Comparison · Last updated August 2026
Make vs n8n
Make vs n8n compared on pricing, features and fit. Independent August 2026 review from ToolChase.
Quick specs
| Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| ToolChase score | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Entry pricing | Core, $10.59/month ($9/mo annually): 10,000 operations per month, unlimited active scenarios, 1GB data transfer... | Community support only.n8n Cloud Starter, $24/month: 2,500 executions per month, managed hosting, 5 active workflows... |
| Category | Automation | Automation |
What each tool is
Make
Make (formerly Integromat) is a powerful visual workflow automation platform that connects 1,000+ apps and services through a drag-and-drop scenario builder. Where Zapier focuses on simplicity, Make prioritises power, offering conditional logic, loops, iterators, aggregators, and complex data transformations that are difficult or impossible in simpler tools. Make has added AI modules that allow integration with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity APIs, as well as AI-powered data extraction and transformation within w
n8n
n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that can be self-hosted for complete data control or used as a cloud service. It connects 400+ apps and services with a visual workflow builder, and has emerged as the leading tool for building AI agents and multi-step AI workflows. The n8n AI Agent node integrates directly with OpenAI, Anthropic, and local models (via Ollama), enabling autonomous task execution with memory, tool use, and decision-making. For developers and technical teams that need full control ov
Pricing compared
Make: Free Plan: 1,000 operations per month, 2 active scenarios, 100MB data transfer. Includes all core features and app integrations. Core, $10.59/month ($9/mo annually): 10,000 operations per month, unlimited active scenarios, 1GB data transfer, and access to all app modules. Pro, $18.82/month ($16/mo annually): 10,000 operations, unlimited scenarios, advanced features including custom functions, full-text log search, priority execution, and operations usage analysis. Teams, $34.12/month ($29/mo annually): 10,000 operations, team roles and permissions, shared workspaces, team dashboard, and all Pr
n8n: Self-hosted (Free): All features included, unlimited workflows and executions. Deploy on your own infrastructure via Docker, Kubernetes, or bare metal. Community support only.n8n Cloud Starter, $24/month: 2,500 executions per month, managed hosting, 5 active workflows, automatic updates, and basic support. No infrastructure management required.n8n Cloud Pro, $60/month: 10,000 executions per month, unlimited active workflows, execution log, advanced debugging, version control, and priority support. Enterprise, Custom pricing: SSO/SAML authentication, advanced role-based permissions, audit loggi
Vendors change tiers often, so confirm on the official pricing pages before purchase.
Key features
Make
- Visual drag-and-drop scenario builder, Interactive flowchart interface where you see data flowing between modules in real time
- 1,000+ app integrations, Comprehensive library including Google, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, and more
- Conditional logic and filters, Route data through different paths based on conditions, values, or patterns
- Loops and iterators, Process arrays and lists item by item, essential for batch data operations
- AI modules, Integrate OpenAI, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI services directly into workflows
- HTTP/Webhook modules, Connect to any service with an API, even without a native integration
- Built-in data store, Persistent storage for variables, counters, and data that persists across scenario runs
- Advanced error handling, Retry logic, fallback routes, and error notifications for robust workflows
n8n
- Open-source and self-hostable, Deploy on your own infrastructure for complete data control with no feature restrictions
- 400+ app integrations, Pre-built nodes for popular services plus webhook and HTTP nodes for custom APIs
- AI Agent nodes, Build autonomous AI workflows with OpenAI, Claude, Ollama, tool use, RAG, and memory
- Visual workflow builder, Drag-and-drop interface with real-time execution preview and debugging
- Custom code nodes, Add JavaScript or Python code at any point in a workflow for unlimited flexibility
- Webhooks and API triggers, Trigger workflows from any external service via webhooks or scheduled cron jobs
- Vector store integration, Connect to Pinecone, Weaviate, Qdrant for RAG-powered AI workflows
- Error handling and retry, Built-in error workflows, retry logic, and fallback paths for production reliability
Pros and cons
Make
Strengths
- Visual builder makes complex workflows easier to understand and debug
- Significantly cheaper than Zapier for equivalent usage
- 1,000 free operations vs. Zapier's 100 tasks, 10x more generous
- Advanced data processing with loops, iterators, and aggregators
- Real-time webhook execution with no polling delay
- AI modules for OpenAI, Claude, and other LLMs built directly in
Limitations
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier for non-technical users
- Fewer integrations (1,000+) compared to Zapier's 7,000+
- Interface can feel overwhelming with many options and settings
- Documentation is less comprehensive than Zapier's resources
- Smaller community means fewer pre-built templates and solutions
- Complex scenarios can be difficult to organize visually at scale
n8n
Strengths
- Completely free when self-hosted with no feature limitations
- Full data sovereignty, all data stays on your infrastructure
- Best-in-class AI agent capabilities among automation platforms
- Custom code nodes (JS/Python) provide unlimited flexibility
- Active open-source community with growing node library
- Fair-code license allows commercial use with self-hosting
Limitations
- Self-hosting requires DevOps knowledge and server maintenance
- Fewer pre-built integrations (400+) compared to Zapier (7,000+) or Make (1,000+)
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier for non-technical users
- Cloud pricing is higher than Make for equivalent usage
- UI can feel less polished than commercial alternatives
- Community support varies, complex issues may take time to resolve
Which should you choose?
Choose Make if these matter most to you: Visual builder makes complex workflows easier to understand and debug; Significantly cheaper than Zapier for equivalent usage. Our review lists it as a fit for: Technical teams and developers who need visual workflow design with advanced logic like loops, iterators, and error handling. Power users who want Zapier-level automation at a fraction of the cost. Data-heavy workflows that require processing arrays, aggregating results, and transforming complex data structures. Teams building AI-powered automations that integrate LLMs directly into business workflows.
Choose n8n if these matter more: Completely free when self-hosted with no feature limitations; Full data sovereignty, all data stays on your infrastructure. Our review lists it as a fit for: Developers and DevOps teams who want self-hosted automation with full data control and no execution limits. Teams building AI agent workflows with tool use, RAG, and multi-step reasoning integrated into business processes. Organizations in regulated industries (healthcare, finance) that require data sovereignty and cannot use cloud-hosted automation. Technical teams who need the flexibility to add custom code alongside visual workflow building.
Still unsure? See every option ranked in Make alternatives and n8n alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Make or n8n cheaper?
Make: Core, $10.59/month ($9/mo annually): 10,000 operations per month, unlimited active scenarios, 1GB data transfer, and access to all app modules.. n8n: Community support only.n8n Cloud Starter, $24/month: 2,500 executions per month, managed hosting, 5 active workflows, automatic updates, and basic support.. Check both vendor pricing pages before buying, since tiers change often.
What pricing model do Make and n8n use?
We list Make as Freemium and n8n as Freemium. The tier detail above is taken from each vendor's own pricing page as at August 2026.
Which is better, Make or n8n?
Neither wins outright. On our August 2026 review Make scores 4.5/5 and n8n scores 4.5/5, and the right pick depends on the use case set out above. Both entries are independently reviewed.