n8n vs Make at a glance
| n8n | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per workflow execution (whole run = 1) | Per operation (each module = 1) |
| Free option | Self-hosted: free, unlimited executions | 1,000 ops/month, 2 active scenarios |
| Entry paid plan | Cloud Starter: €24/mo (2,500 executions) | Core: $9/mo annual (10,000 ops) |
| Mid tier | Cloud Pro: €60/mo (10,000 executions) | Pro: $16/mo annual (10,000 ops + extras) |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No |
| Visual builder | Node canvas, technical | Best-in-class scenario canvas with routers |
| AI agents | Native LangChain nodes, full code control | Included in every paid plan |
| Integrations | 400+ nodes (+ HTTP/API for anything) | 2,000–3,000 apps |
| Learning curve | Moderate–steep | Moderate |
| Best for | Developers, AI agents, data control | Visual builders, cost-efficient cloud |
Pricing verified October 2026 — always check the live pricing pages, these change.
Pricing: executions vs operations
Both platforms are far cheaper than Zapier, but they count differently.
n8n charges per workflow execution — one full run is one unit regardless of step count. Make charges per operation — each module that runs is one unit (routers and error handlers are free).
For a 10-step workflow running 10,000 times a month: n8n Cloud Pro covers it at €60/mo (10,000 executions). On Make, that’s roughly 100,000 operations — beyond the $9/mo Core plan’s 10,000 ops, so you’d climb Make’s credit ladder. For simple workflows, Make’s $9 entry price is unbeatable; for complex multi-step workflows at volume, n8n’s per-execution model wins.
And the trump card remains: self-hosted n8n is free — a $5–7/month VPS runs unlimited executions.
Trying Make? You can start with Make here — the free tier includes 1,000 operations a month, no card required.
The builder experience
Make has the best visual automation builder in the industry — its scenario canvas with routers, iterators, aggregators, and error-handling routes makes complex branching logic genuinely pleasant to build. If you think visually and don’t code, Make is the sweet spot between Zapier’s simplicity and n8n’s power.
n8n’s canvas is also visual, but it assumes technical comfort: you’ll write JavaScript in Function nodes, wrestle with data structures, and debug like a developer. The payoff is unlimited flexibility.
AI agents
Both platforms take AI seriously in 2026, differently:
- Make bundles AI agents into every paid plan — accessible, template-driven, and enough for most business agent use cases.
- n8n gives you the raw materials: 70+ LangChain nodes, memory, tools, sub-workflows, and code nodes. Harder to learn, but you can build agents Make’s templates can’t express — multi-agent systems, custom tool use, approval-gated autonomy.
If “AI agent” to you means a smart assistant wired into your tools, Make is faster. If it means a custom agent system, n8n.
Self-hosting and data control
n8n self-hosts; Make doesn’t. Same story as the Zapier comparison: if data residency, compliance, or keeping customer data off third-party clouds matters, n8n is the answer.
Verdict by use case
- Non-coder who wants powerful visual automations → Make. $9/mo is absurd value.
- Developer / AI-agent builder → n8n. Code nodes, LangChain, self-hosting.
- High-volume complex workflows → n8n (per-execution billing scales better).
- High-frequency simple polling workflows → careful: Make counts each poll as an operation, so a 5-minute poller burns ~8,600 ops/month before doing anything useful. n8n counts only actual runs.
- Team with mixed technical levels → Make for approachability, n8n if you have one technical owner.
FAQ
Is Make cheaper than n8n? At low volumes with simple scenarios, yes — $9/mo for 10,000 ops is the cheapest paid entry anywhere. At high volumes with complex workflows, n8n’s per-execution billing (or free self-hosting) usually wins.
Can Make do AI agents? Yes — AI agents are included in every paid Make plan, and they’re genuinely useful for standard business agents. For custom multi-agent architectures, n8n’s LangChain nodes go further.
Does Make offer self-hosting? No. Make is cloud-only. n8n is the self-hostable option.
Which is easier to learn? Make — its visual canvas is the most intuitive of the power-user platforms. n8n expects more technical comfort but rewards it with more control.