If you pay per workflow execution, per user, or per premium app connection, you are not buying automation. You are renting it.
n8n and Zapier both let you connect apps and automate work without writing code. But the cost model, data model, and ceiling for growth are very different. This comparison focuses on what matters to small businesses: price, privacy, and how hard the migration actually is.
Official sources: n8n pricing, Zapier pricing, n8n self-hosting docs, Zapier Trust & Security.
Cost Comparison
| Plan | Zapier | n8n self-hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | ~£19/month | Server cost, from ~£10/month |
| Growth | ~£49/month | Same server cost |
| Team | ~£220/month | Same server cost |
| Enterprise | Custom | Same server cost + managed hosting optional |
With Zapier, every extra task, premium app connection, and user can increase the bill. With self-hosted n8n, the price is mostly fixed: you pay for hosting, not execution volume.
For a small business running 10,000 automations a month, managed n8n hosting from openElara starts at £17/month. That is the kind of gap that changes unit economics.
Data Privacy and Compliance
Zapier runs your workflow data in US cloud infrastructure by default. That is fine for some workflows. It is not fine for customer data, financial records, or anything covered by UK GDPR.
Self-hosted n8n keeps workflow data on your server. You control access, retention, and backup. If a workflow touches client records or payment data, that control is not a luxury. It is a compliance requirement.
UK businesses should also review ICO data protection guidance.
Execution Limits and Growth
Zapier charges by task. Add a new trigger, branch, or app connection and your monthly task usage climbs. At scale, that creates both cost risk and workflow design risk: teams start avoiding useful automations because each one costs money.
n8n self-hosted removes that constraint. You run as many workflows as your server can handle. For most small businesses, that is effectively unlimited.
Reliability and Support
Zapier is reliable, but outages are outside your control. With self-hosted n8n, uptime depends on hosting and maintenance. That sounds like a downside until you consider that managed hosting providers monitor, patch, and backup the instance for you.
What openElara adds:
- Provisioned n8n hosting on UK-friendly infrastructure
- Daily backups and security updates
- Uptime monitoring and alerting
- Consulting for complex workflow design
See our n8n hosting plans or the Business Suite if you want n8n bundled with file sync and CRM.
Migration Path
Moving from Zapier to n8n is not zero effort, but it is also not a rebuild:
- Export your Zapier Zaps as a migration reference.
- Map the most valuable workflows first.
- Rebuild them in n8n using the same triggers and actions.
- Run both systems briefly while validating outputs.
- Switch over once data and error handling match.
Most businesses find the hardest part is not the tooling. It is cleaning up overgrown automation logic that no one fully understands. That is exactly why a SaaS migration engagement usually starts with an audit.
When Zapier Still Makes Sense
Zapier is still useful if:
- You have a tiny automation footprint
- You do not want to maintain any infrastructure
- You are just testing whether automation is worth it
Once you are past that stage, self-hosted n8n is usually cheaper, more private, and more flexible.
Bottom Line
| Factor | Zapier | n8n self-hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Per task/app/user | Fixed hosting |
| Data location | US cloud by default | Your server |
| Execution limits | Yes | No |
| Customisation | Limited | Full |
| Lock-in | High | Low |
For UK small businesses on per-user SaaS, self-hosted n8n is usually the better long-term choice. The question is whether you want to run it yourself or use managed hosting.
View n8n hosting plans or contact us for a free consultation.
Related: Why Self-Host n8n, Hidden Cost of SaaS, SaaS Migration