Switching between Zapier, Make and n8n: a cost-first migration checklist
Moving platforms changes what you are billed for. Recount before you rebuild.
1. Inventory every workflow in numbers
For each workflow write down: runs a month that do work; action steps per run; items per run when it loops; how the trigger starts (instant or polling, and how often it checks); how many workflows are active. These five numbers are all the calculator needs, and they are what each platform bills on.
2. Recount in the destination's unit
The same workflow is a different number on each platform: 32,640 credits on Make, 4,000 executions on n8n and 24,000 tasks on Zapier for the order-sync workflow used throughout these guides (4,000 runs, 6 actions, polling every 5 minutes). Use the calculator for yours.
The unit definitions are explained in workflow automation pricing: credits, tasks and executions, and the same order-sync workflow is costed on Make and n8n in Make vs n8n: what 4,000 orders a month cost.
3. Price the move on one billing basis
| Billing basis | Now: Zapier | After: Make |
|---|---|---|
| Annual billing (12-month commitment) | Professional, $289/mo | Core, $29/mo |
| Monthly billing (no annual commitment) | Professional, $433.50/mo | Core, $34.12/mo |
| Billing basis | Now: Make | After: n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Annual billing (12-month commitment) | Core, $29/mo | Cloud Pro, €50/mo |
| Monthly billing (no annual commitment) | Core, $34.12/mo | Cloud Pro, €60/mo |
| Billing basis | Now: Zapier | After: n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Annual billing (12-month commitment) | Professional, $289/mo | Cloud Pro, €50/mo |
| Monthly billing (no annual commitment) | Professional, $433.50/mo | Cloud Pro, €60/mo |
Currencies are not converted (n8n in euros, Make and Zapier in dollars), so a move to or from n8n cannot be read as “cheaper” or “dearer” from these tables alone.
4. Watch for what changes the count, not just the price
- Steps and loops. Moving to n8n makes steps and loop iterations free inside a run; moving away from it makes each one billable (credits on Make, tasks on Zapier).
- Polling. On Make every check costs a credit; on Zapier checks are free but a faster interval needs a higher plan; on n8n a scheduled workflow counts one execution per interval.
- Free-plan limits. Zapier's free plan allows two-step Zaps only; Make's free plan includes 1,000 credits a month and a 15-minute minimum interval.
- Plan limits you may rely on today. Concurrency, run time and polling interval differ by plan; check them against the plan the table lands on.
5. Move one workflow, run both, then switch
Rebuild the least critical workflow first. Run old and new side by side long enough to compare their outputs on real events, then switch it off on the old platform before you start the next. Keep the old subscription until the last workflow has run cleanly on the new one, then check the old plan's cancellation terms on the vendor's own page.
Editorial opinion
6. After the move: recheck the bill
After the first full month compare the destination's own usage view with your estimate. A difference usually means a loop, a polling interval or an AI step that the inventory did not count.
Editorial opinion
Sources
Nikita Latyshev is the founder of LATYNEX Labs, an independent publication about business software and infrastructure. LATYNEX Labs is published by Latynex Trade OÜ, Estonia. How the site checks facts, handles sponsorship and earns money is described on its methodology, editorial policy and affiliate disclosure pages.