Chapter 2: What Is n8n? Comparing n8n vs Zapier vs Make.com
In this chapter, you'll learn what n8n is, how nodes and workflows fit together, the three ways to run it, and where it beats Zapier and Make.com.
In the previous chapter, we separated AI agents from workflows by asking a simple question: is the execution path defined when the workflow is built, or is it chosen while it is running?
Both approaches solve different kinds of problems, but they have one thing in common. They both need somewhere to run, and this chapter introduces the platform called n8n.
Most people do not start with n8n. They begin with a hosted automation platform because it is quick to set up and requires very little effort to maintain.
That works well for a while, but as more automations are added, more tasks run each day, more systems need to be connected, and the monthly bill starts to grow.
Sometimes cost is not the problem at all. Instead, the platform simply cannot do what is needed because the required integration does not exist, or there is no practical way to extend it.
n8n exists for exactly that point. Before looking at how it works, it helps to be clear about what it actually is. That starts with one of the first things people notice about it: its unusual name.