Two Great Options, One Decision
Tenreply now connects to your WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger inbox through two of the best automation platforms available: Zapier and n8n. Both let you build automations without managing the WhatsApp API by hand. The right choice depends on how your team works, your budget, and your data requirements.
At a Glance
| Zapier | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Fully hosted (cloud) | Self-hosted or cloud |
| Setup time | Minutes | Minutes (cloud) to an hour (self-host) |
| App directory | 7,000+ apps | 400+ native, plus HTTP for anything |
| Pricing model | Per task / per month | Free self-hosted; paid cloud tiers |
| Best for | Speed, breadth, non-technical teams | Privacy, cost-at-scale, complex logic |
| Source | Proprietary | Open source |
| Tenreply install | Search "Tenreply" in Zapier | n8n-nodes-tenreply on npm |
When to Choose Zapier
For most teams, Zapier is the place to start. It's the fastest, most popular, and most beginner-friendly automation platform, with by far the largest app directory — over 7,000 connectors. If you want to wire WhatsApp to HubSpot, Salesforce, Shopify, Stripe, Calendly, or Google Sheets and have it working before lunch, Zapier is the answer. There's nothing to host, nothing to maintain, and the visual builder is genuinely no-code.
Pick Zapier if:
- You want the broadest set of ready-made app connectors.
- Your team is non-technical and wants the simplest possible setup.
- You'd rather not run or maintain any infrastructure.
- You're automating standard, linear flows (lead in → message out).
Get going with our Zapier getting-started guide.
When to Choose n8n
n8n shines when control matters. Because it's open-source and self-hostable, you can keep all your customer data on your own servers, avoid per-task billing as volume grows, and build sophisticated branching workflows that would be expensive elsewhere.
Pick n8n if:
- You need data to stay in-house for privacy or compliance reasons.
- You're running high automation volume and want to control costs.
- You want complex logic — loops, conditionals, custom code steps.
- Your team is comfortable with self-hosting.
Install the node from npm — n8n-nodes-tenreply — and follow the n8n getting-started guide.
You Don't Have to Pick Just One
Plenty of teams run both: Zapier for the quick connections to mainstream SaaS apps, and n8n for the heavier, in-house workflows. Both connect to the same Tenreply WhatsApp number using the same triggers and actions, so they coexist happily.
The Constant in Both Setups: Your Inbox
Whichever platform you choose, automation only covers the outbound and the plumbing. The moment a customer replies, you need a place for a human to read and respond. That's Tenreply — a shared inbox for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger where your whole team handles the conversations your Zaps and workflows kick off. Automate with Zapier or n8n; manage every reply in Tenreply.