DEV Community: Sushil Barwal

n8n vs Zapier vs Make: a developer's notes on hosting, usage units and the licence

Sushil Barwal — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 05:52:49 +0000

Clients keep asking us the same thing: "Should we build this automation in Zapier, Make or n8n?" The marketing pages all say "connect your apps", so here is the version a developer actually needs: where each one runs, what it counts, and the licence detail that trips people up. Everything below comes from each vendor's own docs; plan limits and prices change often, so check those yourself.

1. Where it runs

Zapier: cloud only. Its data privacy overview says data is hosted on AWS in the United States, with no EU-only storage option.
Make: cloud only, but each organisation picks a data zone (US1, US2, EU1 or EU2).
n8n: n8n Cloud, or self-hosted on your own infrastructure (Docker, Docker Compose, npm, or AWS/Azure/GCP).

Self-hosting n8n gives you full control, and n8n's docs are blunt about the price of that: updates, SSL, backups and monitoring become your job.

2. "Is n8n open source?"

Not in the OSI sense. n8n calls itself fair-code and ships under its own Sustainable Use License, with some enterprise files under a separate licence. You can read the source and self-host it, but use is limited to your own internal business purposes or non-commercial/personal use. Automating your own company's work is fine. Embedding n8n in a product you sell is a conversation to have with n8n first.

3. What each tool counts

This is where estimates go wrong, because the three tools meter different things:

Tool	Unit	What counts
Zapier	task	each successful action step; triggers, Filter/Paths, failed actions and some built-ins (Formatter, Delay) don't. AI steps and Zapier MCP calls can count extra.
Make	credit	for non-AI apps, 1 operation = 1 credit; an operation is one module run, so a module sending 5 emails = 5. A trigger costs 1 per check. AI features vary by tokens.
n8n	execution	one whole workflow run. On paid plans only production executions count, not manual test runs.

So a 10-step workflow that fires 1,000 times is roughly 1,000 executions on n8n, but many more tasks or credits on the other two. Sketch your three busiest workflows and count them in each unit before you choose.

4. Integrations and escape hatches

Zapier says it connects to 9,000+ apps; n8n's GitHub lists 1,500+ integrations; Make splits apps into verified, community and custom. Catalogue size matters less than whether the exact trigger or action you need exists ("update a deal", not just "CRM supported"). When it doesn't, all three can hit an API with an HTTP or webhook step, and n8n also lets you drop into JavaScript or Python nodes.

5. AI agents

n8n: AI workflows with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others, plus tools, memory and MCP servers. You can require a human to approve an agent's tool call before it runs, which is handy for anything that sends or deletes.
Zapier: AI by Zapier steps, Zapier Agents and Zapier MCP.
Make: Make AI Agents (model + system prompt + knowledge files + tools). Note that Make says its EU zones don't guarantee every AI request stays in the EU.

6. Data protection, briefly

If workflows touch personal data, the provider is usually your processor (n8n says it isn't one for self-hosted instances, because it never sees your data). For UK and EU clients, map which apps and AI models each workflow sends data to, and how each transfer outside the UK/EU is covered. Self-hosting in-region reduces transfers, but every model or app you call is still a recipient.

Rule of thumb

Zapier: biggest catalogue, gentlest learning curve, no servers.
Make: branch-heavy, data-shaping workflows on a visual canvas, with an EU data zone.
n8n: self-hosting, custom code, or long multi-step workflows where per-run counting helps, if someone can look after it.

The full comparison, with UK GDPR notes and links to every source, is on the Dzimark blog: n8n vs Zapier vs Make for a small business.

Building websites for Ontario clients? What the AODA means for the code you ship

Sushil Barwal — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:21:44 +0000

If you build websites for businesses in Ontario, there's a provincial law that quietly sets your accessibility target: the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Here's the developer's version of what it asks for. It's general information, not legal advice; the Government of Ontario's own pages are the official source.

