Quick framework
- Zapier: fastest to build, weakest at conditional logic, most expensive at scale.
- Make: the best balance of power and accessibility, and my default for most builds.
- n8n: most powerful (self-hostable, full code escape hatch), but the steepest learning curve.
Failure modes
Zapier fails when you need branching logic with multiple outputs. The visual builder gets unwieldy past 5 steps.
Make fails when you need version control. The git-style export exists but is painful for teams.
n8n fails when your team isn't technical enough to debug it. Self-hosted reliability is your problem.
What we use
We use all three depending on the workflow. No religion, just fit.
The Workflow Automation Playbook ($97) breaks down the decision tree.
Arora