When Self-Hosting Beats SaaS: Why I Replaced Zapier With n8n

As automation workloads increase, Zapier's task-based pricing becomes prohibitive, pushing developers toward self-hosted solutions. This shift highlights a fundamental market tension: SaaS simplicity versus developer control and cost efficiency, with n8n exemplifying the open-source alternative gaining traction among technical teams. The economics suggest that at scale, self-hosting delivers better ROI despite higher operational complexity.