Alternatives
Best Zapier Alternatives for Agencies (2026)
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Zapier is a solid choice, but it does not fit every agency. Make: Visual automation builder with credit-based pricing. n8n: Fair-code workflow automation you can self-host. Prices and ratings below were checked in October 2026.
What are the best Zapier alternatives for agencies in 2026?
Zapier is the easiest to adopt, but costs climb with task volume, security detail was not available, and it cannot be self-hosted.
We compared each option with Zapier on price, power, and public ratings, so you can see what you would gain and give up by switching. Estimate your monthly runs first.
The two alternatives below are the usual comparisons: a visual builder for complex logic and a self-hostable tool for technical teams.
The shortlist is Make, n8n. The table puts them next to Zapier.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Free for 100 tasks a month. Professional from $19.99 and Team from $69 a month on yearly billing (the page says yearly saves 33%); Enterprise is quoted. | Individuals to enterprises |
| Make | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.6 | Free for 1,000 credits a month. At 10,000 credits a month on annual billing, Core costs $12, Pro $21 and Teams $38 a month; Enterprise is custom. | Individuals to enterprises |
| n8n | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.7 | Starter $20, Pro $50 and Business $800 a month on annual billing; Enterprise is quoted. A free self-hosted edition is available on GitHub. | Small teams to enterprises |
Why do agencies look for Zapier alternatives?
Agencies usually look beyond Zapier for lower cost at volume, branching logic, or self-hosting.
Others want stated security audits or unlimited users at a flat price.
A fair test is to take your three most valuable automations, such as client onboarding, lead routing, and monthly reporting, and rebuild each in a free plan. Note how long each took, how many runs it used, and how easy it was to hand to a colleague.
Think about maintenance as well as setup. Automations break when apps change their APIs or when someone edits a connected account, so check how each tool shows errors, retries failed runs, and alerts you. For an agency, a broken automation is a missed deadline for a client.
Finally, look at how each tool handles client separation. Decide whether each client gets their own account, workspace, or project, and who owns the connections, since moving that setup later is slow and easy to get wrong.
Cost behaves differently in each tool, so model it before you switch. Zapier counts every step as a task, Make counts credits per module action, and n8n counts one execution per workflow run. A five-step automation that runs ten thousand times a month can land in very different price tiers depending on the tool.
Security and compliance also deserve a check. Some clients ask where data is processed, who can see connected accounts, and how credentials are stored. Ask each vendor for its latest security documents, and keep a short record of which client data flows through which automation.
Do not underestimate the value of support and community. A large library of templates and tutorials shortens setup time, while a forum or paid support plan decides how quickly you recover when something fails. Weigh these alongside price when you shortlist.
Common limitations of Zapier
- Prices rise with the monthly task tier and the listed prices are starting prices at the lowest tier.
- Free is limited to two-step Zaps and 100 tasks.
- Team starts at $69 a month and is needed for shared workspaces and SSO.
- Security certifications and mobile apps were not stated; client-specific app connections were not described.
Is Make a good Zapier alternative for agencies?
Make costs less per run, handles branching with routers and filters, and offers unlimited users and SOC 2 Type II evidence. It has fewer apps and a steeper learning curve.
Make is a visual automation platform with a drag-and-drop scenario builder, more than 3,500 apps, routers and filters, AI agents and an MCP server. It has a free plan and Core, Pro and Teams plans priced by monthly credits, with unlimited users on every plan.
Who it suits: Agencies that build complex, branching automations for clients and want visual control at a low cost per run.
Make pros
- Core from $12 a month for 10,000 credits on annual billing.
- Unlimited users and organization-level sharing on every plan.
- SOC 2 Type II, a public SOC 3 report and an ISO 27001 enterprise program; 2FA on every plan.
- More than 3,500 apps, routers, filters and AI agents.
Make cons
- Prices are shown for the 10,000-credit tier on annual billing and rise with credits; monthly prices were not stated.
- Free allows 1,000 credits a month and a 15-minute minimum interval.
- Teams and team roles start at $38 a month.
- Mobile apps were not stated, and data is hosted in the EU or North America only.
Is n8n a good Zapier alternative for agencies?
n8n counts whole workflow runs, includes every integration, and can be self-hosted. It needs technical skill and has forum support until Enterprise.
n8n is a workflow automation platform with a visual builder, AI agent and MCP nodes, and the option to self-host. Cloud plans are priced by monthly workflow executions, with unlimited steps per workflow and every integration included on every plan.
