Frequently Asked Questions

Self-hosted (free): Download the code, run it on your server. No subscription. You pay for the server hardware ($6/mo VPS is typical).

Cloud: Free tier with limits; paid plans start at $20/month for cloud execution.

Enterprise: Custom pricing. SSO, custom integrations, dedicated support.

If you process 10,000+ tasks per month, self-hosting pays for itself within 90 days.

No. The visual builder handles 80% of use cases. Connect nodes, click done.

But... If you need custom logic (calculations, data transformation, conditional routing), you will use code nodes. JavaScript and Python. Not hard, but you need to be comfortable reading code.

Think of it like Excel: you can do a lot without VLOOKUP, but VLOOKUP opens up possibilities.

Zapier: Cloud only, pay per task, non-technical users, 5000+ integrations.

n8n: Self-hosted or cloud, free at scale, code support, AI agents, only 400+ integrations but growing.

Use Zapier if you need an app that is not in n8n. Use n8n if you process high volume or need data privacy.

See the full comparison: n8n vs Zapier guide

Cloud (n8n.io): Data in transit is encrypted (HTTPS). Data at rest is encrypted. Standard SaaS security.

Self-hosted: Data never leaves your server. Total control. This is why regulated industries (healthcare, finance) choose self-hosted n8n.

n8n is MIT open source, so the code is public and auditable. No hidden backdoors.

Your computer: One command: npx n8n. Takes 5 minutes.

VPS (production): 15 minutes with Docker. A little more involved but still straightforward.

If you can install software on your computer, you can run n8n self-hosted.

See the install guide for step by step.

Yes. That is where n8n shines.

Healthcare (HIPAA): Self-host n8n on your own server in your data center. Data never leaves your network. HIPAA compliance = possible.

Finance (PCI, SOC2): Same thing. Self-hosted means you control the security, encryption, and audit logs.

Legal (attorney/client privilege): Client documents stay on your network. No third-party cloud access.

Cloud platforms like Zapier can never meet these requirements because data has to go to their servers.

400+ official integrations. Gmail, Slack, Salesforce, Notion, GitHub, HubSpot, Stripe, Twilio, and more.

Custom APIs: If an app has an API but is not officially integrated, use the HTTP node or REST API node to hit the endpoint directly. This expands the practical limit to thousands.

Zapier has 5000+ but 80% of those are just different flavors of the same core apps. n8n covers the stuff that actually matters for most businesses.

Yes. Native LangChain support.

Connect OpenAI (GPT-4), Claude, local Ollama, or any LLM. Build agents that use tools, access memory, and reason. Not just API calls, but fully autonomous agents.

This is where n8n beats Zapier. Zapier can send data to OpenAI, but that is it. n8n can build sophisticated AI workflows.

Example: Email triage agent that reads 100 emails, classifies them, and routes to the right team. All with AI, no manual rules.

Yes. It is used by enterprises.

100K+ GitHub stars. Backed by NVIDIA, Accel, major VCs. $2.5B valuation. 67 employees. Profitable (~$40M ARR).

It is not a startup experiment; it is stable, production-ready software.

That said, like any self-hosted tool, you need to monitor it. Crashes happen. But they are rare and easily recoverable.

Yes. But it requires work.

Zapier Zaps do not export to n8n directly. You have to rebuild the workflows in n8n. That said:

• If you have 5-10 Zaps, rebuild them in a day
• If you have 50+ Zaps, hire a contractor ($50-150/hr) to do it. Cost usually pays for itself in 2-3 months
• n8n workflows are often simpler and faster than Zapier equivalents once rebuilt

See the migration guide for details.

OpenClaw: AI agent framework. Runs on your computer/server. Talks to chat apps (Discord, Slack, WhatsApp). Executes custom Python code, browses the web, manages memory. Not for specific business apps.

n8n: Workflow automation. Visual no-code builder. Connects business apps (Salesforce, Gmail, etc.). Repeats tasks on a schedule or trigger. Not a chat bot.

Use OpenClaw if you want an AI assistant that chats with you. Use n8n if you want to automate repetitive tasks between your business apps.

They complement each other. You could use OpenClaw as an agent inside an n8n workflow.

Make: Cloud only, mid-range pricing, 1000+ integrations, some code support. Better than Zapier if you need custom logic.

n8n: Self-hosted option, free at scale, 400+ integrations, full code support, AI agents, open source.

If you want to stay in the cloud, Make is solid. If you need self-hosting or want to avoid vendor lock-in, n8n is the answer.

If you process high volume (10,000+ tasks/month), n8n saves money.