SOLUTION: Kill the $10K Zapier/Make Bill & Own Your Data (The Open-Source n8n Stack)

Hi Makers, Builders, and Founders, My background is in finance, and I saw first-hand how fast automation costs from platforms like Zapier or Make can crush a scale-up. Worse, relying solely on their cloud means you don't own your data or your workflows.

I solved this for my agency, Azenflow, and now for our clients, by going 100% Open Source with the powerful platform, n8n. --- 🤯 The Problem I Solved (And You Should Too)

1. Cost: Automation bills were projected to hit $800/month by year-end. With n8n, this is $0 in license fees.
2. Compliance: For all EU-based companies, Data Sovereignty is non-negotiable. We achieve this by self-hosting our n8n stack (RGPD compliance).

🛠️ The 3-Step Open-Source Architecture This is the architecture we deploy to achieve Zapier-killing power:

1. The Engine (n8n): Powerful open-source workflow automation. Requires more setup, but allows custom JS and complex logic.
2. The Host (Your Cloud): We deploy it in a dedicated, controlled environment for guaranteed data sovereignty.
3. The Brain (AI Integration): n8n easily integrates LLMs/AI via API, putting you in control of the cost and keys.

--- ❓ Open Challenge to the Community Has anyone else made the leap from proprietary automation to Open Source (n8n, self-hosted solutions, etc.)?

What were your biggest pain points? The steep learning curve? The initial setup?

I’m an expert n8n Architect, happy to answer any technical or business questions about making this migration. Let's discuss how to own your tech stack. 👉 P.S. If you're a founder or an SMB looking to cut your automation costs to $0 in license fees, check out the Free Audit on my profile (Matthias, Azenflow).