# AI Agent Builders Compared: n8n, Make, Zapier, Relevance AI and Lindy (2026) > n8n, Make AI Agents, Zapier Agents, Relevance AI and Lindy compared for small business: how each builds agents, and keeps a person in charge. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/ai-agent-builders-compared · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Quick answer All five build AI agents that use tools to finish a job, but they start from different places. **n8n** puts the agent on a workflow canvas with full control over tools, memory and output, and can be self-hosted. **Make AI Agents** and **Zapier Agents** add agents to automation platforms you may already use, with their app connections as tools. **Relevance AI** is built for teams of agents, often for sales and operations work. **Lindy** is an AI assistant you set up in plain words for email, meetings and scheduling. Last updated October 20, 2026 [Take the free module →](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/n8n-jump-start/11)Module 11 of the free [n8n Jump Start](https://learn.ynteractive.com/courses/n8n-jump-start) course, about 11 minutes. No account needed. By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) · Published October 20, 2026 · Prices and features checked as of October 2026 This page is for office managers, operations staff and owners choosing where to build a first agent, as of October 2026. It leaves prices out on purpose; check each vendor's pricing page in the sources. Disclosure: Stepthrough has an affiliate relationship with n8n; there are no affiliate links on this page. Two of these have free hands-on lessons: [Book Appointments from Chat using n8n](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking) and [Answer Client Emails in Half the Time using Lindy](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies). If you are not sure you need an agent at all, start with [AI Agent vs Chatbot vs Automation](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-agent-vs-chatbot-vs-automation). ## How do they compare at a glance? **Five AI agent builders at a glance (from each vendor's own docs, October 2026)** | | n8n | Make AI Agents | Zapier Agents | Relevance AI | Lindy | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Workflow automation tool with an AI Agent node | Agents inside the Make automation platform | Agents inside the Zapier automation platform | Platform for building AI agents and multi-agent teams | AI assistant you set up for email, meetings and other office work | | How you build | Canvas: agent node plus model, memory, tools and output parser | Agent setup with instructions; tools are modules, scenarios or MCP servers | Instructions in plain words; tools are actions in Zapier-connected apps | Describe the role, add tools and knowledge; workforces link agents on a canvas | Plain-language setup of triggers, actions and instructions | | Tools it can use | App nodes, HTTP requests, other workflows as [workflow tools](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/workflow-tool), MCP | Make modules, active Make scenarios with defined inputs and outputs, MCP servers | Actions across Zapier's app directory | Built-in and custom tools, integrations such as CRM and email | Built-in integrations such as Gmail, calendar and CRM actions | | Keeping a person in charge | Your choice: drafts, approval steps, [Wait node](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/wait-node), partner tools | Your scenarios decide what the agent can touch | Choose which actions it may take; review its activity | Approval and escalation options in its docs | Ask for approval before actions, as used in the lesson | | Self-hosting | Yes, Community Edition | No | No | No | No | | Best for | Teams who want control, long workflows or self-hosting | Teams already on Make | Teams already on Zapier | Sales and operations teams building several agents | Individuals and small teams wanting help in their inbox fast | | Free Stepthrough lesson | Yes, [Book Appointments from Chat](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking) | Not yet; [Add AI to Make](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/make-com-chatgpt-gmail-personalized-reply) covers AI steps | Not yet; [ChatGPT Drafts Every Reply](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/zapier-chatgpt-gmail-reply-signatoro-signature) covers AI steps | Not yet | Yes, [Answer Client Emails](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies) | Prices and features as listed on each vendor's own pages, as of October 2026. Plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Sources are at the end of this page. ## What is the main difference between these agent builders? The split is between automation platforms that added agents and products built around agents. n8n, Make and Zapier started as workflow tools, so their agents sit next to fixed workflows and can call them. That suits jobs where most steps are fixed and only a few need judgment. Relevance AI and Lindy start from the agent: you describe a role or a routine, and the product supplies the tools around it. In every case the agent does the same thing underneath: a model reads the request and its instructions, decides which [tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/tool-calling) to call, reads the result, and repeats until it can answer or reaches its [step limit](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/max-iterations). ## Which is easiest for a first