Recently, I need to find some no-code workflow automation platforms to help me deal with the backend of own built website, and I find these three platform to test which one is more suitable for my situation. However, I want to mention what no-code workflow automation platform is.
no-code workflow automation platform
Actually, most of the programs are sorts of automation workflow. Most of the programs help people avoid lots of tedius works. However, not everyone knows how to code a program, so no-code workflow automation platforms are here.
The basic logic in the no-code workflow automation platforms are:
"if triggered, then do something."
For example, once users type in a query, we need to find the most related articles to them. Therefore, trigger is a must in these platforms.
Other must features are just like coding, you need a node/operation/function with input and output. Plus, the basic function in coding like loops and if-else stucture.
Recently, since AI becomes popular, there are lots of features is related to AI or agents.
After breifly introduction, I want to start saying about these platforms.
Comparison
Zapier
As a company founded over 14 years, they have the most largest number of integration with other companies. Also, the design is very straightforward, you can try to use it without any efforts. Moreover, you can easily to add a block of code in it.
However, Zapier is the most expensive one in these three platforms. They surely have free plan, and they gives unlimited zaps (workflows) to built, but they every zap in free plan, you just can built 2-step. It means like you just can trigger and do one more thing. That's it.
For Zapier, I will recommend to people who need to use their most completed automation features to build your own workflows. If you are the person who care about the cost, then you may need to consider other two platforms.
n8n
n8n is the one I think most suitable for programmers (since I am a programmer), their designs are also straightforward and their logic are very close to programming. Also, n8n can see the node of input and output very easily.
Nevertheless, n8n has some disadventages. First, some nodes are not some easy to read, such as the node for instagram, its icon is Facebook. Moreover, since it is a young company, lots of integration is not worked, such as building a thing in Contentful. Finally, you need more time to setup n8n if you are the first time to use it.
Although you think that 20 euros is more expansive then 20 US dollars, but if you use open-source version, then it is free. The only thing you need to pay is the deployment platform. Here, I recommend zeabur, they have template of n8n for you to deploy it in one click. The more detailed about deploying n8n on zeabur is in this website 雷蒙三十 (This website is in Chinese).
If you deployed on zeabur, you just need to pay 5 US dollars per month. That is much cheaper than Zapier. So, I recommend n8n for people who need lots of automation workflows to build.
make.com
make.com have the some adventages between two above. They have more integration than n8n and cheaper than Zapier. Also, the animation of these nodes are pertty. Finally, their free plan is most generous between these three platforms.
But be careful in a small details. In make.com, they counts how many node you used, no matter the result is success or failed (they called it operations). On the other hand, Zapier is counted how many node you success, and n8n is counted how many workflow you success.
For disadventages, make.com is the most not straightforward platform in them. They hide lots of logic in the line between the nodes, or in the nodes itselves. Moreover, in Zapier and n8n, it is very easy to build your own code in the workflow, but in make.com, you need to use 3rd party services to deal with it. At the end, I decided to write code in AWS lambda to avoid lots of annoying problems. Finally, their inputs and outputs are hard to see, especailly when you need to debug, it is a nightmare...
However, I decide make.com in the end, since I count the operations I expected to use, it is way lower then the limit of free plan.
Therefore, for make.com, I recommend for people who needs very less workflow and are very care about the cost. Also, if you decide to use make.com, try to learn how to deploy the aws lambda, it is a good way to avoid those annoying designs and reduce the number of operations.
Conclusion
Zapier
Pro:
- have the most number of integrations
- straightforward
- easily to create code
- Count every node success
Con:
- Expensive
Recommend:
- who needs to use lots of integrations in workflows.
- who do not care about cost
n8n
Pro:
- straightforward
- logic like programmer, very clear
- easy to see inputs and outputs
- easily to create code
- count every workflow success
Con:
- more expensive (if you use their cloud)/ complex setup (if you deploy yourself)
- less integrations
- node icons are confused sometimes
Recommend:
- who needs lots of workflows
make.com
Pro:
- the limit of free plan is higher than others
- more integrations than n8n
Con:
- logic is not clear, and often hides in the nodes or lines
- not straightforward
- hard to see inputs and outputs
- need 3rd party services to create code, e.g. AWS lambda
- Count every node work, no matter success or fails
Recommend:
- who needs very less workflow
- who is cost-sensitive
- (better) who know how to type lambda
