Make vs n8n: pricing, features and which to choose

Make is a visual workflow automation service operated by Celonis. Formerly Integromat, it was acquired in October 2020 and rebranded in February 2022. Make says it serves more than 400,000 organizations across over 200 countries as a 350-plus-person Celonis business unit. Its central object is the scenario, which connects applications, transforms data, and delivers results. Operations teams, agencies, and technical users can use scenarios for branching processes that require more control than basic trigger-action tools. Workflows may begin with a row, webhook, or schedule, then use modules, routers, filters, and transformations to process records. Make is hosted on AWS in Europe and North America, so customers use its managed service instead of installing an open-source server. Teams should evaluate credit consumption, especially for complex or repeated workflows.

A typical Make workflow starts with a trigger, such as a new row, webhook, or scheduled event, then passes data through modules that read, search, create, update, or delete records. Routers split a scenario into paths, filters apply conditions, and built-in tools transform or aggregate data before a later module writes the result to another service. Make lists more than 3,500 standard apps, custom apps, enterprise apps, an on-premises agent, and more than 300 API endpoints. Users can also issue custom API calls and connect services through OAuth or tokens. The visual canvas exposes each step and its execution history, which makes multi-branch workflows easier to inspect than a chain of opaque actions.

Make's main limitation is metered usage: a workflow with many modules, records, or AI operations can consume credits faster than a short Zapier automation. Zapier offers a more approachable task-based model, while Make exposes deeper routing and data handling at lower entry pricing for the listed 10,000-credit tier. n8n is the stronger choice for teams seeking source-available deployment options, whereas Make keeps hosting under its service. Power Automate is more compelling for organizations standardized on Microsoft's identity and business suite. Pick Make for visual, multi-step orchestration with detailed branching and broad app coverage, especially when a team accepts credit-based billing and hosted execution. Before committing, estimate records, modules, schedules, and AI calls against monthly credits, then select a tier whose controls match the team's operating needs.

n8n is a workflow automation company founded by Jan Oberhauser in 2019. It says its platform had more than 200,000 users and 3,000 enterprises by March 2025, and announced a $180 million Series C in October 2025, bringing total funding to $240 million and valuation to $2.5 billion. Its canvas combines code, integrations, credentials, webhooks, schedules, and AI nodes. Cloud hosting is the easiest entry point, while Community Edition is free to self-host. Pricing is based on workflow executions rather than steps or users. Self-hosting gives developers control over infrastructure and workflow data, but requires responsibility for security, backups, execution data, community nodes, telemetry settings, and license compliance. n8n is best for technical teams that value self-hosting, execution-based pricing, and AI model choice.

A typical n8n workflow begins with a schedule, webhook, polling event, or application trigger. Nodes can transform data, call APIs, run code, route conditions, query an AI model, or send work for human review. Each complete automatic run counts as one production execution, regardless of node count, while manual editor tests are excluded. Features include templates, Data Tables, sub-workflows, credential connections, retries, execution inspection, and AI Agent nodes. In 2025, n8n added Evaluations, allowing builders to test inputs, compare outputs, and apply measures for correctness, toxicity, bias, or tool choice. Users can connect multiple model providers according to cost and data needs. This workflow approach suits technical teams seeking execution-based pricing, self-hosting, and model choice.

n8n’s main tradeoff is operational and legal complexity. Self-hosting keeps workflow data on your infrastructure, but administrators must secure servers, manage backups, prune execution data, review community nodes, and configure telemetry settings. Its Sustainable Use License allows internal business use and consulting, but prohibits selling hosted n8n or exposing workflow building to customers without a commercial agreement. Zapier is easier for nontechnical users, Make offers a polished visual alternative, and Pipedream is stronger for code-first integrations. n8n’s execution-based billing can suit teams with many-node workflows, while its provider flexibility supports different cost and data requirements. Choose n8n when self-hosting, model choice, and infrastructure control matter more than a beginner-first interface, especially for technical teams and AI workflow builders.