agent? Lindy is the quickest to a useful result if the job lives in your inbox: the free [Lindy lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies) sets it to draft client replies in Gmail for a made-up accounting firm, on Ask for approval, and reads the draft before anything goes out. If you already use Zapier or Make, their agents let you reuse connections you have set up. n8n takes longer to learn, but the [Book Appointments from Chat lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking) walks through a full agent with three tools for a made-up dog groomer, step by step. ## Which gives the most control? n8n, because everything is visible on the canvas and you choose each piece: the chat model, the [memory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/agent-memory), every tool, the [output parser](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/structured-output-parser) and what happens after the agent answers. You can also wrap sensitive actions in a [workflow tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/workflow-tool) so the agent can only call them as a tested whole, and host it on your own server. Make offers a similar idea by letting agents call your scenarios, which Make's help center says must be active and have defined inputs and outputs. Zapier, Relevance AI and Lindy trade some of that control for faster setup. ## How do I keep an agent from doing the wrong thing? The rules are the same whichever builder you pick. Give the agent only the tools it needs, start with drafts instead of sends, and add a [human in the loop](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/human-in-the-loop) for anything that reaches a customer or moves money. Write clear [guardrails](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/guardrails) in its instructions, such as "if the handbook does not say, answer I don't know". The [Guardian approval gate lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guardian-n8n-ai-agent-approval-before-sending-email) shows one way to enforce that in n8n: emails to the team go out alone, client emails wait for a person, and deletes are never allowed. ## Do I need an agent, or is a workflow enough? Often a workflow is enough. If the steps are the same every time, such as reading an email and drafting a reply, a fixed workflow with one AI step is cheaper, faster and easier to check. The [n8n AI Email Responder](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-email-responder-gmail-drafts-n8n) and [Zapier: ChatGPT Drafts Every Reply](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/zapier-chatgpt-gmail-reply-signatoro-signature) lessons both work this way. Reach for an agent when the steps change from request to request, such as booking, triage or research. For the wider picture, see [AI agent vs chatbot vs automation](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/ai-agent-vs-chatbot-vs-automation). ## Who is each one for? ### Pick n8n if You want full control, agents mixed with long workflows, or self-hosting. Start with the [AI agent lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tutorial-google-sheets), then [Book Appointments from Chat](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking). ### Pick Make AI Agents if Your automations already run on Make and you want an agent that can call the scenarios you trust. ### Pick Zapier Agents if Your apps are connected through Zapier and you want an agent that can act across them with little setup. ### Pick Relevance AI if You plan several agents that work together, often for sales or operations, and want a platform built around that. ### Pick Lindy if You want an assistant in your inbox and calendar this week, with approval before it acts. Start with the [Lindy lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies). ## Which of these tools have a free Stepthrough lesson? - **n8n:** free lesson: [n8n AI Agent with Tools: Check Google Calendar, Book It and Log It](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking) - **Make AI Agents:** a free Stepthrough lesson is coming. - **Zapier Agents:** a free Stepthrough lesson is coming. - **Relevance AI:** a free Stepthrough lesson is coming. - **Lindy:** free lesson: [Answer Client Emails in Half the Time using Lindy](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies) ## Practice it free, step by step **n8n AI Agent with Tools: Check Google Calendar, Book It and Log It**. Stop playing phone tag over appointments. Give an n8n chat agent three tools: check Google Calendar for a free hour, book it, and log the booking in Google Sheets. You do every step yourself in a practice copy of n8n, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts. [Start the free lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/n8n-agent-tools) [Or read the full step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking) ## Watch it in a free lesson: Build an n8n AI Agent That Writes Deal Follow-Ups ### AI Deal Follow-Up Agent: video walkthrough Full walkthrough · 7:57 · with captions Build an AI agent for Northwind Scheduling Software that writes follow-up messages for your open deals and saves them to Google Sheets — chat trigger, AI Agent, system prompt, model, memory, and the Sheets tool. The whole lesson narrated step by step, recorded in Stepthrough’s simulated practice environment. [Watch it with chapters and the full transcript](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-sales-deal-follow-ups#watch) From the free lesson [Build an n8n AI Agent That Writes Deal Follow-Ups](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-sales-deal-follow-ups) ## Key takeaways - n8n, Make and Zapier add agents to automation platforms; Relevance AI and Lindy are built around agents. - n8n gives the most control and is the only one of the five you can self-host. - Every builder needs the same safety habits: few tools, drafts first, a person approving customer-facing actions. - If the steps never change, a workflow with one AI step is usually the better choice. