Free tool
n8n, Make, Zapier or custom code: which fits?
The right automation platform depends on volume, who maintains it, whether AI is central, and where the data has to live. Answer five questions and get a recommendation with the reasoning shown, rather than a vendor's opinion dressed as a comparison.
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operations leads choosing an automation platform
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How many automated tasks run per month?
Do you need AI or language model steps inside the workflow?
Where does the data have to live?
Who will maintain the workflows?
How custom is the logic?
0 of 5 answered
Answer all five questions to see the recommendation. Nothing is sent anywhere; the scoring happens in this page.
What this works out
- A ranked recommendation across n8n, Make, Zapier and custom code
- The specific answers that drove the result, so you can disagree with the weighting
- A note on when the honest answer is to build rather than buy
- Links to the matching service page if you want the work done for you
If the result raises a question you would rather not answer alone, the related services below are the parts of the business this tool usually points at. There is no obligation attached to any of it.
Questions about this tool
Is this just an n8n advert?
No, though n8n is the platform we use most for AI-heavy work, because agents are native to the canvas. The scoring pushes towards Zapier for simple, low-volume, non-technical teams, and towards Make when branching and formatting matter more than raw volume. It will also tell you that custom code is the better answer when the logic is genuinely application-shaped.
What volume makes a platform the wrong choice?
The cost model changes before the technical limit does. Task-based pricing becomes painful in the tens of thousands of executions per month, while a self-hosted platform has a flat infrastructure cost. The technical ceiling matters too, but most teams hit the billing ceiling first.
Can I migrate later?
Yes, but migrations are rarely free. Workflows encode business logic, and rebuilding them on another platform is a real project rather than an export and import. That is why the first choice is worth an hour of thought, and why we keep the logic documented separately from the platform.
Tell us where the manual work is
A 30-minute call. We map the process, tell you what we would automate or build first, and what it costs. No retainer before you agree the scope.
- No retainer before scope is agreed
- Written plan you can act on alone
- Worldwide delivery, on your hours