Make vs n8n: Visual Automation Compared
Make offers a polished visual builder in the cloud, while n8n is open source with self-hosting and native AI nodes.
Tagline
Visual automation platform for building powerful workflows.
Open-source workflow automation with AI.
Pricing
Freemium$9/mo (Core)
Freemium$24/mo (Starter)
Open source
No
Yes
API available
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web
Web, Self-hosted
Key features
- • Visual scenario builder
- • 2,000+ app integrations
- • Advanced data operations
- • AI modules
- • Error handling
- • Visual workflow builder
- • AI and agent nodes
- • Self-hosting
- • 400+ integrations
- • Code steps
Make
Visual automation platform for building powerful workflows.
Pros
- + Powerful visual builder
- + More affordable at scale
- + Fine-grained control
Cons
- – Steeper learning curve
- – Fewer integrations than Zapier
- – Can get complex fast
n8n
Open-source workflow automation with AI.
Pros
- + Open source and self-hostable
- + Very flexible
- + Great for AI workflows
Cons
- – Steeper learning curve
- – Self-hosting overhead
- – Less polished than rivals
Which should you choose?
Choose Make if…
- • You need complex automations
- • You need data pipelines
- • You need marketing ops
Choose n8n if…
- • You need ai automations
- • You need app integrations
- • You need internal tools
The verdict
Choose Make for a refined cloud builder; pick n8n for open-source control and AI-heavy workflows.