I Run My AI Automation Business for $0 in Software (Zapier vs Make vs n8n)

I run 100+ real automations for clients and the software itself costs me $0. In this video I break down the 4 ways to actually build (and sell) AI automations — Zapier, Make, n8n Cloud, and self-hosted n8n — how each one really charges you (tasks vs credits vs executions), and the exact free setup I run myself. What I cover: • What an automation actually is (trigger + actions) • Hosted vs self-hosted tools, and why self-hosted can be free • Zapier: free plan, $19.99/mo Pro, 9,000+ apps, how task pricing can bite you • Make: visual canvas, 1,000 free credits/mo • n8n: AI agent steps, Cloud pricing (20€/mo and 50€/mo) vs the free self-hosted community edition on a ~€6/mo VPS • A real look inside my own n8n: 100+ workflows for WhatsApp bots, payment syncs and lead follow-ups • Which tool to start on if you've never built an automation • 5 rules I follow so client automations don't break quietly • 5 things businesses actually pay for Tools mentioned: Zapier: https://zapier.com Make: https://make.com n8n: https://n8n.io Hostinger (what I host my own n8n on): https://hostinger.com PhotoCraft (free, open-source Photoshop alternative): https://photocraft.im Chapters 0:00 Intro: free AI tools that copy paid software 1:01 4 ways to build an automation business 1:13 What is an automation (trigger + actions) 1:43 Hosted vs self-hosted tools 2:03 How platforms charge you (tasks/credits/executions) 2:34 Zapier breakdown 3:09 Make breakdown 3:44 n8n breakdown + my own setup 6:11 Which tool should you use 6:39 5 rules for client automations 7:54 5 things businesses pay for 9:04 Outro + free resources #automation #n8n #AItools