Which Should You Choose?

Choose n8n if: You have technical capacity and want maximum cost control or data sovereignty. Choose Make.com if: You want visual workflow design at a reasonable price point. Choose Zapier if: You're non-technical and prioritize ease over cost for simple use cases.

Yes, if you self-host. The Community edition is completely free with unlimited executions. You pay only for VPS hosting (typically $5-50/month). For cloud hosting, n8n starts at €20/month for 2,500 executions.

Which automation tool is best for beginners?

If you're non-technical, start with Zapier for the gentlest learning curve, or Make.com if you're budget-conscious. Avoid n8n if you're not comfortable with JSON and webhooks.

Can ChatGPT Agent replace Zapier?

No. ChatGPT Agent has strict monthly message limits (40-400), takes 5-30 minutes per task, and isn't available in the EU. Zapier/Make/n8n run workflows in seconds, 24/7.

How much more expensive is Zapier than Make.com?

For equivalent workflows, Zapier typically costs 5-10x more. A 10-step workflow running 1,000 times monthly costs ~$9/month on Make.com vs $250-400/month on Zapier.

Should I use Google Opal for automation?

No. Google Opal is not an automation platform. It's an experimental AI app builder in beta that only connects to Google products.

What's the difference between n8n executions and Zapier tasks?

n8n: Charges per workflow execution. A 10-step workflow = 1 execution. Zapier: Charges per task. A 10-step workflow = 10 tasks. At scale, this compounds dramatically.