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Posted on Edited on Originally published at toolverdict-5il.pages.dev

n8n vs Make: Which Automation Platform Earns Its Keep?

#automation #n8n #make

TL;DR

n8n wins for developers and self-hosters: unlimited executions when self-hosted,
real code where you need it, and first-class AI agent workflows. Make wins for
visual-first teams: 3,000+ integrations, a gentler learning curve, and a free tier that
runs indefinitely. If you can write a little JavaScript and care about costs at scale,
take n8n; if you want non-technical teammates building scenarios, take Make.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up through our Make referral link, at no extra cost to you. n8n links on this page are official sources, not referral links.

The contenders

  • n8n (fair-code licensed) is a node-based workflow engine that started life for developers. Every node can be extended with JavaScript or Python, and you can host it yourself with no execution limits.
  • Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual automation cloud with a polished scenario canvas, iterators, routers, and a huge app catalog. It is cloud-only.

Pricing as of October 2026 (both vendors' own pricing pages):

Plan n8n Make
Free Self-hosted Community: $0, unlimited executions Cloud: $0, 1,000 operations/mo, forever
Entry paid Cloud Starter $20/mo — 2,500 executions Core $9/mo — 10,000 operations
Mid tier Pro $50/mo — 10,000 executions Pro $16/mo — 10,000 operations
High volume Business $667/mo — 40,000 executions Teams $29/mo — from 10,000 operations

Two structural differences matter more than the sticker prices:

  1. Self-hosting. n8n can run on a $5 VPS with unlimited executions. Make is cloud-only; you always pay per operation.
  2. Billing unit. n8n bills per execution (one workflow run, however many steps). Make bills per operation (each module step). A 20-module scenario costs 20 operations per run on Make, but 1 execution on n8n.

Evidence and scope

Pricing, quotas and feature differences below come from both vendors' own pricing pages
and docs, checked on October 3, 2026. We did not ship identical workflows or measure
setup time and error rates for this article; the earlier draft's timing, failure-rate and
projected-cost figures have been removed.

Verdict: n8n — if you can code a little

For developers, self-hosted n8n is unbeatable on cost (unlimited runs) and depth. For
mixed-technical teams who value speed of building over control of infrastructure, Make's
polish is worth its per-operation bill. The billing-unit difference (execution vs
operation) is the number to model before committing.

Where n8n wins

  • Economics at scale: self-hosted = flat server cost regardless of volume; only pay per execution on n8n Cloud. Make is cloud-only, so you always pay per operation.
  • Code-first escape hatches: every node accepts full JavaScript/Python; AI agent nodes are built in.
  • Data control: self-hosting keeps customer data inside your own infrastructure.
  • Error workflows: a dedicated "on error" branch per workflow is cleaner than Make's aggregation/error handlers.

Where Make wins

  • Speed to build: the visual grammar (iterators, routers, aggregators) and 3,000+ prebuilt apps reduce hand-rolled HTTP modules.
  • Free cloud tier: 1,000 operations/mo forever beats n8n's trial-only cloud; you can run a real hobby workflow for $0 without touching a server.
  • App catalog: more one-click integrations, fewer hand-rolled HTTP modules.
  • Scheduling & ops UX: run history, scenario outlines, and inline data inspection are more polished.

Who should pick what

Pick n8n if…

  • You are a developer or have one on the team.
  • Volume is growing and per-operation billing scares you — self-host and stop counting.
  • You need AI agent loops, vector stores, or custom code inside workflows.
  • Data residency matters (healthcare, fintech, EU-only processing).

Pick Make if…

  • Your builders are ops/marketing people, not engineers.
  • You want a free tier that actually runs production-ish workloads.
  • You are automating common SaaS apps and value prebuilt connectors over flexibility.
  • You would rather pay $16–29/mo than maintain a server.

The bottom line

You cannot make a bad choice here — both are capable, actively developed platforms.
Model your real monthly volume first: under 10,000 operations, Make's Core/Pro plan can be
attractive; above that, or if "unlimited" matters, n8n self-hosted wins outright. Start on
Make's free tier if you are non-technical, or spin up n8n's Docker
image this afternoon if you are not.

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