Who the website rule covers

The detailed rules sit in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (Ontario Regulation 191/11). Its website requirement (section 14) applies to designated public sector organizations and to large organizations: 50 or more employees in Ontario. For them:

since 1 January 2021, all public websites and web content (including web apps they control) must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA;
two success criteria are excepted: live captions (1.2.4) and pre-recorded audio descriptions (1.2.5);
it covers content published after 1 January 2012.

Smaller organizations aren't covered by section 14, but every organization with at least one employee in Ontario still has customer-service duties, including providing accessible formats when someone asks. In practice, building to Level AA is the safe default for any Ontario client.

Build to WCAG 2.2 AA, not 2.0

The law names WCAG 2.0, but W3C states that content conforming to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to 2.0 and 2.1. So targeting WCAG 2.2 Level AA meets the Ontario rule and the current guidelines in one go.

What usually fails on a business site

In practice, these are the areas that most often need work on a business website:

Keyboard access: every control reachable and usable without a mouse, with a visible focus indicator (don't outline: none without a replacement).
Colour contrast: at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, including placeholder text and buttons on images.
Forms: real <label>s, errors that say how to fix the problem, and errors announced to screen readers.
Structure: one h1, headings in order, lists marked up as lists, landmarks (header, nav, main, footer).
Images: useful alt text for informative images, empty alt="" for decorative ones.
Video: captions for pre-recorded video.
Consistency: navigation in the same place and working the same way on every page.

A practical order of work for an existing site

Inventory the site, subdomains, web apps, forms and important PDFs.
Audit with an automated scanner plus manual testing with a keyboard and a screen reader (automated tools catch only part of the problems).
Prioritize the pages and tasks people use most: home, contact, checkout, booking.
Fix in templates and components first, so one change repairs every page.
Keep it accessible: add accessibility checks to your definition of done, and re-test after redesigns.

Reporting

Ontario's guidance says businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees in Ontario file an accessibility compliance report every three years. Worth mentioning to your client: a clean, documented audit makes that report easier.

The full guide, with links to the official Ontario sources and a note on the federal Accessible Canada Act: AODA and your website: what Ontario businesses should know.

Written by the team at Dzimark, a website, app and AI development company working with businesses in Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia.

How to choose a Shopify developer: skills, questions and warning signs

Sushil Barwal — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:14:41 +0000

Shopify takes care of hosting, security updates and the checkout, so a store can go live quickly. What it does not do is decide how your store looks, how your products are organised or which apps and custom code you add. Those decisions are made by whoever builds the store, and they shape how fast it loads, how easy it is to run and what it costs you to change later. This guide explains what to look for when you choose a Shopify developer or agency.

What does a Shopify developer actually do?

"Shopify developer" covers several kinds of work, and it helps to know which ones your project needs before you start talking to people:

Store setup: products, collections, navigation, shipping zones, taxes, payment providers, policies and notifications.
Theme work: customising an existing theme or building a custom one in Liquid, Shopify's template language, using sections and blocks so your team can edit pages without code.
Apps and integrations: choosing apps from the Shopify App Store, or building a custom app when you need to connect Shopify to an ERP, a warehouse, a CRM or a marketplace.
Migration: moving products, customers, orders, URLs and redirects from another platform such as WooCommerce, Magento or a custom system.
Performance and accessibility: keeping pages fast on phones and usable with a keyboard and screen reader.

A small store may only need setup and theme changes. A store with a complex catalogue, B2B pricing or several sales channels needs someone who has built integrations before. Our Shopify development page lists the work we do, if you want a reference point.

Which skills should you check?

