Broadly speaking, the three platforms do the same thing: connect applications and execute steps. The differences show up when volume grows or when something fails at three in the morning.
Cost per execution versus fixed cost
Platforms that charge per task reward simple flows and punish loops. The ones you can host yourself have a predictable fixed cost, in exchange for someone maintaining the infrastructure.
What happens when a step fails
This is the point almost nobody checks before deciding, and the one that hurts most afterwards. Check whether you can define retries, error routes and alerts, and whether the execution history lets you reconstruct what happened.
Where your data lives
If you handle personal data or sensitive information, it matters to know on which servers each step is processed and how long it is stored. Hosting the tool yourself completely changes that conversation.
Our rule of thumb
- Simple flows and few users: the fastest option to set up wins.
- High volume or branching logic: prioritize error handling and predictable cost.
- Sensitive data or compliance requirements: self-hosting.
- In every case: the flow should be documented and yours.