Automaten8n, Zapier, Make
n8n vs Zapier vs Make: which automation tool in 2026?
I ran one workflow through n8n, Zapier, and Make. The winner isn't about features, it's about how each one bills you. The 2026 math.
Eva
Make
What Makecosts, what you get without paying, and the limits, verified against the vendor’s own pages, plus the one-day projects it shows up in.
Visit Make ↗Has a free tier · paid from ~$9-12 per month · Verified July 2026 · No one-day test yet: these are verified facts, not a review.
What Make actually is
- A visual scenario editor with branching logic (routers, filters), richer than a linear Zap
- Over 2,000 app integrations plus a generic HTTP/JSON module for any other API
- Switched from 'operations' to 'credits' as the unit of consumption on 27 August 2025
- A standard module run costs 1 credit; AI features and code execution cost more
- AI modules drop an LLM step (summarize, classify) straight into a scenario
Limits and catches
- The Free plan enforces a 15 minute minimum scheduling interval, so no near-realtime triggers without paying
- Under the credit model, AI and code steps burn more than 1 credit each, so AI-heavy scenarios run dry sooner
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier for absolute beginners, because you assemble the scenario visually
- Prices and credit allowances change periodically (the credit switch was recent), so check current pricing
What does Make cost?
The Free plan is permanently free: 1,000 credits per month across 2 active scenarios, with a minimum of 15 minutes between runs. Room enough for a first automation you build visually.
| Tier | Price | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | per month |
| Core | ~$9-12 | per month |
| Pro | ~$21 | per month |
| Teams | ~$29-38 | per month |
| Enterprise | custom | per year |
Prices verified July 2026, we re-check every 60 days.
Where Make shows up in our work
Automatean afternoon · Zapier, Make, Claude, n8n
How to Automate Your Work With AI: Where to Start
Automating your work with AI starts with one boring task, not your whole job. How to pick it, choose a tool, and set it up in an afternoon.
Eva