Moving from Zapier to n8n should not be a copy-paste exercise.

The mistake is simple: teams rebuild every old automation exactly as it was, including old assumptions, duplicate paths, and workarounds.

What to migrate

Migrate:

• workflows that carry real business value
• logic that needs more control or lower costs
• processes where custom APIs or AI steps matter

Do not migrate blindly:

• old hacks
• dead automations
• workflows nobody owns

What to redesign

During migration, I usually redesign:

• data flow
• error handling
• queue logic
• observability
• step boundaries between cheap and expensive operations

If you treat migration as architecture cleanup, n8n becomes more than a cheaper Zapier replacement. It becomes a better operational system.