Make vs n8n
Make vs n8n: which automates more? Compare workflow capabilities, integrations and pricing in 2026. Make is best for complex automations, app integrations.
Make Best for: Complex automations, app integrations | n8n Best for: AI workflow automation, self-hosted, node editor, human-in-the-loop | |
| Overview | Make is a visual, no-code automation platform for building workflows across 3,000+ apps, with Make AI Agents, a feature currently in beta for building autonomous AI agents inside scenarios. | n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform for connecting apps, APIs and AI agents, self-hosted or via managed cloud. As of late October 2026 the stable line is n8n 2.45, with n8n 3.0 in beta and the older 1.x line still receiving separate patches. |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Users | Free / from $9/mo | — |
| Advantages | ✅Visual drag-and-drop builder makes complex multi-step automations approachable without code ✅Very broad connectivity: 3,000+ app integrations ✅Native Make AI Agents, currently in beta, let you build autonomous agents inside scenarios with a shared library ✅AI Agents can run on Make's own built-in AI provider on any plan, or connect your own LLM key ✅Genuinely low entry cost: Core starts at $9/month, or about $7.65/month billed annually | ✅Free self-hosted Community Edition with unlimited executions and access to all integrations ✅AI Agent node supports structured tool calling with models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral and Groq ✅Per-node retry with exponential backoff and 500+ native integrations handle complex flows ✅Choice of self-hosting for full data control or managed cloud with bundled AI credits ✅Visual editor plus optional JavaScript/Python code fits both non-coders and developers |
| Disadvantages | ❌Credit-based billing makes AI- and code-heavy scenarios harder to predict, since some steps cost more than one credit ❌Free plan is limited to 2 active scenarios and a 15-minute minimum interval ❌The lower per-month prices for Core, Pro and Teams only apply if you commit to annual billing ❌Complex scenarios with routers, iterators and error handlers get hard to maintain ❌Heavy usage requires buying extra credits in fixed bundles of 1,000 or 10,000 on top of the base plan | ❌Fair-code under the Sustainable Use License, not true OSI open source, so commercial resale is restricted ❌No free ongoing cloud plan; only a limited-execution trial is available ❌Self-hosting shifts maintenance, updates and scaling onto you ❌Cloud AI credits are capped and can run out on heavy agent workloads ❌Business-tier features are self-hosted only, with cloud access currently waitlisted |
| Rating | … | … |
| Website | make.com | n8n.io |
Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Make if…
- ✅ You want to design automations on a visual drag-and-drop canvas without writing any code.
- ✅ You need to connect a huge range of apps, since Make offers 3,000+ app integrations.
- ✅ You want AI agents that can run on a built-in provider on any plan without first configuring your own LLM key.
- ✅ You're starting out on a budget, since Make's Core plan begins at $9/month.
Choose n8n if…
- ✅ You want to self-host for free with the Community Edition, keeping unlimited executions and access to all integrations.
- ✅ You need full control over your data and infrastructure by running n8n on your own servers.
- ✅ You're building AI agent workflows that call multiple providers like Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral or Groq with structured tool calling.
- ✅ You're a developer who wants to drop into JavaScript or Python code alongside the visual editor for custom logic.