If you are weighing up workflow automation tools, three names come up almost every time: Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat) and n8n. All three connect your apps and move data between them without custom code. They differ a lot in how they charge, where your data lives, and how far you can push them before they get awkward.
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This guide is written for Australian businesses, so it covers the things that tend to matter locally: budgeting, data residency, and finding support in your own timezone.
The short answer
- Choose Zapier if you want the fastest setup, your workflows are simple (a trigger, then one to three actions), and the volume is low.
- Choose Make if you need visual branching, loops and data transformation, and you want better value per operation than Zapier at moderate volume.
- Choose n8n if you have complex or high-volume workflows, want to self-host, need your data to stay in Australia, or plan to build AI agent workflows.
Most businesses that outgrow Zapier move to Make or n8n. Few go the other way.
How each one charges
Pricing details change, so check each vendor’s current page before you commit. The model is more useful to understand than a snapshot price.
| Zapier | Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit you pay for | Tasks (each successful action step) | Operations/credits (each module run) | Executions (a whole workflow run) on cloud; no licence fee if self-hosted |
| Cost at scale | Rises quickly with multi-step workflows | Rises more gently | Flat on self-hosted; execution-based on cloud |
| Free option | Limited free tier | Limited free tier | Self-hosted community edition |
The key difference: Zapier and Make count every step, so a ten-step workflow that runs 1,000 times uses roughly ten times the allowance of a one-step workflow. n8n counts one execution per run regardless of step count. For long, branching workflows that is a large difference.
Data residency and privacy
Zapier and Make are hosted services operated overseas. That is fine for plenty of use cases, but if you handle customer records, health information or financial data, think about where that data is processed and stored. Under the Australian Privacy Principles, sending personal information offshore carries responsibilities, notably APP 8 on cross-border disclosure.
n8n can be self-hosted on infrastructure you control, including an Australian cloud region. That gives you a clear answer when a client or auditor asks where the data goes. It is one of the main reasons privacy-conscious businesses choose it. Note that n8n is distributed under a “fair-code” licence rather than a traditional open-source one, so read its terms if you plan to embed it in a product you sell.
Complexity: where each tool starts to strain
Zapier shines at linear flows. Branching, looping over lists and heavy data reshaping are possible but clumsy, and each extra step costs tasks.
Make has a visual canvas that makes branching, routers, iterators and aggregators natural. It is a good middle ground and often the best value for teams building their first serious automations.
n8n is the most flexible. You can drop in JavaScript or Python for custom logic, call any HTTP API, run sub-workflows, and build AI agents with memory and tool use. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and, if self-hosted, someone has to look after the server, updates and backups.
When to move from Zapier to n8n or Make
Common signals:
- Your monthly bill is climbing faster than the value you get.
- Workflows have grown to eight or more steps with lots of paths.
- You need to keep data in Australia.
- You want AI steps (classification, summarisation, extraction) inside the workflow.
- You are working around platform limits with awkward hacks.
A migration does not have to be a big bang. Rebuild the most expensive or most fragile workflows first, run old and new in parallel for a week, then switch over.
A rough decision guide
- Fewer than ten simple automations, non-technical team: Zapier.
- Growing library of workflows, moderate technical comfort, want value: Make.
- Complex logic, AI agents, privacy requirements or high volume, and someone to maintain it (in-house or a partner): n8n.
Need help choosing or migrating?
Digitanova designs and builds automation across all three platforms, including self-hosted n8n and AI-assisted workflows. If you run an MSP, see how we work with MSPs to deliver this for your own clients. For an honest recommendation for your situation, see our AI and LLM systems services or get in touch for a free consultation. You may also like what business automation costs in Australia.