Zapier is a well-known and established tool for integrating systems, but it can be costly depending on the features you require and the amount of events you need to integrate.
At Datos Marketing, we like to recommend tools that are not only reliable, but also cost-effective. And we believe in using tools that encourage you to use good practices rather than punishing you for it.
Unfortunately, Zapier’s pricing model tends to punish users for setting up complex automations that are required by most businesses.
For example, let’s say you’re collecting full name from a form and need to change that data to first and last name for your CRM. To do that, you’ll need an additional step in Zapier. This means you can’t do it on the Zapier free plan. In addition, you will use up your Zap limit faster because each step is counted separately.
N8N is a lesser-known but powerful open-source tool that provides a welcome alternative for those looking to do more complex automations and save money. With your own server, you can run N8N for as little as $5/mo!
We worked with Frump Fighters to move their existing automations from Zapier to N8N while taking care to exactly match or exceed current functionality, while also avoiding missing any users who purchased while the migration occurred.
The client says about this project:
“The team at Datos Marketing did a great job seamlessly moving me from Zapier to N8N. I was able to get a $400+ refund right away by canceling my yearly Zapier plan! Now I can scale without worrying about my monthly costs skyrocketing.”
Corina, Frump Fighters Founder
Maintaining N8N long-term
Many clients who make the transition to N8N wonder if they will be able to find a consultant who is able to use the system if we ever part ways. This is an important and valid concern, and here’s how we resolve it:
- N8N has an extremely active community forum and has a loyal following, with plenty of potential consultants working with the system.
- Anyone who understands Javascript and Zapier (or other integration tools) can easily work with N8N because its interface is simple and makes sense to anyone familiar with these tools. It takes about an hour to learn to use it, and even less if there are existing workflows that just need to be edited.
- We create documentation in the form of videos or written documents before finishing work with a client to make the transition as smooth as possible.
- In a worst-case scenario, it’s easy to re-make an automation in Zapier if needed to solve a problem quickly and no-one with N8N knowledge is available.
