What is n8n?
n8n is a workflow automation tool. You connect apps on a canvas, add triggers, steps and a bit of code where needed, then run the flow on a server you control or on n8n's cloud. We run it ourselves. That means no charge per step, API keys stay inside it so the team can work without holding them, and you can open any run to see what failed. Forms and leads are one use; we also use it for CRM checks, ad conversions, cache clears, client automations and more.
In one line
n8n is the automation tool we use to connect apps, move data and run jobs that used to need someone copying between systems.
Why we run our own
- Cost: it doesn't bill per step or per run. You pay for the server and for looking after it.
- Trust: data stays on a server we control in Germany.
- API keys: they stay in n8n. The team can work on flows without holding the raw keys.
- When something breaks: you can open the run and see the step that failed, and a named person gets an alert.
More than forms
Website and ad leads are one of the jobs. The same tool covers CRM checks, offline conversions back to ads, shop order logging, cache clears after a publish, and client automations we host or clone. AI coding tools work well with n8n; a person still reviews what goes live.
Is it right for you?
A handful of simple jobs may still suit Zapier. Lots of multi-step flows, or work that needs shared keys and a clear run history, suits n8n. Book a free advice call and we'll say which fits. More on how we use n8n.
Also worth asking
Other answers about the same tools.
How do you measure the return on an automation, whether it's n8n or Zapier?
We count what it replaces. Before we build, we write down how long the manual job takes and how often it happens. After launch, we look at how many times the workflow ran, how often it failed, and the time it saved against what it costs to run.
We don't quote a standard payback period, because it depends on the job.
Can n8n handle complex multi-step marketing workflows, and how does it compare with Zapier?
Yes. We build multi-step workflows in n8n that branch on conditions, loop over lists, wait, run a bit of code and call any service with an API. Zapier can do multi-step work too, with paths, filters and delays, but it bills by task, so long workflows that run often get expensive. On an n8n server we run ourselves, you pay for the server, not the number of steps.
Here's one of ours: a form comes in on this site, a switch routes it by form name, a row goes into a sheet, a person and an opportunity are created in the CRM, the team gets an alert, and any failure goes to a named person.
What happens when an automation breaks or fails?
Someone gets told. Our n8n workflows report a failure to a named person, with the step that failed. The usual causes are an expired login, a service changing its API, or data arriving in an unexpected format.
We fix the cause, then re-run the failed items.
How does n8n pricing work, and how does it compare with Zapier?
Zapier bills by how many tasks you run each month, in plan tiers. n8n's own cloud plans bill by workflow executions. We go a third way: we run n8n ourselves on a small server, so we pay for the server and the time to keep it updated, not for each task.
For current prices, check Zapier's and n8n's pricing pages.
What are the most useful automations for a marketing agency?
The ones that move a lead along without anyone copying it. These are the ones we rely on, built in n8n:
- Form fill to CRM person, opportunity and team alert
- Real leads sent back to Google Ads as offline conversions
- Alerts when a workflow or a form fails
- A cache clear when a site ships
Zapier can do some of these too.
Still have questions?Talk to us
Bring your numbers.
We'll tell you if the spend makes sense.
- A 15-minute callYour goals, your challenges, and whether we're the right fit.
- A 1-hour discovery callWe dig into your numbers. Worth a hundred emails.
- A concrete planAds, a custom build or both, as a one-off project or ongoing.