Lead journey: form to CRM
Website form, enrichment, CRM entry, notification to the sales inbox: the classic among zaps. We rebuild the journey in n8n and add error handling so that no lead is quietly lost anymore.
Impact No lead loss on API errorsAutomation · Migration
From Zapier or Make to an automation that belongs to you.
As a GDPR-clean alternative to Zapier and Make, we rely on n8n, self-hosted in Germany on request, or on Power Automate within the Microsoft stack. Zapier and Make are good entry-level tools, but at some point requirements grow beyond them. We assess honestly whether a switch is worth it and migrate your zaps and scenarios transparently at a fixed price.
The problem
The tool you started with no longer grows with you.
Zapier and Make made it easy for you to get started with automation, and that was a good decision. But many companies notice after one or two years: the bill grows faster than the benefit.
- 01Task costs rise with every new workflow, and at high volumes every single run becomes a cost factor.
- 02Customer data runs through servers outside the EU, and the question of GDPR assessment remains open with every new connection.
- 03Three simple zaps have turned into thirty: nested filters, detours through helper tables, and nobody knows anymore what intervenes where.
- 04More complex logic such as loops, error handling or custom data processing hits the limits of the building-block approach.
Use cases
01
What we migrate from Zapier and Make to n8n.
Typical zaps and scenarios that we rebuild, clean up and move into test operation. In the process, the new version usually ends up leaner than the original.
Receipt and invoice filing
Pull incoming invoices from the inbox, extract the data, and file them in the right folder and in the accounting software. Runs in n8n on your server, so sensitive receipt data never leaves the EU.
Savings 2–4 h per weekOrder processing in e-commerce
Shop order to inventory management, shipping label and customer email: at high order volumes every task on Zapier or Make gets expensive. Self-hosted, the thousandth run costs the same as the first, namely nothing extra.
Impact Fixed costs instead of volume tariffReports and notifications
Automatically distribute daily revenue, open tickets or stock levels to Teams, Slack or by email. When Microsoft 365 is already in place, we often build such journeys directly in Power Automate, without an additional subscription.
Savings 1–2 h per weekConsolidate grown zap collections
Ten individual zaps with filters and helper tables often become a single, transparent workflow with branches in n8n. During the migration we clean up rather than copying legacy clutter one to one.
Impact One workflow instead of ten zapsApproaches
What is the best Zapier and Make alternative for mid-sized companies?
There is no single right answer. For most SMEs the best alternative is either n8n, self-hosted in Germany, or Power Automate within the Microsoft stack. We recommend the target system based on your systems, your volume and your data protection requirements, not on our own preference.
Self-hostedn8n on your server
Open-source automation, hosted in Germany or directly on your premises. No cost per run, full control over data and logic, and even complex branches and custom processing steps can be mapped cleanly.
Microsoft 365Power Automate
If your processes already run in Outlook, Teams and SharePoint, Power Automate is often the shorter path. The license is often already included in the existing M365 package, one less tool in the subscription stack.
Overview
Process automation overall
Sometimes the inventory shows: the real problem is not the tool but the process behind it. Then it pays off to look at automation as a whole before migrating.
How we work
The 30-day model.
From the inventory to switching off the old account in four steps. At a fixed price that you know before we start.
1
Inventory assessment
We go through all zaps and scenarios with you: what is running, what is dead, what should be merged. The result is a list with a clear recommendation per workflow.
2
Rebuild in the target system
We rebuild the workflows in n8n or Power Automate, add error handling and logging, and document every step transparently.
3
Parallel operation and testing
Old and new run side by side, and we compare the results on real cases. We only switch off once the new journey demonstrably runs cleanly.
4
Switchover and handover
We switch over, cancel the old tariffs together with you, and hand over documentation and access. Your team can then adjust the workflows themselves.
Not on Zapier or Make yet at all?
View n8n serviceStart automating directly with n8n.
If you do not have any existing zaps yet but want to automate for the first time, you do not need a migration. Then we start directly in the right tool, without the detour via a subscription model.
Free initial analysis
Is a switch worth it for your workflows?
In the free initial analysis we look at your zaps and scenarios together: 60 minutes, no obligation. Afterwards you know whether a switch pays off or whether you are better off staying where you are.
- Fixed price instead of open-ended time sheets
- Parallel operation until everything demonstrably runs
- Hosting in Germany possible
Frequently asked questions
05
What switchers often ask.
Is Zapier GDPR-compliant, or do I need an alternative?
Zapier can generally be used in a GDPR-compliant way with a data processing agreement and standard contractual clauses, but the data runs through the servers of a US provider. For customer data, applications or health data, many data protection officers view this critically. A self-hosted alternative such as n8n in Germany removes this discussion entirely, because the data never leaves your infrastructure.
How long does it take to migrate from Zapier to n8n?
A typical migration with 10 to 30 Zaps takes us around 30 days including parallel operation. The inventory takes one to two days, the rebuild one to two weeks depending on complexity, after which old and new run side by side for two to four weeks. Individual simple Zaps can also be migrated within a few days.
When is switching away from Zapier or Make not worth it?
If you run a few simple workflows with low volume and no sensitive data, a switch is usually not economical. Zapier and Make are good tools for this use case, and a migration costs time and money that wouldn't pay off. That is exactly what we assess in the initial analysis, and we will tell you so honestly.
What does a self-hosted Zapier alternative cost to operate?
With self-hosted n8n, you don't pay a fee per execution, only the server, usually a low double-digit amount per month depending on size, plus occasional maintenance. On top of that comes the one-time migration, which we offer at a fixed price. We calculate specifically in the initial analysis from what task volume this pays off.
When is Power Automate the better alternative to Zapier?
When your company already works with Microsoft 365 and the workflows mainly connect Outlook, Teams, SharePoint or Excel. Then the license is often already available, login runs through your existing Microsoft accounts, and IT doesn't need to operate an additional system. For workflows spanning many non-Microsoft systems, n8n is usually the more flexible choice.