Tools and hiring
n8n vs Make vs Zapier: which is best for a sales team?
Zapier is the easiest to start with and connects to the most apps. Make suits visual, multi-step workflows at a lower price. n8n costs the least at high volume because it bills per workflow run rather than per step, and it can be self-hosted. For a sales team with lots of leads and steps, n8n usually wins on cost.
Callum James, CXJ Labs · Updated 9 November 2026
Side by side (checked 9 November 2026)
| n8n | Make | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | €20/month billed yearly, 2,500 workflow runs | Check make.com/pricing | $19.99/month billed yearly, 750 tasks |
| What you pay for | Each full workflow run, however many steps | Each step (1 operation = 1 credit) | Each completed action step |
| Self-hosting | Yes, free community edition | No | No |
| Apps claimed | 500+, plus any API | Not checked | 9,000+ |
| Best for | High volume, complex flows, AI agents | Visual builders, mid volume | Quick wins, non-technical teams |
Prices change. Check each vendor's pricing page before you buy.
Why the billing unit matters for a sales team
A single lead in a sales workflow can easily touch ten steps: create the contact, tag the source, send a text, send an email, wait, check for a booking, notify a setter, update a sheet and so on. Tools that bill per step charge for all ten. n8n bills that as one run.
At a few hundred leads a month the difference is small. At a few thousand leads, with follow-up sequences running for two weeks each, per-step billing can cost many times more.
How to choose
- 01
Count your volume
Leads per month times the steps each lead goes through. That number decides most of it.
- 02
Check your apps
Make sure your CRM, calendar and payment processor have solid connectors in the tool you pick.
- 03
Decide who maintains it
If nobody technical will look after it, Zapier's simplicity is worth paying for. If someone will, n8n gives you more for less.
Sources
- n8n pricing, n8n
- Credits, Make Help Center
- Zapier pricing, Zapier
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