Block V · Automation with AI · Lesson 24

Make, Zapier or Activepieces: which to choose

We compare what each platform offers with AI and how much it costs as volume grows, so you know when it's worth switching to a self-hosted option.

What you'll see in this lesson

What you really pay for on each platform
The four platforms charge by different units, and that unit shapes the bill far more than the plan's price.
Make: visual scenarios with AI agents
Make draws each automation as a scenario of modules and adds AI agents and AI modules that use credits.
Zapier and Zapier Agents: the most connected
Zapier connects thousands of apps with the least effort, and Zapier Agents adds agents that work with those apps.
Activepieces: open source and easy to use
Activepieces offers an editor as simple as Zapier's, with AI agents and MCP, and its core is open source.
Same workflow, different count
A five-step workflow, one trigger and four actions, uses one unit or five depending on the platform.
When volume grows: 1,000, 10,000 or 100,000
With that same workflow and annual billing, the gap goes from trivia to a serious bill from about 10,000 executions a month.
AI is paid separately (almost always)
On top of the platform cost, add the model's tokens, the server if you host it and the time to maintain it.
When it pays to switch to self-hosting
Self-hosting n8n or Activepieces pays off with high volume, long workflows or sensitive data, if someone can maintain it.
Summary
Choose by your billing unit, your volume and who will maintain it, not by the feature list.