n8n vs Make vs Zapier: Which Automation Platform Is Right for Your Business?
Choosing the right automation platform can save your business thousands of hours and dollars. We've implemented all three for New Zealand businesses — here's our honest comparison.
Best for simplicity
Best for value
Best for power users
Platform Deep Dives
Zapier
The market leader for simplicityThe most popular automation platform with 6,000+ integrations. Best for non-technical users who want quick, simple automations.
Pros
- +Largest app library (6,000+ integrations)
- +Extremely easy to use
- +Excellent documentation
- +Strong reliability and uptime
- +Great for simple workflows
Cons
- −Most expensive per task
- −Limited logic capabilities
- −No self-hosting option
- −Complex workflows become costly
- −Limited data transformation options
Ratings
Make
Visual power at reasonable pricesPreviously Integromat. Offers powerful visual workflow builder with more flexibility than Zapier at lower prices.
Pros
- +Visual workflow builder
- +More affordable than Zapier
- +Advanced logic and branching
- +Good data transformation
- +Strong error handling
Cons
- −Steeper learning curve than Zapier
- −Fewer native integrations
- −No self-hosting option
- −Can be slow for large datasets
- −Documentation not as comprehensive
Ratings
n8n
Developer-friendly and self-hostableOpen-source workflow automation with powerful capabilities. Can be self-hosted or used as cloud service.
Pros
- +Self-hosting option (data sovereignty)
- +Most powerful customisation
- +Free for self-hosted use
- +Active open-source community
- +Code nodes for custom logic
Cons
- −Requires technical knowledge
- −Fewer pre-built integrations
- −Self-hosting needs maintenance
- −Steeper learning curve
- −Less polished UI than competitors
Ratings
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Zapier | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing (Entry) | $29.99/mo | $10.59/mo | Free (self-hosted) |
| Tasks/Operations | 750 tasks | 10,000 ops | Unlimited |
| Native Integrations | 6,000+ | 1,500+ | 400+ |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes |
| Visual Builder | Basic | Advanced | Advanced |
| Code Support | Limited | JavaScript | Full (JS/Python) |
| Error Handling | Basic | Advanced | Advanced |
| Branching Logic | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Learning Curve | Very Easy | Moderate | Steep |
| NZ Support | Community |
Which Should You Choose?
Based on our experience implementing these platforms for NZ businesses, here are our recommendations:
Small business with simple needs
Quick setup, easy to use, reliable. The higher cost is worth it for simplicity.
Growing business with complex workflows
Better value for complex automations. Visual builder handles sophisticated logic well.
Enterprise with data privacy requirements
Self-hosting keeps data in NZ. Full control over infrastructure and compliance.
Technical team building custom integrations
Code nodes and customisation options let developers build exactly what they need.
Marketing team automating campaigns
Best marketing app integrations and easiest for non-technical marketers.
pipehq can implement any of these platforms
We've built hundreds of automations across all three platforms. Whether you choose Zapier, Make, or n8n, our team can design, build, and maintain your automation workflows.