The Short Answer
Power Automate vs Zapier vs N8N: which is better for your UK business? If you already pay for Microsoft 365, try Power Automate first—it is included in your subscription. Zapier wins if you use lots of non-Microsoft apps and want simplicity. N8N suits technical teams who want control and lower costs at scale.
What is Power Automate?
Power Automate is Microsoft’s workflow automation tool. It connects Microsoft 365 apps (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Excel) with each other and with external services. It comes with most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions at no extra cost.
What is Zapier?
Zapier connects over 5,000 apps together. It works with almost every business tool you can name. You create Zaps that trigger actions between apps. It is a separate subscription service. Prices start at £15 per month.
What is N8N?
N8N (pronounced n-eight-n) is an open-source workflow automation tool. You can self-host it for free or use their cloud service. It offers deeper technical control than Zapier or Power Automate, with a visual workflow builder that handles complex logic. Best suited for teams with technical resources.
The Pricing Reality
| Feature | Power Automate | Zapier | N8N |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included in Microsoft 365 | Yes (most plans) | No | No |
| Starting price | £0 (included) | £15/month | £0 (self-hosted) |
| Professional tier | £15/user/month | £50/month | £40/month (cloud) |
| Monthly tasks | 6,000 (free tier) | 750 (free tier) | Unlimited (self-hosted) |
| Hosting | Microsoft cloud | Zapier cloud | Self-hosted or cloud |
The real cost difference hits at scale. Run 10,000 tasks monthly and Zapier gets expensive fast. N8N stays cheap if you self-host. Power Automate sits in the middle—reasonable if you are already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Connectors: What Actually Connects?
Power Automate: 1,000+ connectors. Strong with Microsoft apps, decent third-party support.
Zapier: 5,000+ apps. Covers almost everything.
N8N: 400+ integrations but deeper control. You can build custom nodes for anything with an API.
Here’s what surprised me: Zapier puts popular connectors behind premium tiers. Power Automate includes most at no extra cost. N8N gives you everything if you self-host—but you maintain it.
When Power Automate Wins
- You live in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint)
- You process lots of documents and data
- You need approval workflows
- You want to avoid another subscription
When Zapier Wins
- You use diverse apps outside Microsoft
- You want quick integrations without touching code
- You need pre-built templates
- You value polished interfaces over cost
When N8N Wins
- You have someone technical who can self-host
- You run thousands of tasks monthly
- You need complex conditional logic
- You want to avoid vendor lock-in
- You need data on your own infrastructure
I Tested All Three with the Same Task
I wanted to see how each handled a real workflow: moving data between a CRM, spreadsheet, and email notifications.
Power Automate handled the Microsoft side well. Teams notifications and SharePoint updates were straightforward. If you know Office 365, the interface feels familiar. I got stuck trying to connect a non-Microsoft CRM—possible, but took longer than expected.
Zapier connected everything in about ten minutes. The template library saved time—someone had already built most of what I needed. But I burned through the free tier’s task limit faster than anticipated. The jump to paid is steep.
N8N took an hour to set up self-hosted. Longer initially. But the flexibility was noticeable immediately. I could manipulate data in ways the other tools simply don’t allow. Whether that flexibility matters depends on your needs.
The Honest Downsides
Power Automate: Learning curve is real. Interface feels clunky if you are used to modern web apps. Third-party integrations exist but are not as smooth as Microsoft’s own.
Zapier: Costs escalate quickly. Complex workflows get expensive. You are locked into their pricing structure.
N8N: Requires technical knowledge. Smaller community means fewer tutorials. You are responsible for your own hosting and maintenance.
My Recommendation
If you already pay for Microsoft 365, start with Power Automate. Most businesses I have spoken with find it handles 80% of their needs without extra cost. Only look elsewhere if you hit specific limitations.
Zapier makes sense if you value speed over cost and use diverse apps. N8N makes sense if you have technical resources and run high volumes.
The wrong choice is usually paying for two platforms when one would do.
Not sure which fits your setup? Book a free 30-minute assessment and I will review your current tools and recommend the right platform.