7 Signs You're Overpaying for Automation Tools
Quick answer: If you spend $50+/month on automation and have technical skills, you’re likely overpaying. Here’s how to know and what to do about it.
Sign 1: You’re on Zapier Professional or Higher
Zapier Professional: $19.99/month ($240/year) Team: $103.50/month ($1,242/year) Company: $499/month ($5,988/year)
Alternative: n8n self-hosted = $5/month ($60/year)
Savings: $180-5,928/year
Exception: If you’re non-technical and value premium support, Zapier may be worth it.
Sign 2: You Hit Task Limits Monthly
Paying for more tasks? You’re subsidizing Zapier’s infrastructure.
Zapier task costs:
- Starter: $0.20 per 100 tasks
- Professional: $0.027 per 100 tasks
- Team: $0.052 per 100 tasks
n8n: Unlimited executions (self-hosted)
If you run >5,000 tasks/month: You’re definitely overpaying.
Sign 3: You Need Multiple Zap Accounts
Workaround for limits = red flag.
If you have:
- Personal Zapier account
- Work Zapier account
- Client Zapier accounts
You’re spending: $60-300/month across accounts
Solution: One n8n instance handles unlimited workflows for everyone.
Sign 4: You’re Using Premium Apps
Zapier charges extra for some integrations.
Premium apps include:
- Salesforce
- NetSuite
- Some database connectors
Adds: $50-100/month to your bill
n8n: All integrations included. No premium tier.
Sign 5: You’re Combining Multiple Tools
Your stack:
- Zapier: $20/month
- Make.com: $9/month
- IFTTT Pro: $3/month
- Automate.io: $10/month
Total: $42/month ($504/year)
Why? Different tools for different limits/features.
n8n handles all of this: $5/month ($60/year)
Savings: $444/year
Sign 6: You Pay for Zapier + Storage/Database Tools
Common setup:
- Zapier: $20/month
- Airtable: $20/month
- Google Workspace: $6/month
Total: $46/month ($552/year)
n8n alternative:
- n8n: $5/month (built-in database)
- Google Sheets: Free
Total: $5/month ($60/year)
Savings: $492/year
Sign 7: You’re Spending Time Working Around Limits
Time spent monthly on:
- Optimizing to stay under task limits
- Deleting old zaps to stay under zap limits
- Manually running tasks that would exceed limits
- Troubleshooting rate limit errors
If >2 hours/month: Your time is worth more than the tool savings.
At $50/hour: 2 hours = $100/month wasted
Better: Pay for unlimited or switch to n8n.
Cost Calculator
Scenario 1: Freelancer (10 workflows, 1,000 tasks/month)
Current (Zapier Professional):
$19.99/month × 12 = $240/yearAlternative (n8n self-hosted):
$5/month VPS × 12 = $60/year
Migration: 3 hours @ $50/hour = $150 one-time
Total Year 1: $210Savings Year 1: $30 Savings Year 2+: $180/year
Scenario 2: Small Agency (30 workflows, 5,000 tasks/month)
Current (Zapier Team):
$103.50/month × 12 = $1,242/yearAlternative (n8n Cloud):
$20/month × 12 = $240/yearSavings: $1,002/year
Scenario 3: Growing Startup (100 workflows, 20,000 tasks/month)
Current (Zapier Company):
$499/month × 12 = $5,988/yearAlternative (n8n self-hosted + better VPS):
$40/month VPS × 12 = $480/yearSavings: $5,508/year
What To Do About It
Step 1: Audit Current Costs
Calculate your true monthly automation spending:
- Zapier/Make/IFTTT subscriptions
- Premium app fees
- Storage/database tools
- Time spent on workarounds
Step 2: Evaluate Alternatives
Option A: n8n self-hosted
- Cost: $5-10/month
- Best for: Technical teams
- Savings: 80-95%
Option B: n8n Cloud
- Cost: $20/month
- Best for: Want simplicity + control
- Savings: 50-75%
Option C: Make.com
- Cost: $9-29/month
- Best for: Visual thinkers, moderate complexity
- Savings: 40-60%
Option D: Downgrade Zapier
- Cost: Varies
- Best for: Non-technical, small usage
- Savings: 20-40%
Step 3: Migrate Gradually
Don’t switch everything at once:
Week 1: Move 2-3 low-risk workflows Week 2: Test thoroughly Week 3: Move 5 more Week 4: Move remaining workflows Week 5: Cancel old subscription
When Zapier IS Worth It
Keep Zapier if:
- You’re non-technical and hate troubleshooting
- You need specific integrations only Zapier has
- Your time is worth >$200/hour (automation isn’t your focus)
- You value premium support highly
- You’re under 100 tasks/month (free tier works)
Zapier is great for non-technical users. No shame in paying for convenience.
Action Plan
This week:
- Calculate your true automation costs
- Evaluate if you’re overpaying (use signs above)
- Research alternatives (try n8n free tier)
Next week: 4. Deploy n8n or sign up for Make.com 5. Migrate 1-2 test workflows 6. Compare results
Month 1: 7. Migrate remaining workflows 8. Test for 2 weeks in parallel 9. Cancel old subscription
FAQ
Q: Is it worth migrating for $180/year savings?
Depends on your time. 3 hours migration @ $50/hour = break-even. Year 2+ is pure savings.
Q: What if I’m not technical?
Stick with Zapier or try Make.com (easier than n8n, cheaper than Zapier).
Q: Can I use both Zapier and n8n?
Yes! Keep Zapier for quick tasks, use n8n for complex/high-volume workflows.
Related:
About: I’m Mike Holownych. I help businesses optimize automation costs. Learn more →
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