Compare Zapier, n8n and Activepieces

Zapier provides hosted automation plans. n8n and Activepieces also document self-hosting, where you operate the server and store the connected-app credentials. Compare that responsibility before comparing plan prices. ^[1]^[4]^[5]

Read the licence for your use

n8n's Sustainable Use License limits use to your own internal business purposes, non-commercial use or personal use, with separate terms for enterprise code. Read the full licence before building a service for clients. ^[2]

Activepieces' licence applies MIT terms outside its listed enterprise directories. Those directories have separate terms. Check the specific features you intend to deploy. ^[3]

Choose an n8n deployment path

The current n8n Docker Compose guide includes configuration for its assistant sandbox. Follow its service and networking instructions together; a single start command is not the full deployment. ^[4]

Before starting, verify your Compose installation with its documented check. ^[4]

bash

docker compose version

You should see Docker Compose v2. ^[4]

Inspect Activepieces setup

Activepieces requires Docker Compose v2 and documents at least 2 vCPU and 4 GB RAM. Its guide provides this command to print the installer for review. ^[5]

bash

curl -fsSL https://get.activepieces.com

After reviewing the script, follow the linked installation guide in a dedicated directory. It generates secrets and starts the services. ^[5]

Check the current pricing pages and the connections your workflow needs before migrating it. Keep an export of the working workflow and a backup of its self-hosted data.