My take
Zapier vs. Make vs. Power Automate vs. n8n: Which Should a Small Business Use?
Short answer
If your business already runs on Microsoft 365, start with Power Automate, because it’s included. If not, Zapier is the easiest to learn and connects to the most apps. Make costs less once your workflows get longer or busier, if you’re comfortable with a visual builder. n8n is for when you have someone technical and want to host it yourself. Many small businesses never need more than the free tier of the simplest tool that connects their apps.
The four tools at a glance
Prices below were checked in September 2026 and change often. Always confirm on each tool’s pricing page before you commit.
| Tool | Free tier | Paid starts at | Counts usage by | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | 100 tasks a month, two-step automations only | About $20/month billed yearly (Professional) | Tasks: each action that runs | Getting started fast, the widest app list |
| Make | 1,000 credits a month, 2 active scenarios | About $9/month billed yearly (Core, 10,000 credits) | Credits: roughly each step that runs | Longer, branching workflows on a budget |
| Power Automate | Included with most Microsoft 365 business plans (standard connectors) | $15 per user per month (Premium) | Per user license | Businesses that live in Outlook, Teams and SharePoint |
| n8n | Free to self-host (you run the server) | About €20/month billed yearly (Starter, 2,500 runs) | Executions: each full workflow run | Technical teams, high volume, self-hosting |
Pricing pages: Zapier · Make · Power Automate · n8n
The detail that decides your bill: how usage is counted
This is where people get surprised. Zapier counts every action that runs as a task, so a five-step automation that runs 100 times uses about 500 tasks. Make counts credits for steps in a similar way, but includes far more of them for the money. n8n cloud counts one execution per full run, no matter how many steps are inside. Power Automate is licensed per person instead. Before you choose, multiply how many times a month it runs by how many steps it has.
How hard is each one to learn?
- Zapier is a step-by-step list: pick a trigger, add actions. Most owners can build their first automation in an afternoon.
- Make is a visual canvas with bubbles and lines. It handles branches and loops more naturally, but expect a learning curve.
- Power Automate feels familiar if you use Microsoft tools, and has ready-made templates for Outlook, Forms and SharePoint. It gets confusing once you mix in non-Microsoft apps.
- n8n is powerful and developer-friendly. Self-hosting means you are also responsible for updates, backups and security.
My take
Pick the tool that already fits the apps you use, not the one with the most features. If you’re on Microsoft 365, use what you’re already paying for. If you’re not, I usually start owners on Zapier because they can understand and fix it themselves, and I move a workflow to Make when it gets long enough that the bill starts to matter. I only reach for n8n or custom code when volume or data rules demand it. My background is in heavy-duty ETL tools like FME, and the lesson carries over: the best pipeline is the simplest one somebody can maintain.
Check this before you pick any of them
- Does your app already do it? Many form, booking and payment apps send confirmations, reminders and notifications on their own. That’s free automation you may not be using.
- Is there a connector for every app? Search each tool’s app directory for every app in your workflow. One missing connector can rule a tool out.
- What happens when you go over? Some plans pause your automations at the limit; others switch to pay-as-you-go. Know which before a busy month.
- Whose account is it? Set it up under a business email you control, not a contractor’s personal login.
Want the full cost picture, including setup time? Read how much workflow automation costs.
Questions, answered
Is Zapier or Make better for a small business?
Zapier is easier to learn and connects to more apps, so it is usually the better first tool. Make is cheaper for long or busy workflows if you are comfortable with its visual builder.
Is Power Automate free with Microsoft 365?
Most Microsoft 365 business plans include Power Automate for flows that use standard connectors like Outlook, Teams and SharePoint. Premium connectors need a Power Automate Premium license, listed at $15 per user per month as of 2026.
Is n8n free?
The self-hosted community edition of n8n is free software, but you pay for and maintain the server it runs on. n8n’s cloud plans are paid.
What is a Zapier task?
A task is one action that runs successfully, like sending an email or adding a spreadsheet row. A five-step automation that runs once uses about five tasks.
Which automation tool is the cheapest?
For small volumes, the free tiers of Zapier or Make, or Power Automate if you already pay for Microsoft 365. At high volume, Make or self-hosted n8n usually cost the least per run.