Ask for evidence rather than a list of logos. A capable Shopify developer should be able to show you:

Live stores you can visit. Open them on your phone. Check how quickly the pages load, whether the menus are easy to use and whether the checkout flow feels normal.
Theme architecture. Current Shopify themes use JSON templates with sections and blocks (often called Online Store 2.0). A developer who builds this way gives your team pages they can rearrange without code.
Liquid, JavaScript and CSS. These are the core languages of Shopify themes. Ask how they keep scripts small so the store stays fast.
Apps versus custom code. A good developer explains when an app is the sensible choice and when a few lines of theme code will do the same job without a monthly subscription or extra scripts.
Checkout and Shopify Functions. Discounts, delivery rules and payment rules are now customised with Shopify Functions and checkout extensions rather than by editing checkout code. Ask whether they have used them.
Data migration. If you are moving platforms, ask how they map old URLs to new ones with redirects, so search engines and existing links keep working.

Which questions should you ask before you hire?

The answers to these questions tell you more than a sales presentation does:

Who will do the work, and who is my single point of contact?
Will you work on a copy of my theme first, and how will I preview changes before they go live?
Which apps do you plan to install, and why? Which ones will I pay for every month?
How will you test on phones, tablets and different browsers?
What happens after launch: who fixes problems, and how quickly?
Who owns the theme code and any custom app when the project ends?
How will you hand over: documentation, a walkthrough, a list of apps and settings?

Ask for a written proposal that lists the scope, the milestones and what is not included. A clear scope protects both sides and makes changes easier to discuss.

How should you give a developer access to your store?

You should never need to share your store owner password. Shopify has a built-in way for partners to work on a store: a developer or agency with a Shopify Partner account sends a collaborator request, and you approve it and choose exactly which areas they can see and change. You can remove that access at any time from your store settings.

If you already have staff accounts, the same idea applies: give each person their own login with only the permissions they need. When the project ends, review the list and remove anyone who no longer needs access.

A careful developer also works on an unpublished copy of your live theme. Shopify lets you duplicate a theme, edit the copy and preview it with a private link, so your customers keep using the current store until you approve the new version.

What are the warning signs?

Most problems with Shopify projects can be spotted early. Be cautious if a developer:

asks for your owner password instead of sending a collaborator request;
edits your live theme directly, with no copy to roll back to;
proposes a long list of apps without explaining what each one does;
cannot show you stores they built that are still live;
gives you no written scope, or a scope with no milestones;
will not tell you who owns the code at the end of the project.

None of these points means a developer is dishonest, but each one adds risk to your store and your budget.

What does a good handover include?

When the work is finished, you should receive more than a working store. A good handover includes:

a list of every installed app, what it does and whether it has a subscription;
notes on any custom code: where it lives in the theme and what it does;
a recorded or live walkthrough showing your team how to edit pages, add products and run discounts;
a backup of the theme files, so you can restore an earlier version if needed;
confirmation that collaborator access has been reviewed or removed.

If your plans include more than Shopify, for example a custom storefront, a marketplace integration or a mobile app, read our ecommerce development page to see how those projects differ. You can also look through our case studies to see the kind of work we do.

Where do you start?

Write down what the store must do in its first year: the number of products, the markets you sell to, the payment and delivery options you need and the systems it must connect to. Share that list with two or three developers and compare their written proposals line by line. The best choice is usually the one that explains its plan most clearly, not the one with the longest feature list. If you would like us to be one of the developers you compare, send us your list.

FAQ

Do I need a Shopify Partner to build my store?

No. Anyone can set up a Shopify store. Partners do get tools that make the work safer, such as collaborator access and development stores, so most professional developers work through a Partner account.

Should I use a ready-made theme or a custom theme?

A ready-made theme from the Shopify Theme Store is quicker to launch and is enough for many stores. A custom theme makes sense when your brand, product pages or catalogue need layouts that a ready-made theme cannot provide without heavy changes.

Will a developer slow my store down with apps?

Each app can add scripts to your pages. A careful developer installs only the apps you need, removes unused ones and uses theme code instead of an app when the job is small.

Can I keep my URLs if I move to Shopify from another platform?

Shopify's product and collection URLs follow a fixed pattern, so most addresses will change. Your developer should create redirects from every old URL to its new page so links and search rankings carry over.

Originally published on the Dzimark blog.