Make or n8n: which fits your team’s automation?
Choose around the apps you need to connect and the person who will maintain the connection. See the differences through an inquiry-to-spreadsheet example.
Open the solution →A problem in a small team’s work
Software and automation costs keep growing unnoticed.
The entry plan does not describe the whole solution. Include seats, model usage, executions, maintenance and recovery. For self-hosting, include administration and backups.
Why address it
Subscription savings can be smaller than maintenance effort. An apparently unused plan may still hold necessary data or connections, so cancellation needs dependency and retention checks.
How big is the problem in your team?
Calculate monthly subscriptions, variable usage and operating time. Spread setup over an explicitly chosen period. Compare lower and higher workloads; do not hide unknown costs as zero.
This is a recommended measurement approach, not an estimate of an average business loss. We have no verified market benchmark for this specific problem. Your baseline lets you compare the change later.
Choose what needs to change
Start with a verifiable process
Use the cost calculator and subscription-review procedure. Calculations belong in an inspectable spreadsheet or calculator. An agent without current bills would guess; it should not autonomously cancel subscriptions or change paid plans.
Procedures for specific obstacles
Is automation worth it? Calculate the full cost
Compare manual work with the setup and running costs of automation. The calculator includes checking and maintenance time, with optional subscription costs.
Open the procedure →Cancel unused software without breaking the work around it
An unused subscription can still own something useful: a glossary, a client file, an integration credential, or an export someone needs next month.
Open the procedure →Self-hosted n8n: what costs more than the server
A low server bill is not the total operating cost. Include administration, recovery, updates, and the person who will respond when something fails.
Open the procedure →Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for a small team
Compare proposal files, client access, booking, and handover. Includes licensing and migration effort.
Open the procedure →