Zapier
Best for. The widest catalogue of ready-made app connections and the easiest start for non-technical teams.
Watch out. Cost grows with runs times steps; high-volume workflows get expensive.
Plans checked on vendor pages · November 11, 2026
No-code automation platforms, compared on what you really pay for.
Eight cloud and self-hosted platforms. They all connect your apps, but they charge for different things: tasks, executions, credits or users. That decides which one is cheapest for you, so the comparison starts there.
Tasks, executions, credits or users: what you pay for
Headline prices are not comparable until you know the unit. The same workflow can cost five times more on one platform than another.
Tasks
Zapier
One task per action step that runs. A trigger plus five actions uses five tasks per run.
Usually cheapest forFew steps, moderate volume
Executions
n8n
One execution per workflow run, whatever the number of steps.
Usually cheapest forLong workflows at volume
Credits
Make, Activepieces, Pipedream, IFTTT
Each module, step or action uses credits at a rate set by the vendor.
Usually cheapest forDepends on the rate: test with a real workflow
Per user or per bot
Power Automate
A licence per person who builds or runs flows, or per unattended bot.
Usually cheapest forSmall teams inside Microsoft 365
Want exact numbers for Zapier against n8n at your volume? Use our Zapier pricing calculator.
Eight automation platforms compared
Free tier, paid entry plan and billing unit as published by each vendor on November 11, 2026.
| Platform | Type | Billed by | Free | Paid from | Self-host |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | No-code | Tasks (each action step that runs) | 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps | Professional from $19.99/mo billed annually for 750 tasks; Team from $69/mo | No |
| n8n | Low-code | Workflow executions (any number of steps) | Community Edition, free to self-host | Cloud Starter 20 euros/mo billed annually for 2,500 executions; Pro 50 euros/mo for 10,000 | Yes |
| Make | No-code | Credits used by each module run | See make.com | See make.com pricing | No |
| Activepieces | No-code | Credits | 1,000 credits a month, up to 5 users | Plus $20/mo flat (10x the free plan, then $0.007 per credit); Team $200/mo flat with 25 users | Yes |
| Microsoft Power Automate | Low-code | Per user or per bot | 30-day trial | Premium $15 per user per month, paid yearly; Process $150 per bot per month | No |
| Pipedream | Developer | Usage credits | Free to build and test | Startup $99/mo billed annually ($150 monthly) with 10,000 credits, then $0.012 each | No |
| IFTTT | No-code | Credits | 1,000 credits a month | Pro $5.49/mo ($65.88 billed annually) for 20,000 credits; Pro+ $13.99/mo for 100,000 | No |
| Workato | Low-code | Custom | No public free plan | Quote only | No |
n8n
Best for. Complex, multi-step and AI workflows at volume, with the option to host everything yourself.
Watch out. Steeper learning curve than Zapier; self-hosting needs someone to maintain the server.
Make
Best for. Visual scenarios with branching and data mapping, between Zapier's simplicity and n8n's depth.
Watch out. Credit use depends on how many modules run, so estimate with a real scenario.
Activepieces
Best for. An open-source alternative to Zapier with flat team pricing, AI agents and MCP support.
Watch out. A smaller integration catalogue than Zapier: check your apps first.
Microsoft Power Automate
Best for. Companies on Microsoft 365 that automate inside Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and Excel, including desktop RPA.
Watch out. Per-user licensing adds up for large teams; best value inside the Microsoft ecosystem.
Pipedream
Best for. Developers who want code steps in Node.js or Python alongside thousands of prebuilt triggers.
Watch out. Aimed at developers; production use starts on a paid plan.
IFTTT
Best for. Simple personal and smart-home automations, and light social or notification flows.
Watch out. Not built for multi-step business processes or CRMs.
Workato
Best for. Enterprise integration and automation with governance, for IT-led programmes.
Watch out. Priced for enterprises; usually beyond a small business budget.
Cloud-based or self-hosted workflow automation?
Cloud platforms run on the vendor's servers: nothing to maintain, pay per use. Self-hosted platforms run on yours: data stays in your environment and volume is no longer billed, but someone has to keep the server healthy.
Choose cloud if
- Nobody on the team wants to manage a server
- Your volume is low to moderate
- You want to start today
Choose self-hosted if
- You run high volumes or long workflows
- Data must stay in your own environment
- You have someone, or a partner, to maintain it
Want the workflows built, not just the platform?
We build and maintain automations on n8n, cloud or self-hosted, in your own accounts, and migrate existing Zapier or Make workflows. Fixed price, scope agreed in writing.
Automation platform questions
What is a no-code automation platform?
Software that connects your apps and runs workflows, such as "when a form is submitted, create the contact, notify the team and send a reply", configured visually instead of programmed.
What is the difference between no-code and low-code automation?
No-code platforms are built to be used without any programming. Low-code platforms are also visual, but let you add code steps, custom logic or self-hosting for complex cases. Many teams start no-code and move to low-code as workflows grow.
Which no-code automation platform is cheapest?
It depends on how you count. For many-step workflows at volume, n8n is usually cheapest because it bills per run, and its Community Edition is free to self-host. For a few simple flows, the free tiers of Zapier, Activepieces or IFTTT can be enough. Plans checked November 11, 2026.
What is cloud-based workflow automation?
Workflow automation that runs on the vendor's servers, so you use it in a browser with nothing to install or maintain. Zapier, Make and Pipedream are cloud-only. n8n and Activepieces can run in the cloud or on your own server.
Can I self-host an automation platform?
Yes. n8n and Activepieces both offer editions you can run on your own server, which keeps data in your environment and removes per-task pricing. You then handle hosting, updates and backups.
Is Power Automate a no-code platform?
It is usually called low-code. Cloud flows are built visually, and it adds desktop automation (RPA) and deep integration with Microsoft 365. It is licensed per user or per bot.