n8n vs Zapier vs Make.com: Why I Self-Host 218 Workflows

Let me save you months of research. I've built production workflows on all three platforms. Here's the truth.

The Cost Reality: Zapier pricing: 218 workflows with multi-step zaps = $600-800/month. Make.com: $300-400/month with operations limits. Self-hosted n8n: $10/month on a Hostinger VPS. Same workflows, same reliability, 50x cheaper.

When to Use Zapier: Your team is non-technical. You need it working in 10 minutes. You have fewer than 20 workflows. You're OK paying premium for simplicity. Zapier's app directory is unmatched — 6,000+ integrations with zero setup.

When to Use Make.com: You need visual workflow builders with complex branching. Your team is semi-technical. Budget is moderate. Make's scenario editor is genuinely the best visual builder — better than both Zapier and n8n for complex conditional logic.

When to Self-Host n8n: You're technical (or have someone who is). You need 50+ workflows. You want full control over data. You use custom API integrations. You want to run AI/LLM workflows without per-execution pricing.

My n8n Architecture: Docker compose with PostgreSQL for workflow state. Nginx reverse proxy with SSL. Cloudflare for DNS and DDoS protection. Telegram bot for error alerts — every failed execution pings me within seconds.

The AI Workflow Advantage: This is where n8n destroys the competition. On Zapier, calling an OpenAI API costs you a task per execution. On n8n, it's just an HTTP request — no extra cost. When you're running 200+ AI-powered workflows daily, this alone saves hundreds per month.

The Honest Downsides of Self-Hosting: You're the ops team. Server goes down at 2 AM? That's your problem. Updates require Docker pulls and testing. No customer support — just the community forum. If you're not comfortable with Linux basics, don't self-host.

My Recommendation: Start with Make.com if you're exploring automation. Move to self-hosted n8n when you hit 30+ workflows or need AI integrations. Skip Zapier unless simplicity is your #1 priority and budget doesn't matter.