Is the picker neutral?

We are an n8n Select Partner, so we say so. The scores come from the answers above and the published pricing models of each platform, and the picker recommends Make or Zapier whenever they fit your answers better.

How does each platform bill?

From the official pricing pages, checked on 4 October 2026: n8n bills per workflow execution regardless of the number of steps, Make bills in credits, and Zapier bills per task, where each successful step uses one task.

Which platforms can run on our own servers?

n8n has a self-hosted Community Edition. Make and Zapier run as cloud services hosted by the vendor.

Can we switch platforms later?

Yes, but workflows do not transfer automatically. Each platform has its own format, so a move means rebuilding and retesting each workflow. Picking on your real volumes and data rules first saves that work.

Resources / AI Agent Platform Comparison

n8n vs Zapier vs Sim, and the AI Agent Platforms Beyond Them

Eight platforms compared: n8n, Zapier, Power Automate, Sim, Relevance AI, Lindy, Copilot Studio and Microsoft Foundry. Pick the job you need done, move the sliders to match your priorities, and the shortlist reorders as you go.

1. What do you need to build?

2. What matters most?

Your priorities

Self-host, or control where it runsVendor cloud is fineMust self-host

Business users build it themselvesDevelopers build itBusiness users build it

Custom code and full controlNot neededEssential

Low cost at high volumeLow volumeMillions of runs

Depth of AI and agentsA few AI stepsAutonomous agents

Fit with Microsoft 365 and AzureNot relevantWe run on Microsoft

Best fit right now

No-code agentsEngineered agentsNo-code deterministicEngineered deterministic

Business users buildDevelopers build

Dashed ring: can be self-hosted

3. Side by side

The Facts, Platform by Platform

YesPartly or higher plansNoNot stated

Your top three are highlighted once you pick a job or move a slider. Tap a platform name to mark its column. Prices are in US dollars except where a vendor lists another currency. Facts come from each vendor's own pricing, documentation and trust pages, checked 4 October 2026. Map positions and slider scores are our judgment. We are an n8n Select Partner.

Method

How the Ranking Works

What it weighs

We score each platform 1 to 5 on the six priorities. Your sliders set how much each one counts.
The job you pick scales the result: a platform built for that job keeps its full score, one that isn't drops sharply.
Self-hosting leads the list because it decides where your data can live.
Hide any platform and the ranking recalculates without it.

Sources

Every fact in the table links to the vendor's pricing, documentation or trust page.
Prices are in US dollars unless the vendor lists another currency.
Checked 4 October 2026. Plans and prices change, so confirm them with the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions About This Tool

Is this comparison neutral?

We are an n8n Select Partner, and n8n carries a Partner tag on the page. Every fact links to the vendor's own pricing, documentation or trust page. The map positions and scores are our judgment, and the ranking puts another platform first whenever your answers fit it better.

What is the difference between deterministic AI workflows and AI agents?

A deterministic workflow runs the same defined steps every time, with AI inside some of those steps, so you can test and audit every run. An agent picks its own next step from a goal and the tools you give it. That suits open-ended work such as researching leads, but every run can differ.

Which platforms can we self-host?

n8n and Sim. n8n's Community Edition is free to self-host and its Enterprise plan supports air-gapped installs. Sim is open source under the Apache 2.0 license. Self-hosting lets you run either one on your own servers or in any US cloud region. Microsoft Foundry's Standard setup keeps agent data in your own Azure resources.

How current are the prices?

We check every fact against the vendor's own pages once a month, and the date of the last check sits under the table. Most enterprise plans are quoted on request, so confirm the price with the vendor before you buy.

Keep going

Related Tools and Pages

Servicen8n agencyWorkflows and agents built in n8n by an n8n Select Partner.ToolAI Agent Cost EstimatorMonthly model cost for an agent, compared across nine models.ToolAutomation ROI CalculatorPayback month and 3-year return on an automation, from your own quote.

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