Zapier Expert Tries n8n for the First Time

Originally published

Look, I’ve been a Zapier power user for years. I know the platform inside and out. It’s fast, it’s reliable, and it pays the bills. So when everyone started shouting about n8n—the “open-source, low-code Zapier killer”—I was skeptical. Extremely skeptical.

Tonight, I’m putting my money where my mouth is and trying n8n for the first time. I’m going in with zero prior experience, and honestly, I’m waiting for the inevitable headache.

I’m challenging n8n to answer these questions live:

Is it a time sink? How many minutes until I hit a wall and wish I was back in the familiar Zapier editor?

Is it really free? I’m going to factor in the time and hassle of setup, hosting, and maintenance. Is the “cost saving” worth the mental toll?

Where’s the stability? As someone who needs production-grade automations, can I trust this open-source platform with my business-critical data?

The “Code” Question: How far can I get without having to write a single line of custom JavaScript? (Because if I have to code, I have other tools for that.)

Join me as I try to build a complex workflow and see if I’m converted to the n8n side, or if I confirm my suspicion that Zapier is still the king of no-code automation. Tell me in the chat what workflow I should try to build!