N8N vs Make vs Zapier: Which Automation Tool is Right for Your UK Business?
In today’s fast-paced business environment, automation has become essential for UK companies looking to streamline operations, reduce costs, and stay competitive. According to McKinsey research, businesses that embrace automation can reduce operational costs by up to 30% whilst significantly improving productivity.
But with so many workflow automation tools available, choosing the right platform can be overwhelming. Three solutions consistently rise to the top: n8n, Make (formerly Integromat), and Zapier. Each offers distinct advantages depending on your business size, technical expertise, and specific requirements.
This comprehensive comparison will help you understand the key differences between these popular automation tools and guide you toward the best choice for your UK business needs.
Understanding Workflow Automation Tools
Before diving into our n8n comparison with Make and Zapier, it is important to understand what these platforms actually do. Workflow automation tools connect your various business applications and automate repetitive tasks without requiring extensive coding knowledge.
For example, you might automatically:
- Add new email subscribers to your CRM system
- Create invoices when deals close in your sales pipeline
- Send Slack notifications when important emails arrive
- Update spreadsheets when form submissions occur
- Post social media content across multiple platforms simultaneously
The UK Government’s research on automation indicates that British SMEs implementing workflow automation report average time savings of 15-20 hours per week, which translates to significant cost reductions and improved employee satisfaction.
Zapier: The Market Leader
Overview and Key Features
Zapier is the most widely recognised automation platform, boasting over 6,000 app integrations and serving more than 2.2 million businesses worldwide. Founded in 2011, it has established itself as the go-to solution for businesses seeking straightforward automation without technical complexity.
Key strengths of Zapier include:
- Extensive app library with 6,000+ integrations
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface suitable for beginners
- Excellent documentation and customer support
- Strong reliability and uptime track record
- Pre-built templates for common workflows
Pricing Structure
Zapier operates on a tiered pricing model based on the number of tasks (individual automation steps) you execute monthly:
- Free Plan: 100 tasks per month, 5 Zaps
- Starter: From 14.49 GBP per month (750 tasks)
- Professional: From 36.29 GBP per month (2,000 tasks)
- Team: From 54.49 GBP per month (shared workspace features)
- Company: Custom pricing for enterprise needs
Best Suited For
Zapier is ideal for UK businesses that prioritise ease of use over advanced functionality. It works exceptionally well for small teams without dedicated technical staff who need to quickly connect popular applications like Google Workspace, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Xero.
Make (Formerly Integromat): The Visual Powerhouse
Overview and Key Features
Make, rebranded from Integromat in 2022, offers a more sophisticated approach to automation with its visual scenario builder. According to Gartner, Make has seen 150% growth in enterprise adoption over the past two years, largely due to its powerful features at competitive price points.
Key strengths of Make include:
- Visual drag-and-drop workflow builder
- Advanced data transformation capabilities
- More operations per pound compared to Zapier
- Complex branching and conditional logic
- Real-time execution monitoring
- 1,500+ app integrations
Pricing Structure
Make uses an operations-based pricing model, where one operation equals one action within your workflow:
- Free Plan: 1,000 operations per month
- Core: From 7.39 GBP per month (10,000 operations)
- Pro: From 14.07 GBP per month (10,000 operations with advanced features)
- Teams: From 25.93 GBP per month (collaboration features)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Best Suited For
Make vs Zapier comparisons often favour Make for businesses requiring complex, multi-step automations with conditional logic. UK companies with some technical proficiency who want more control over their workflows at a lower cost will find Make particularly attractive.
n8n: The Open-Source Alternative
Overview and Key Features
n8n represents a fundamentally different approach to workflow automation. As an open-source, self-hostable platform, it gives businesses complete control over their data and infrastructure. This is particularly relevant for UK businesses concerned about GDPR compliance and data sovereignty.
Key strengths of n8n include:
- Self-hosted option for complete data control
- No per-execution pricing limits
- 400+ integrations with custom node capability
- Full access to source code
- Active community and regular updates
- JavaScript/Python code integration
Pricing Structure
n8n offers both self-hosted and cloud options:
- Self-Hosted: Free (you cover hosting costs)
- n8n Cloud Starter: From 16 GBP per month
- n8n Cloud Pro: From 40 GBP per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with dedicated support
Best Suited For
The n8n comparison often highlights its appeal to technically-minded teams, agencies, and businesses with strict data privacy requirements. UK companies in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, or legal services may find n8n particularly attractive due to its self-hosting capabilities.
