No-code CRM automation stack: when to use Zapier vs Make vs n8n

February 12, 2024•9 min read

Your CRM has native automations, but they often can't connect to your full stack. You need to sync data between your CRM, email tool, project management, billing, and a dozen other apps.

This is where no-code automation platforms come in. But which one should you use? Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), and n8n all solve similar problems with different tradeoffs.

Here's when to use each, based on implementing hundreds of CRM automation workflows.

Quick comparison overview

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Let me break down when each makes sense.

When to use Zapier

Use Zapier when:

You need a quick solution and don't want to learn a new tool
Your workflows are relatively simple (trigger → action)
You're connecting popular apps that Zapier supports well
Your team is non-technical
Budget isn't a primary concern

Common CRM + Zapier workflows:

New lead from form to CRM:

Trigger: Typeform submission
Action: Create deal in Pipedrive
Action: Send Slack notification to sales team

Meeting scheduled to CRM:

Trigger: Calendly booking
Action: Create deal in Attio
Action: Add note with meeting details
Action: Assign to rep based on territory

Customer payment to CRM update:

Trigger: Stripe successful payment
Action: Update deal to "Closed Won" in CRM
Action: Create task for onboarding team

Zapier strengths:

Huge integration library (if an app exists, Zapier probably supports it)
Very simple to set up
Reliable execution
Great documentation and community

Zapier limitations:

Expensive at scale (pricing based on task count)
Limited conditional logic
Can't easily loop through arrays
Not ideal for complex data transformations
Multi-step workflows get pricey

Pricing reality: Zapier starts free but you hit limits fast. Most CRM-heavy teams end up on $50-300/month plans.

When to use Make

Use Make when:

You have complex conditional logic
You need to process arrays or loop through data
You want visual workflow design
Budget is moderate but you need more than Zapier offers
Your workflows involve data transformation

Common CRM + Make workflows:

Batch contact enrichment:

Trigger: New contacts in CRM
Action: Look up company data from Apollo
Logic: If found, update CRM fields
Logic: If not found, add to manual review list
Action: Tag enriched contacts

Multi-step qualification:

Trigger: New deal created
Action: Check if company exists in CRM
Branch: If yes, link to existing company
Branch: If no, create new company
Action: Check company size from enrichment API
Logic: Route to different sales reps based on size
Action: Create custom onboarding checklist based on industry

Deal stage progression with checks:

Trigger: Deal moved to "Proposal Sent"
Action: Verify all required fields are complete
Branch: If incomplete, create task for rep
Branch: If complete, send proposal via DocuSign
Action: Log activity in CRM
Action: Schedule follow-up task for 3 days later

Make strengths:

Visual workflow builder makes complex logic clearer
Better pricing for high-volume workflows
Can handle arrays and loops easily
Built-in error handling
More powerful data transformation
Scenarios can be cloned and reused

Make limitations:

Steeper learning curve than Zapier
Fewer app integrations (though covers most common ones)
Visual builder can get messy with very complex workflows
Documentation not as extensive as Zapier

Pricing reality: Make's operations-based pricing is usually 30-50% cheaper than Zapier for the same workflows. Teams typically pay $10-100/month.

When to use n8n

Use n8n when:

You have technical resources (or are technical yourself)
You want complete control and customization
Budget is tight but requirements are high
You need to self-host for security/compliance
You want to write custom JavaScript in workflows

Common CRM + n8n workflows:

Custom CRM sync logic:

Trigger: Webhook from custom app
Code: Parse and transform complex JSON
Logic: Deduplicate against CRM data
Action: Batch update CRM via API
Code: Generate custom error report
Action: Send detailed email if errors

Advanced enrichment pipeline:

Trigger: New company added to CRM
Action: Check multiple enrichment sources (Clearbit, Apollo, LinkedIn)
Code: Merge data with custom priority rules
Logic: Validate data quality scores
Action: Update CRM with highest confidence data
Code: Log enrichment metrics to analytics database

Multi-system sync:

Trigger: Schedule (daily at 2am)
Action: Fetch all deals closed this week from CRM
Code: Transform to project management format
Action: Create projects in ClickUp
Action: Sync team assignments
Code: Generate sync report
Action: Save to Google Sheets for review

n8n strengths:

Free if self-hosted (only pay for hosting)
Complete control over workflow execution
Can write custom JavaScript for anything
No artificial limitations on operations
Can connect to anything with an API
Great for engineers who want full power

n8n limitations:

Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain
Fewer pre-built integrations
Self-hosting means you manage infrastructure
Smaller community and less documentation
Harder for non-technical team members to modify

Pricing reality: n8n is free for self-hosted. Cloud version is $20-100/month but most technical teams self-host on Digital Ocean or AWS for $10-20/month.

