n8n vs Make vs Zapier: Which Automation Platform Actually Scales?

Most "n8n vs Make vs Zapier" posts are written by affiliates. This one isn't. We use all three in production for clients, and we've been burned by each one in different ways.

Here's what actually matters when you're picking the platform that will run your business workflows in two years — not just the one that looks easiest in a demo.

The honest one-line summary

Zapier is the easiest to start with and the most expensive to scale with. Make is the cheapest at scale and has the prettiest interface. n8n is the most powerful and the most flexible — pick it if you can self-host or if your workflows need real branching, custom code, and integrations with internal APIs.

[Paste full content from 04_blog/post2_EN_n8n_vs_make_vs_zapier.md here — sections: What "scales" actually means, Pricing breakdown, Vendor lock-in, Workflow complexity, When each one is the right call.]

The bottom line

If you're stuck choosing, book a 30-min consultation and we'll map your top 5 workflows to the platform that actually fits.