Who it suits: Technical agencies that build complex automations and want self-hosting, execution-based pricing and version control.
n8n pros
- Executions are counted per workflow run regardless of steps, starting at $20 a month for 2.5K executions on annual billing.
- All integrations are included on every plan.
- A self-hosted version is available on GitHub, and hosted data is stored in Frankfurt.
- Business adds SSO and LDAP, multiple environments and Git version control.
n8n cons
- Business costs $800 a month and is self-hosted only.
- Starter has 1 shared project and Pro 3.
- SOC 2, GDPR and an integration count were not stated on the pages checked.
- Enforced 2FA is Enterprise only, and dedicated support is Enterprise only.
What is the quick verdict on each Zapier alternative?
If you only have a minute, this table gives our verdict on each alternative to Zapier, based on the research above.
| Tool | Verdict | Editorial score |
|---|---|---|
| Make | A powerful, low-cost visual automation tool with unlimited users, SOC 2 Type II and an ISO 27001 enterprise program. Credit counting takes learning, higher plans need contact for large volumes, and a mobile app was not stated. | 4.4 / 5 |
| n8n | A strong value for technical teams, since pricing counts whole workflow runs rather than steps and all integrations are included. It needs more technical skill than Zapier, the Business plan is expensive and self-hosted only, and SOC 2 and GDPR status were not stated on the pages checked. | 4.4 / 5 |
How much do Zapier and its alternatives cost?
Zapier Professional starts from $19.99 a month on yearly billing. Make Core costs $12 a month at 10,000 credits on annual billing, and n8n Starter costs $20 a month for 2,500 executions.
| Tool | Pricing summary |
|---|---|
| Zapier | Free for 100 tasks a month. Professional from $19.99 and Team from $69 a month on yearly billing (the page says yearly saves 33%); Enterprise is quoted. |
| Make | Free for 1,000 credits a month. At 10,000 credits a month on annual billing, Core costs $12, Pro $21 and Teams $38 a month; Enterprise is custom. |
| n8n | Starter $20, Pro $50 and Business $800 a month on annual billing; Enterprise is quoted. A free self-hosted edition is available on GitHub. |
What do reviewers say about Zapier and its alternatives?
Review-site scores are a useful signal for how happy teams are after the first few months. They are snapshots from October 2026, and review counts differ widely between tools.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | G2 | 4.5 / 5 | 2,088 |
| Make | G2 | 4.6 / 5 | 376 |
| n8n | G2 | 4.7 / 5 | 319 |
Which Zapier alternative suits which kind of agency?
The right pick depends mostly on team size, how clients interact with the tool, and whether you need money data. This table maps common situations to a recommendation.
| Agency situation | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Complex logic | Make | Branching at a low cost. |
| Technical teams | n8n | Self-hosting and version control. |
| Simple needs | Zapier | Stay for ease and coverage. |
How hard is it to switch away from Zapier?
List your Zaps and their triggers before you leave. Automations need rebuilding by hand in another tool.
Rebuild the highest-value automations first and test them against live data.
Run old and new in parallel for a week before you switch the old ones off.
Before you leave Zapier
- List active Zaps and apps.
- Check app coverage in the new tool.
- Estimate monthly runs.
- Document each automation.
- Run both in parallel.
How do you choose the right Zapier alternative?
Decide how technical your team is.
Compare cost at your real monthly volume.
A quick decision guide
- Choose Make for complex logic at a lower cost.
- Choose n8n for self-hosting and execution-based pricing.
- Stay with Zapier for the widest app coverage and simplicity.
- Rebuild one automation in each before you decide.
- Compare cost at your monthly volume.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best Zapier alternative?
- Make for complex logic at lower cost, and n8n for self-hosting and technical teams.
- Why do agencies look beyond Zapier?
- Costs that climb with task volume, and no self-hosting option.
- Which alternative is cheapest?
- n8n self-hosted is free, and Make is low cost per run.
- Which alternative can be self-hosted?
- n8n.
- Does Zapier have a free plan?
- Yes, for 100 tasks a month.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Zapier pricing page
- Make pricing page
- n8n pricing page