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is an AI agent builder? A tool for setting up an AI agent: a model with instructions and tools that decides its own steps to finish a job. ### Which AI agent builder is best for a small business? It depends on what you already use. Teams on Zapier or Make can start there; teams wanting control or self-hosting pick n8n; those who want inbox help fast pick Lindy. ### Do I need to code to build an AI agent? No. All five can be set up without code. n8n lets you add code if you want to. ### Is the AI model included? It varies by tool and plan. Some include model usage, others ask for your own API key. Check each vendor's pricing page. ## Where do these prices and features come from? Every price and feature on this page was checked against the vendor's own page, as of October 2026. No numbers here are estimates or third-party figures. The example businesses in the Stepthrough lessons are made up. - [n8n docs: AI Agent node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/cluster-nodes/root-nodes/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent/) - [n8n pricing](https://n8n.io/pricing/) - [Make help: scenarios for AI agents](https://help.make.com/scenarios-for-ai-agents) - [Make pricing](https://www.make.com/en/pricing) - [Zapier Agents](https://zapier.com/agents) - [Zapier pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing) - [Relevance AI docs](https://relevanceai.com/docs) - [Lindy](https://www.lindy.ai/) ## Free lessons mentioned on this page - [n8n AI Agent with Tools: Check Google Calendar, Book It and Log It](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tools-google-calendar-booking): Stop playing phone tag over appointments. Give an n8n chat agent three tools: check Google Calendar for a free hour, book it, and log the booking in Google Sheets. - [Answer Client Emails in Half the Time using Lindy](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lindy-ai-draft-client-email-replies): A business case for a small office: price the hours spent writing client replies from scratch, then set up a Lindy routine that drafts each reply in Gmail for you to… - [AI Agent vs Chatbot vs Automation: One Job Done Three Ways](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-agent-vs-chatbot-vs-automation): Chase six unpaid invoices three ways: a chatbot writes a template, an automation follows a rule, and an AI agent works out the steps and flags the tricky one. - [n8n AI Agent Tutorial: Save Social Media Ideas to Google Sheets](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tutorial-google-sheets): Build an AI agent for BrightPath Marketing that generates social media post ideas and saves them to Google Sheets — chat trigger, AI Agent, system prompt, model… - [Guardian: Make Your n8n AI Agent Ask Before It Emails a Customer](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/guardian-n8n-ai-agent-approval-before-sending-email): A business case for a small firm whose n8n agent drafts client emails: turn "team emails go out alone, client emails wait for a person, deletes never happen" into a… ## Related terms Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson. [AI agent](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/ai-agent) · [Tool calling](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/tool-calling) · [Workflow tool (agent tool)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/workflow-tool) · [Make AI Agents](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/make-ai-agents) · [Zapier Agents](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/zapier-agents) · [Max iterations (agent step limit)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/max-iterations) · [Human in the loop](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/human-in-the-loop) [The full AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) ## More tool comparisons - [AI agent vs chatbot vs automation: which fits each office task?](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/ai-agent-vs-chatbot-vs-automation): Ten common office tasks matched to an automation, a chatbot or an AI agent, with costs, risks and a free lesson for each approach. As of October 2026. - [Jotform AI Agent vs n8n AI Agent: which should an office start with?](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/jotform-ai-agent-vs-n8n-ai-agent): Jotform AI Agent vs n8n AI Agent as of October 2026: a quick chat assistant you teach with answers, or a workflow you build node by node. - [n8n vs Zapier: Which Is Better for Small Business (2026)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare/n8n-vs-zapier): n8n vs Zapier (or Zapier vs n8n) with October 2026 prices: tasks vs executions, free plans, AI agents, self-hosting, and which to pick first. [All tool comparisons](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare) · [All free tutorials](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content)