AI steps in automations: cost per 1,000 runs on Zapier, Make and n8n
1,000 runs a month, 2 regular actions + 1 AI step each. The AI-step cost on Zapier and Make is TODO-verify, so those two are shown as missing rather than guessed.
- This workload is 2,000 Zapier tasks, 3,000 Make credits or 1,000 n8n executions a month.
- Cheapest verified option: n8n Cloud (Starter) at $22.42/month, $538.08 over 24 months.
- Zapier (Professional 2,000 tasks + 1 AI step(s)/run) has no exact verified price here (TODO-verify), so it is not ranked.
- Make (Core 10,000 credits + 1 AI step(s)/run) has no exact verified price here (TODO-verify), so it is not ranked.
- AI-step pricing (Zapier AI by model tier, Make AI-provider modules) is TODO-verify: missing, not guessed. n8n counts executions, so the AI step does not change its plan price (your own AI provider bill is separate).
Cheapest
n8n Cloud Starter: $22.42/mo
Your workload in each vendor's unit: 2,000 Zapier tasks · 3,000 Make credits · 1,000 n8n executions per month (annual billing).
| # | Option | Plan | Per month | Per year | 24-mo TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | n8n Cloud cheapest | Starterlist €20.00 | $22.42 | $268.99 | $537.98 |
Prices exclude VAT/sales tax.
Not ranked (no exact verified price)
- Zapier — Professional 2,000 tasks + 1 AI step(s)/run TODO-verify Zapier task cost per AI step is TODO-verify, so no total is shown.
- Make — Core 10,000 credits + 1 AI step(s)/run TODO-verify Make credit cost per AI step is TODO-verify, so no total is shown.
Self-hosted n8n Community shown, never ranked
The software is free with no execution cap. Infrastructure cost is TODO-verify (only a single secondary source so far). Self-hosting is cheaper than the cheapest ranked option (n8n Cloud, $22.42/mo) only if your server plus your time costs less than that.
The catch, per option
- Zapier — Professional 2,000 tasks + 1 AI step(s)/run
- Every successful billable action is a task; triggers and built-in steps (Filter/Formatter/Path) cost 0 tasks.
- Free is two-step only (trigger + 1 action, no built-in steps, no webhooks).
- Make — Core 10,000 credits + 1 AI step(s)/runOverage: Scenarios stop at the credit limit; upgrade, buy credit packs or go Enterprise. No overage dollar amount is modeled.
- 1 credit per module action including the trigger read; Router and error handlers are free and are not entered (1 trigger + 2 billable actions per run).
- When credits run out, scenarios stop; unused credits expire.
- n8n Cloud — Starter
- One execution = one whole workflow run, so step count does not change the price.
- No auto-overage on Starter/Pro-1: upgrade or one-time reset.
- Priced in EUR; converted with the exchange rate you set.