3 best automation tools on the market: Zapier vs n8n vs Make

The no-code space is booming now, but what are the best automation tools to choose for your next project?

Here is my take on the top 3.

#3 Zapier, @zapier

The easiest to learn and most mature option on the list, will be suitable for anyone who is just starting out with automation. Free plan available with 100 tasks, paid plans start at 20$ / month.

Pros:

• Largest library of 5,000+ out-of-the-box integrations

• The most straight-forward interface

• Lots of tutorials and resources on the web

• Easiest to find consulting help, Zapier has become a household name

• Has custom JS and Python code steps

Cons:

• The interface sacrifices on flexibility and speed of development

• Data manipulation can be tricky

• Higher tasks usage compared to other platforms (no inline functions)

• The most expensive, 10,000 tasks will cost you 130$ for annual pricing or 194$ for monthly

#2 n8n, @n8n_io

The most technically advanced solution on the list. Will be a great choice for someone who is comfortable working with code or wants to self-host the solution. Can be used for free if you host it on your servers, paid cloud plans start at 20$ / month.

Pros:

• The most powerful solution on the list

• Easy data manipulation, including test data

• Custom JS code step

• Open source and can be hosted on your servers

• Affordable pricing, 5,000 workflow executions will cost you 20$ / month (different model compared to others)

Cons:

• Lowest number of out-of-the-box integrations, just 360+

• The interface is easy to use, but not as smooth as that of Make

• May be harder to learn compared to other tools on the list

#1 Make (previously Integromat), @make_hq

The best overall solution on the list, balancing ease-of-use with technical complexity. Free plan available with 1,000 tasks, paid plans start at 11$ / month.

Pros:

• The smoothest interface

• Inline functions, ability to copy & paste, rearrange steps

• A good number of out-of-the-box integrations, 1,200+ apps

• Affordable pricing, 10,000 tasks will cost you 16$ for annual pricing or 19$ for monthly, almost 10x less than Zapier

Cons:

• No custom code steps

• No easy way to modify test data

• Can be harder to get a grasp of compared to Zapier

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