# Zapier vs n8n cost: tasks vs executions

> Source: https://workflowexit.com/zapier-vs-n8n-cost · Updated 2026-10-17

Zapier and n8n meter different things. **Zapier counts a task each time an action step runs.** **n8n Cloud counts one execution each time a workflow runs**, however many steps it has. A Zap with one trigger and five actions uses five tasks per run on Zapier and one execution on n8n. The longer your Zaps and the more often they run, the bigger the gap.

This page shows the arithmetic, the prices as of October 2026, what self-hosting changes, and the cases where Zapier is still the better deal. A [cost calculator](/zapier-n8n-cost-calculator) does the same sums for your numbers.

## How each one counts

| | Zapier | n8n Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Billing unit | Task | Execution |
| What counts | Each action step that runs ([What is a task](https://zapier.com/blog/what-is-a-task-in-zapier/)) | Each workflow run, whatever its length |
| Steps per workflow | Free plan: two-step Zaps only | Unlimited steps and workflows on every plan ([n8n pricing change](https://community.n8n.io/t/new-plan-no-active-workflow-limits-introducing-n8n-new-pricing/163840)) |
| AI steps | AI by Zapier: 1x, 3x (default) or 5x by model tier | Your own API key, billed by the AI provider |
| Going over the limit | Overage billed at 1.25x on annual plans and 2.5x on monthly plans, capped at 3x the plan limit | Upgrade to a higher plan |

Zapier's general rule is that the trigger starts the run and the action steps that run use tasks. The exact rules for built-in steps (Filters, Paths, Formatter and others) are in Zapier's [task article](https://zapier.com/blog/what-is-a-task-in-zapier/); check it against the task usage of your own Zaps.

Steps that run more than once per run use more than one task. Looping by Zapier repeats the steps inside the loop, and every repeat counts. One Zapier user wrote in August 2026: "I have an 8 step zap that is consuming 48 tasks" ([Zapier community](https://community.zapier.com/troubleshooting-99/issues-with-task-consumption-in-zapier-automation-steps-53736)). In n8n, a loop inside a workflow is still one execution.

## Prices as of October 2026

| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Zapier Free | $0 | Two-step Zaps only |
| Zapier Professional | $19.99/month billed annually, $29.99 monthly | 750 tasks a month |
| Zapier Team | $69/month billed annually, $103.50 monthly | 2,000 tasks a month |
| n8n Cloud Starter | €20/month billed annually | 2,500 executions a month |
| n8n Cloud Pro | €50/month billed annually | 10,000 executions a month |
| n8n Community Edition (self-hosted) | Free for internal business purposes | No execution limit from n8n; you pay for the server |

Sources: [Zapier pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing), [n8n pricing](https://n8n.io/pricing/). Both companies offer higher tiers. Zapier sells larger task allowances on each plan at higher prices. Check both pages for the price at your volume and the billing period you would pick.

## Worked example: a 6-step Zap that runs 1,000 times a month

Take a typical lead Zap: a form submission triggers it, then five app actions run every time. A search finds the contact in the CRM, a create step adds the deal, a Google Sheets step logs the row, a Slack step posts a message and a Gmail step emails the lead. The example uses only app actions, because some of Zapier's built-in steps follow their own counting rules.

**Zapier**

- Tasks per run: 5 (the five actions; the trigger isn't an action)
- Runs per month: 1,000
- Tasks per month: 5 × 1,000 = **5,000**

5,000 tasks is more than the base allowance of Professional (750) or Team (2,000). You would need a larger task tier, or pay overage on top of the plan.

**n8n Cloud**

- Executions per run: 1
- Runs per month: 1,000
- Executions per month: **1,000**

That fits in Starter's 2,500 executions with room for a second workflow of the same size.

