n8n vs Make: An Honest Comparison for 2026
n8n and Make (formerly Integromat) are the two most capable visual automation platforms — but they are built for different users. This guide compares pricing models, self-hosting, AI capabilities and workflow ownership, with real numbers, so you can pick the right one.
n8n vs Make: The Short Answer
Make (formerly Integromat) is a polished, visual-first automation platform that is easy to start with and cheap at low volume. n8n is the more powerful platform once you need real logic, custom code, AI agents, high volume, or data privacy — and it is the only one of the two you can run on your own server for free.
The two deciding factors for most teams: pricing model (Make bills per operation, n8n per workflow execution) and self-hosting (n8n yes, Make no).
n8n vs Make at a Glance
| n8n | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per workflow execution; free self-hosted | Per operation (each module run) |
| Entry paid price | €20/mo (Starter, 2,500 executions) | $9/mo (Core, 10,000 operations) |
| Free tier | Unlimited executions self-hosted | 1,000 operations/mo, 2 active scenarios |
| Self-hosting | Yes — free Community Edition | No — cloud only |
| Custom code | JavaScript & Python nodes anywhere | Limited; no arbitrary code modules |
| AI agents | Native agent, vector store and embedding nodes | AI modules, no agent framework |
| Branching & loops | Full IF/Switch, loops, merges, sub-workflows | Routers and iterators, visual but limited |
| App directory | Hundreds native + any REST API + community nodes | 2,000+ apps, large template library |
| Data privacy | Data stays on your server when self-hosted | All data passes through Make |
| Workflow ownership | Exportable as JSON, version-controllable | Locked in the Make platform |
| Learning curve | Moderate — canvas exposes logic | Gentle for simple scenarios |
Pricing: What the Same Workflow Actually Costs
Take a typical order-processing automation with 8 modules, running 2,000 times a month:
| Platform | Units consumed | Plan needed | Approx. monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| n8n self-hosted | 2,000 executions | Community Edition (free) | $5–$10 server cost |
| n8n Cloud | 2,000 executions | Starter (2,500 included) | €20 |
| Make | Up to 16,000 operations | Core tier upgrade or Pro | $16–$29+ |
Make looks cheaper at first, but the gap flips as workflows grow: every extra module multiplies your operation count, while an n8n execution costs the same whether the workflow has 3 nodes or 30. Long, branching workflows are where n8n becomes dramatically cheaper.
Where Make Wins
- Visual polish — the animated drag-and-drop canvas is the nicest in the category.
- Template library — thousands of prebuilt scenarios you can clone in one click.
- Low entry price — $9/month gets you started with real volume.
- Zero maintenance — no self-hosted option means nothing to manage.
Where n8n Wins
- Self-hosting: run the free Community Edition on your own server with unlimited executions.
- Custom code: drop JavaScript or Python into any workflow when a node is not enough.
- AI agents: build real agents that read documents, call tools and act across your stack.
- Cost at scale: per-execution billing means long workflows cost the same as short ones.
- Ownership: workflows export as JSON, live in git, and are never locked to a vendor.
- Data privacy: sensitive data never leaves your infrastructure when self-hosted.
When to Choose Make
- You want the most visual, beginner-friendly builder and will never write code.
- Your scenarios are simple and linear, and volume stays modest.
- You prefer cloning prebuilt templates over designing workflows yourself.
- You have no data-residency or compliance constraints.
When to Choose n8n
- You want to self-host for free or keep data on your own infrastructure.
- Your workflows have real branching, loops, error handling or custom code.
- You are building AI agents or anything that needs embeddings and vector stores.
- You process enough volume that per-operation billing is hurting.
- You want to own your workflows as exportable JSON, not rent them.
Migrating From Make to n8n
- List your scenarios and sort them by monthly operations — the expensive ones first.
- Rebuild the top scenarios as n8n workflows; routers become IF/Switch nodes, iterators become loops.
- Test each workflow with real data and run both systems in parallel for a week.
- Deactivate the Make scenario once the n8n version proves stable, then move to the next one.
- Keep genuinely trivial scenarios on Make's free tier if rebuilding them is not worth the time.
For complex migrations — multi-router scenarios, heavy iterator logic, or high-volume workflows — an n8n expert can rebuild and harden them for you.
Keep reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n better than Make?
For developers, technical teams and anyone who wants to self-host or build AI agents, yes: n8n offers a free self-hosted edition, custom JavaScript/Python nodes, native AI agent nodes and per-execution pricing. Make is better for visual-first builders who want a polished drag-and-drop canvas and a large template library without ever touching code or a server.
Is n8n cheaper than Make?
At low volume they are similar — Make starts at $9/month and n8n Cloud at €20/month. At high volume n8n wins clearly: Make bills per operation (every module execution), while n8n bills per full workflow run, and self-hosted n8n has no execution fee at all.
Can n8n do everything Make does?
Yes, and more. n8n covers the same mainstream apps natively, connects to any REST API with the HTTP Request node, and adds capabilities Make lacks: self-hosting, custom code anywhere, AI agent nodes and workflow export as JSON. Make still has a slight edge in visual polish and prebuilt template count.
Can I migrate from Make to n8n?
Yes, but there is no automatic converter — scenarios are rebuilt as n8n workflows. Simple scenarios rebuild in minutes; complex ones with routers and iterators benefit from an n8n expert. Most teams migrate their most expensive scenarios first.
Which is better for AI automation, n8n or Make?
n8n, clearly. It ships native AI agent, vector store and embedding nodes and lets you build multi-step agents that use your own tools and data. Make has AI modules and an AI assistant, but no comparable agent framework.
Is Make easier to learn than n8n?
Slightly, for simple linear scenarios — Make's canvas is very visual and beginner-friendly. Once you need branching, loops, error handling or custom logic, n8n's model is easier to reason about and far more powerful.
Can I self-host Make?
No. Make is cloud-only, so all your data passes through Make's servers. n8n offers a free self-hosted Community Edition, which is the deciding factor for teams with data-privacy or compliance requirements.
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