Decision framework: which should you use?

Ask these questions:

1. How technical is your team?

Non-technical → Zapier
Somewhat technical → Make
Very technical → n8n

2. How complex are your workflows?

Simple (trigger → 1-3 actions) → Zapier
Moderate (branching, some logic) → Make
Complex (custom code, advanced logic) → n8n

3. What's your budget?

Higher budget, value speed → Zapier
Moderate budget, value features → Make
Tight budget, value control → n8n

4. How many workflows will you run?

Low volume (< 10K tasks/month) → Zapier or Make
High volume (> 50K tasks/month) → Make or n8n
Very high volume (> 500K tasks/month) → n8n

Real-world hybrid approach

Most teams I work with don't use just one platform. Here's a common hybrid stack:

Zapier for:

Quick, simple integrations
Connecting apps that only Zapier supports
Non-technical team member workflows

Make for:

Complex business logic
Batch operations
Data transformation workflows

n8n for:

High-volume sync operations
Custom integrations with internal tools
Workflows requiring custom code

Example hybrid setup for a B2B SaaS company:

Zapier workflows:

Webflow form → Create deal in Pipedrive
Calendly booking → Update CRM
Stripe payment → Update deal status

Make workflows:

Nightly enrichment of new contacts
Deal stage progression with qualification checks
Multi-step customer onboarding automation

n8n workflows:

Bi-directional sync between CRM and support tool
Custom data warehouse integration
Advanced deduplication across multiple systems

Migration considerations

Moving from Zapier to Make:

Most workflows can be rebuilt in 30-60 minutes each
Visual workflow builder makes logic easier to understand
Rebuild from scratch rather than trying to convert

Moving from Make to n8n:

Requires more technical work to rebuild
Plan for 2-3x the time to rebuild each workflow
Worth it if volume is high and team is technical

Moving from n8n to Zapier/Make:

Rarely makes sense unless losing technical resources
Some complex workflows may need to be simplified

Common mistakes to avoid

Mistake 1: Starting with n8n when team is non-technical

I see teams choose n8n because "it's free" then struggle for weeks trying to get basic workflows running. The time cost exceeds the money saved.

Mistake 2: Building everything in Zapier then hitting pricing wall

Teams build 50+ Zapier workflows, then get a $500/month bill and try to migrate everything frantically. Start with pricing in mind.

Mistake 3: Overcomplicating workflows

Just because Make and n8n let you build complex workflows doesn't mean you should. Start simple, add complexity only when needed.

Mistake 4: Not documenting automation logic

Future you (or your teammates) will need to understand what workflows do and why. Document the business logic, not just how the workflow works.

Mistake 5: No error monitoring

All automation platforms can fail silently. Set up error notifications so you know when something breaks.

Getting started checklist

For Zapier:

[ ] Sign up for free account
[ ] Build one simple workflow
[ ] Test thoroughly before enabling
[ ] Monitor task usage vs plan limits
[ ] Document what the workflow does

For Make:

[ ] Sign up and review scenarios
[ ] Take the intro course (free)
[ ] Build one workflow with branching logic
[ ] Understand operations counting
[ ] Set up error handling

For n8n:

[ ] Spin up self-hosted instance or use cloud trial
[ ] Read documentation on nodes and workflows
[ ] Build one workflow with custom code
[ ] Set up proper backup system
[ ] Monitor server resources

My recommendation for CRM automation

Start with Make unless you have a specific reason not to.

Use Zapier if:

Your team is completely non-technical
Budget isn't constrained
You need an integration only Zapier has

Use n8n if:

You have technical resources
You need very high volume automation
You're comfortable managing infrastructure

Make hits the sweet spot for most CRM automation work. It's powerful enough for complex logic, affordable enough to scale, and learnable enough for semi-technical teams.

Start there, then add Zapier or n8n as specific needs arise.

Need help with your CRM?

If you're dealing with messy data, manual processes, or a CRM that doesn't fit your team, let's talk.

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