Head-to-Head Comparison for UK Businesses
Ease of Use
Zapier leads in user-friendliness with its straightforward trigger-action setup. Most users can create their first automation within minutes without any training.
Make has a steeper learning curve but offers visual workflow mapping that many users find intuitive once mastered. The visual approach helps when designing complex processes.
n8n requires the most technical knowledge, particularly for self-hosted deployments. However, developers and technical users often prefer its flexibility and coding capabilities.
Integration Ecosystem
For UK businesses using popular tools like Xero, FreeAgent, Sage, or UK-specific CRM systems, integration availability is crucial:
- Zapier: 6,000+ integrations, excellent UK accounting software support
- Make: 1,500+ integrations with strong coverage of business tools
- n8n: 400+ built-in integrations plus unlimited custom options
Data Security and GDPR Compliance
Post-Brexit, UK businesses must carefully consider where their data is processed. According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), organisations remain responsible for ensuring third-party processors meet UK GDPR requirements.
n8n offers the strongest position here with self-hosting, keeping all data within your own infrastructure. Both Zapier and Make offer GDPR-compliant cloud solutions, but data does flow through their servers.
Cost Effectiveness
For high-volume automation needs, the pricing differences become substantial:
A UK business running 50,000 operations monthly might pay:
- Zapier: Approximately 200-400 GBP per month
- Make: Approximately 40-80 GBP per month
- n8n (self-hosted): Server costs only (typically 10-30 GBP per month)
Industry-Specific Considerations for UK Businesses
E-commerce and Retail
UK e-commerce businesses benefit from automation tools that integrate with Shopify, WooCommerce, and UK payment processors. Make and Zapier both offer robust e-commerce integrations, whilst n8n provides flexibility for custom marketplace connections.
Professional Services
Law firms, accountancies, and consultancies in the UK often require strict data controls. n8n’s self-hosting capability makes it particularly suitable for firms handling sensitive client information subject to professional regulatory requirements.
Marketing Agencies
Agencies managing multiple client accounts typically favour Make for its visual scenario builder and cost-effective high-volume processing. The ability to create complex, multi-branch workflows suits the varied needs of different clients.
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
Selecting between these automation tools UK businesses use most frequently depends on several factors:
Choose Zapier if:
- You need maximum app compatibility
- Simplicity is your top priority
- You have limited technical resources
- You are willing to pay premium prices for convenience
Choose Make if:
- You need complex, visual workflows
- Cost efficiency matters for high-volume automation
- You want advanced data manipulation features
- Your team has moderate technical abilities
Choose n8n if:
- Data sovereignty and security are paramount
- You have technical resources to manage self-hosting
- You need unlimited executions without scaling costs
- You want the flexibility to create custom integrations
How Kaizen AI Consulting Can Help
Implementing workflow automation effectively requires more than just selecting a platform. At Kaizen AI Consulting, we specialise in helping UK businesses identify automation opportunities, select appropriate tools, and implement solutions that deliver measurable ROI.
Our team has extensive experience with all three platforms and can help you:
- Audit your current processes to identify automation opportunities
- Recommend the most suitable platform for your specific needs
- Design and build custom automation workflows
- Provide training for your team to maintain and expand automations
- Ensure GDPR compliance throughout your automation infrastructure
Whether you are just starting your automation journey or looking to optimise existing workflows, our consultants can guide you through the entire process. We understand that every UK business has unique requirements, and we tailor our recommendations accordingly.
Getting Started with Business Automation
The workflow software comparison above should give you a solid foundation for evaluating these platforms. However, the best way to determine which tool suits your business is through hands-on testing and expert guidance.
All three platforms offer free tiers or trials, allowing you to experiment before committing. We recommend starting with a simple, high-impact automation to prove value before scaling up.
Ready to transform your business operations with intelligent automation? Contact Kaizen AI Consulting today for a free consultation. Our UK-based team will help you navigate the automation landscape and implement solutions that drive genuine business results.
Do not let manual processes hold your business back. The right automation tool, properly implemented, can free your team to focus on what truly matters: growing your business and serving your customers.