Research Question
The research evaluated platforms for automating AI-driven inbound lead qualification from Typeform forms, including LLM-based ICP scoring (B2B SaaS, 50-500 employees, US/EU), personalized email drafting, AE approval gating, HubSpot updates, and conditional Slack notifications to AEs for scores above 7, at 500-1000 leads/month volumes.
Key Findings
- All platforms (Zapier, Make, n8n, Relay.app) offer native integrations for Typeform ("New form response" trigger), HubSpot (create/update contact, add to list/workflow; Make has 86 actions, Zapier 44, n8n 24, Relay 12), and Slack (post message; Make 31 actions, n8n 37, Zapier 25, Relay 21).
- Native LLM support: OpenAI (Make 26 actions, n8n 15, Relay 39, Zapier 21), Anthropic/Claude (Make 13, n8n 9, Relay 21, Zapier 4), Gemini (Make 12, n8n 15, Relay 30, Zapier 9).
- n8n enables easiest LLM swaps via modular AI chain nodes (e.g., OpenAI/Anthropic/Gemini Chat Model).
- Relay.app excels in native human-in-loop approvals ("Approvals", "Tasks"); n8n/Make use webhook pauses with Slack/Telegram buttons.
- Platform costs (1 workflow, 8 steps, cloud, verified 2026-04-20):
- OpenAI costs separate (~$50-100/mo at 500 leads, $100-200/mo at 1000; GPT-4o-mini est., 1.5k tokens/lead); Relay includes 2k free AI credits/mo (Professional).
- Automation saves $12k/year vs. manual processing.
Recommendation
Make (Core tier, $16/mo) is recommended for cost-sensitive teams prioritizing fully automated flows with easy setup and LLM support. Use Relay.app (Professional, $118-198/mo) if native AE approval UI is critical. Opt for n8n (Starter $24/mo or free self-host) for LLM provider swaps and open-source flexibility. Caveats: Assumes 1 item per execution/bundle, cloud deployment; test at volume for approval latency; monitor OpenAI via dashboard.
Details
Cost Comparison at 500 Leads/Month (8 Steps/Workflow)
Prices as of 2026-04-20.
| Platform | Tier | Monthly | Annual | Pricing Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make | Core | $16 | $144 | Operations (4k) |
| n8n | Starter | $24 | $240 | Executions (500) |
| Relay.app | Professional | $118 | $708 | Steps (4k) |
| Zapier | Professional | $134 | $1,068 | Tasks (~3.5k) |
Cost Comparison at 1000 Leads/Month (8 Steps/Workflow)
Prices as of 2026-04-20.
| Platform | Tier | Monthly | Annual | Pricing Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make | Core | $16 | $144 | Operations (8k) |
| n8n | Starter | $24 | $240 | Executions (1k) |
| Relay.app | Professional | $198 | $1,188 | Steps (8k) |
| Zapier | Professional | $194 | $1,548 | Tasks (~7k) |
Pricing pages: Make, n8n, Relay.app, Zapier. Make bills per module/data bundle (assumes 1 item/execution). n8n bills whole workflow=1 execution. Relay includes AI credits (2k/mo Professional). Zapier ~0.8 billable task ratio.
n8n templates exist for lead approval (e.g., AI lead follow-up with Airtable/Slack). All beginner-intermediate setup (0.5-1h).
Methodology
The analysis used Crux Automation Advisor tools to check solvability/integrations for Typeform, HubSpot, Slack, OpenAI/Claude/Gemini; compared platforms for "lead-follow-up" use case (1 workflow, 8 steps, 500/1000 executions/month, cloud); calculated costs via platform-specific models. Criteria: integration quality, LLM flexibility, approval ease, pricing fit. Limitations: Excludes OpenAI costs (user-managed); assumes single-item bundles, no overages; 2026-04-20 data.
FAQ
### Which platform is cheapest at scale?
Make Core at $16/mo fits both 500 (4k ops) and 1000 leads (8k ops) under 10k limit; n8n Starter $24/mo also unchanged.
### Best for human AE approval?
Relay.app with native "Approvals/Tasks" UI; n8n/Make via webhook + Slack buttons (templates available).
### Easiest LLM swap (OpenAI to Claude/Gemini)?
n8n via dedicated Chat Model nodes; others require module replacements.
### Do costs include AI tokens?
No—platforms bill steps/executions; OpenAI ~$50-200/mo separate (user API keys), except Relay's 2k free credits/mo.
### Free/self-host options?
n8n Community free self-host (DevOps needed); others no free tier fit for 8-step workflows.