### The same Zap with an AI step

Now let an AI by Zapier step write the Gmail message instead of a fixed template. Add it before the Gmail step and drop the Slack step, so there are still five actions. On the default Advanced tier the AI step counts 3x ([AI by Zapier pricing](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/46597632373389-AI-by-Zapier-new-model-based-pricing-starting-June-15-2026)):

- Tasks per run: 4 ordinary actions + 3 for the AI step = **7**
- Tasks per month: 7 × 1,000 = **7,000**

On n8n it is still 1,000 executions. The AI call now goes to OpenAI (or another provider) with your own API key, and you pay the provider for the tokens. For short emails that is usually small, but it is not zero. Count it.

### When the gap grows

Roughly, tasks per execution equals the number of action steps that run per run (with Paths, only the steps in the branches that run). A 2-step Zap (trigger plus one action) uses one task per run, the same count as n8n executions, so the price per unit decides. A 10-action Zap uses ten times as many tasks as n8n executions, and a Zap with a loop over 20 line items can use far more.

Use the [cost calculator](/zapier-n8n-cost-calculator) with your own runs and step counts, and check the result against the task usage Zapier reports for your account.

## Self-hosting n8n

The n8n Community Edition is free for internal business purposes and has no execution limit from n8n. What you pay instead:

- **A server.** A small VPS runs n8n for light workloads. Heavy workloads with many parallel runs need more memory and a separate database.
- **Your time.** Updates, backups, monitoring, SSL and security patches are yours. If nobody on the team is comfortable with that, n8n Cloud is the safer choice.
- **Licence.** The free Community Edition is for internal business use. n8n added a paid self-hosted Business plan in August 2025; check [n8n pricing](https://n8n.io/pricing/) for what it adds and costs.

Self-hosting also changes what Code steps can do. On n8n Cloud, the Code node can only import `crypto` and `moment`. Self-hosted, you can allow external npm modules with `NODE_FUNCTION_ALLOW_EXTERNAL`. If your Zaps use Code by Zapier with packages, that matters. See the [Code by Zapier section](/zapier-paths-formatter-code-to-n8n) of our built-in steps guide.

## Where Zapier is still the better deal

Be honest about these before you move:

- **App coverage.** Zapier lists over 9,000 apps; n8n has over 1,000 integrations. n8n's HTTP Request node can call any API, but you set it up yourself. If your Zaps depend on niche apps with no n8n node, budget extra time.
- **Small usage.** A few two-step Zaps on Zapier Free cost nothing. Moving them saves no money.
- **Non-technical owners.** Zapier's editor is simpler. n8n expressions, items and the Code node assume a little JavaScript. If the people who maintain the Zaps don't write code, factor in learning time.
- **Migration time.** Every Zap has to be rebuilt or converted, every account reconnected and every workflow tested. A one-time cost, but a real one.

## A quick way to decide

1. Add up your monthly tasks from Zapier's usage page.
2. Count your Zap runs per month. That number is roughly your n8n executions.
3. Compare the Zapier plan you need with the n8n plan that covers your executions, using the [calculator](/zapier-n8n-cost-calculator).
4. Add the one-time migration effort. [Export your Zaps](/export-zapier-zaps) and drop the file into the [free report](/zapier-to-n8n), which estimates it per Zap.

If the savings beat the effort within a few months, move. If not, stay on Zapier and check again when your usage grows.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between a Zapier task and an n8n execution?

Zapier counts a task each time an action step runs, so a Zap with five actions uses five tasks per run. n8n Cloud counts one execution each time a workflow runs, however many steps it has.

### Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?

For Zaps with many steps or many runs, usually yes, because n8n doesn't charge per step. For a few short Zaps that run rarely, Zapier's Free or Professional plan can cost the same or less, and it may not be worth the move.

### Do AI by Zapier steps cost more tasks?

Yes. Since June 15, 2026, AI by Zapier steps are priced by model tier: Standard 1x, Advanced 3x (the default) and Premium 5x. In n8n you call the model with your own API key and pay the provider directly.

### Is self-hosted n8n free?

The Community Edition is free for internal business purposes. You still pay for the server and for the time to keep it updated, backed up and secure.

### Does moving to n8n cost anything besides the subscription?

Yes: the time to rebuild or convert your Zaps, reconnect accounts and test them. The free report estimates that effort for each Zap.