Migrating from Make.com to n8n: Lessons Learned & Flow Design Tips

Why Migrate from Make.com to n8n

Make.com (formerly Integromat) is ideal for quick automation builds. But when workflows become business-critical, developers need more control, transparency, and flexibility. That’s where n8n shines.

Also See: The Complete Guide to Make.com

n8n advantages include:

• Open-source architecture with Git-based JSON workflows
• Execution transparency and customizable error handling
• Flexible hosting (cloud, Docker, on-prem)
• Extendable via custom nodes and JavaScript logic

See: n8n migration

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Step 1: Audit Existing Make.com Workflows

Start with an overview of your current scenarios. Document:

• Trigger types (Webhooks, Schedulers)
• Module complexity (Routers, Filters, Iterators)
• Data sources (Airtable, HTTP APIs, Google Sheets)
• Output channels (Slack, Email, CMS)

{
  "name": "Lead Capture Workflow",
  "trigger": "Webhook",
  "modules": [
    "HTTP Request",
    "Router",
    "Airtable",
    "Slack Notification"
  ],
  "schedule": "Hourly"
}

Classify each scenario by complexity:

• Simple: few modules, low frequency
• Medium: multiple branches, conditionals
• Complex: looping, error handling, external APIs

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Step 2: Rebuild in n8n

Translate each flow module-by-module. Use Webhook, HTTP Request, IF, and Function nodes to replicate logic from Make.

Use expressions and Set nodes to manipulate data mid-flow.

{
  "name": "LeadCapture",
  "nodes": [
    { "type": "Webhook", "parameters": { "path": "/lead" } },
    { "type": "HTTP Request", "parameters": { "method": "POST", "url": "https://api.leads.com" } },
    { "type": "IF", "parameters": { "conditions": { "responseCode": "200" } } },
    { "type": "Airtable", "parameters": { "table": "Leads" } }
  ],
  "active": true
}

Compare these features between Make and n8n:

Feature	Make.com	n8n
Visual flow builder	Yes	Yes
JavaScript custom logic	Limited	Built-in Function node
Retry & error handling	Basic	Fully customizable
Hosting	Cloud only	Self-host or Cloud
Export/import workflows	Proprietary	Git-friendly JSON

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Step 3: Parallel Testing Before Cutover

Before decommissioning Make.com, run both platforms in parallel.

• Use test payloads or webhook simulators
• Match execution timestamps
• Log inputs and outputs for parity
• Set up alerting via Slack/Telegram for errors

{
  "nodes": [
    { "type": "Webhook", "name": "TestInput" },
    { "type": "Function", "name": "LogData", "parameters": {
        "functionCode": "console.log(items); return items;"
      }
    }
  ]
}

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Step 4: Error Handling & Scaling

Don’t just build the “happy path”. Plan for:

• Invalid API responses
• Network timeouts
• Rate limits
• Large batch operations (e.g., split into chunks)

For advanced scaling:

• Use n8n's queue mode
• Store execution state in PostgreSQL
• Integrate with monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana)

queue:
  mode: 'redis'
  prefix: 'n8n_'
  redis:
    host: 'localhost'
    port: 6379
    db: 0
    password: 'your_redis_password'

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When to Stay on Make.com

Keep lightweight, infrequent, or marketing-only automations on Make. It’s fast, simple, and user-friendly.

But for GDPR-sensitive workflows, AI agents, internal ops, or infrastructure-critical flows, n8n is the better long-term choice.

We also compared Make vs n8n vs Zapier here:

https:///scalevise.com/resources/make-vs-n8n-vs-zapier-which-no-code-automation-tool-should-you-use/

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Summary

• Audit your workflows by trigger and complexity
• Rebuild logic in n8n using JS and IF/Function nodes
• Test both platforms in parallel
• Scale and monitor with error handling and queue systems
• Host where and how you want

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Need help migrating?

At Scalevise, we help developers and teams migrate entire Make.com infrastructures to n8n — with strategy, testing, and CI/CD in mind.

Explore our full migration guide

Comments

[Rolf W]

Thank you!