Make vs n8n
Make bills each step and runs only in its own cloud. n8n bills each full run and runs on your own servers for free.
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Short answer
Make edges n8n overall, 8.3 to 8.0, on ease and app count89. n8n wins for developers who want code steps on every plan, self-hosting and one execution per full run311.
- Pick Make if
- your builders are not developers and you want a hosted tool from $12 a month billed annually, with unlimited users1.
| Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.3 | 8.0 |
| Free option | Free plan: 1,000 credits a month1 | Free self-hosted Community edition; Cloud has a free trial2 |
| Paid plans from | $12/mo billed annually, 10,000 credits1 | €24/mo, or €20 billed annually, 2,500 executions3 |
| Billing unit | Credits: 1 for each non-AI module action4 | One execution per full run, any number of steps3 |
| 2,000 five-step runs a month (estimate) | $12 on Core, billed annually1 | €20 on Starter, billed annually3 |
| Self-hosting | No; Enterprise adds an on-prem agent for local systems5 | Yes, free Community edition6 |
| Code steps | JavaScript and Python on paid plans7 | JavaScript and Python on every Cloud plan3 |
| Integrations | 3,500+ apps8 | 500+ native, plus any API over HTTP9 |
| Cloud data location | US and EU data zones10 | EU, on servers in Frankfurt3 |
At five steps a run, Make costs less: 2,000 runs use up to 10,000 credits, inside Core at $12, while n8n Starter costs €20 for 2,500 executions, both billed annually13. Longer workflows favor n8n. It still counts one execution per run3, while Make's credits rise with every module4: 2,000 runs of a 20-step workflow need up to 40,000 Make credits, four times Core's entry tier.
Scores by criterion
Make
| Ease of use 20% | 7.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power 25% | 8.5 | |
| Integrations 15% | 8.5 | |
| Price and value 20% | 8.5 | |
| Security and governance 10% | 8.5 | |
| Support and ecosystem 10% | 8.0 |
n8n
| Ease of use 20% | 6.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Power 25% | 9.0 | |
| Integrations 15% | 7.5 | |
| Price and value 20% | 8.5 | |
| Security and governance 10% | 9.0 | |
| Support and ecosystem 10% | 7.5 |
Visit Make (opens the Make website)Visit n8n (opens the n8n website)
Questions people ask
Is n8n cheaper than Make?
For short workflows, no: 2,000 five-step runs fit Make Core at $12 a month, against €20 for n8n Starter, both billed annually13. For long workflows n8n costs less, because a run counts once however many steps it has3.
Is n8n harder to use than Make?
Yes for most builders. n8n scores 6.5 on ease here against Make's 7.5, and n8n's docs say self-hosting requires technical expertise2.
Sources
- Make (Celonis). Pricing & Subscription Packages | Make. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- n8n GmbH. Choose how to use n8n | n8n Docs. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- n8n GmbH. n8n Plans and Pricing - n8n.io. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Make Help Center. Credits - Help Center. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Make Help Center. On-premise agent - Help Center. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- n8n GmbH. Host n8n | Deploy | n8n Docs. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Make Help Center. The Make Code app is available - Help Center. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Make (Celonis). 3,500+ Integration Apps | Connect & Automate Software | Make. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- n8n GmbH. AI Workflow Automation Platform - n8n. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- Make Help Center. AI providers and data zones in Make - Help Center. Checked 9 Nov 2026.
- n8n GmbH. Compare editions | Deploy | n8n Docs. Checked 9 Nov 2026.