Use License. You can use it for your own internal business purposes, and consultants can build workflows for clients. You cannot offer n8n itself to customers as a service without a commercial agreement. A small VPS costs roughly €4 to €12 a month as of July 2026, and managed hosts start around €9.
The catch is maintenance. n8n has had a steady run of serious security advisories in 2026, starting with two CVSS 10.0 remote code execution flaws in January, one of them exploitable without logging in through webhooks. A tracker maintained by Tray.ai, a competitor, listed 40 critical-rated n8n advisories for 2026 as of October 16. Cloud customers get patched by n8n. Self-hosters have to update promptly, and an unpatched server with public webhooks is a real risk.
All three tools now offer AI steps and agents. Zapier sells Agents separately (free for 400 activities a month). Make’s AI features consume extra credits. n8n has AI agent nodes that call the model of your choice. The sound default, which Anthropic’s guide to building agents also recommends, is the simplest thing that works: a fixed workflow with one AI step, such as reading an invoice, rather than an agent deciding what to do next. Compare agent products on Top AI Agents.
| Option | Best for | Cost (checked Oct 2026) | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Offices with no technical staff; widest app catalog | Free (100 tasks); Professional from $19.99/mo; Team from $69/mo | Easiest to start. Gets expensive with multi-step, high-volume workflows. |
| Make | Visual, branching workflows on a budget | Free (1,000 credits); Core $10.59/mo; Pro $18.82/mo (monthly billing) | Best price for moderate volume. Slightly steeper learning curve. |
| n8n Cloud | Many or long workflows; AI agent steps | Starter €20/mo, Pro €50/mo (billed annually) | Cheaper per workflow at scale, patched for you. |
| n8n self-hosted | Data that must stay on your server; local AI models | Free software plus about €4 to €12/mo VPS | Only if someone will apply updates within days of each advisory. |
| AI agent (any platform) | Messy tasks where steps vary each time | Model usage on top of platform fees | Use sparingly. Keep a human approval step before anything is sent or paid. |
What a small office should do now
Start with one of these three, in this order:
- Invoice intake. A Gmail or Outlook filter catches vendor invoices; an AI step pulls vendor, date, amount and due date from the PDF; a row lands in Google Sheets or your accounting tool’s inbox for a person to approve. Fixed workflow, one AI step.
- Lead intake. Website form or missed-call text creates a contact in your CRM, notifies the right person, and sends an acknowledgement. No AI needed.
- Appointment reminders. Calendar or practice-management event triggers a text or email the day before. Check first whether your scheduling software already does this; many do.
Pick the platform by who maintains it. No technical staff: Zapier or Make. A technical person or outside consultant on call: n8n Cloud. Self-host n8n only when you have a specific reason (client data that cannot leave your network, a local AI model) and a patching routine.
When not to bother: if a task happens a few times a month, a checklist beats an automation. Skip AI agents for anything that sends money, files documents or emails clients without review. If your practice management software has a built-in feature, use it before building your own.
What we’re watching
- The pace of n8n security advisories, and whether n8n adds automatic updates for self-hosters.
- Pricing changes for AI steps, which all three platforms bill differently.
- n8n’s Business plan (€667/mo, self-hosted) and its 50% discount for companies under 20 employees.
- Agent features maturing enough to trust with routine, low-risk decisions.
Sources
- n8n pricing (checked October 2026)
- n8n docs: Community license (checked October 2026)
- Zapier pricing (checked October 2026)
- Jet Admin: Make.com pricing (September 2026)
- Sliplane: n8n pricing, cloud vs self-hosting (prices as of July 2026)
- Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium: two critical n8n vulnerabilities (January 2026)
- Tray.ai: n8n security tracker (refreshed October 2026)
- Anthropic: Building effective agents (December 2024; checked October 2026)
Changelog
- 2026-10-17 — Page created.