Make vs n8n: Workflow Automation Pricing and Features

At a glance

Make and n8n both automate workflows and AI agent tasks, but differ in pricing models, hosting options, and technical approach. Make charges per action credit on a managed cloud platform. n8n charges per workflow execution and supports both cloud and self-hosted deployment.

	Make	n8n
Best for	Teams wanting visual automation with managed infrastructure	Developers needing self-hosting, custom logic, and version control
Main features	Visual workflow builder, 3,500+ apps, AI agents, MCP server, code execution	All integrations available, agents, Git version control, multiple environments, code steps
Free plan	Yes (1,000 credits/month)	Community Edition self-hosted on GitHub
Starting price	$9/month (Core, 10,000 credits)	€20/month (Starter, 2,500 executions)
Integrations	3,500+	All included on every plan
Deployment	Managed cloud only	Cloud (n8n Cloud) or self-hosted

Make: strengths and limits

Make positions itself as a visual-first platform designed for teams that prioritize ease of use. The interface uses drag-and-drop workflow building across all plans. The platform integrates 3,500+ applications and includes AI features such as agents, conversational automation through Maia by Make, MCP server connectivity, web search, and content extraction. Custom code execution is supported using JavaScript or Python through Make Code App.

AI capabilities including Agents are available across all pricing tiers, including the free plan. Scenario templates enable teams to share workflows. The Teams plan introduces team roles for collaboration. The Core plan and above unlock custom variables and minute-level scheduling control.

The main limits stem from deployment and cost predictability. Make operates only on managed cloud infrastructure with no self-hosting option. Credit consumption varies by action, which can make forecasting difficult for complex workflows. The free plan enforces a 15-minute minimum interval between runs, restricting frequent automation. Enterprise customers require custom pricing through sales rather than published rates.

n8n: strengths and limits

n8n is built for developers and teams needing control over infrastructure and workflow logic. The platform emphasizes self-hosting and version control using Git, available on the Business plan. Code steps support both JavaScript and Python. Global variables, multiple environments, and workflow diff enable organized automation management.

Agents and AI nodes are available across all paid plans, with MCP Server Trigger included on Starter and above. n8n charges only when a workflow runs from start to finish, not per step. The company describes this as transparent execution-based billing. The Starter plan (€20/month, billed annually) includes 1,600 Assistant credits for AI operations. The Pro plan (€50/month) provides up to 9,600 Assistant credits.

The Business plan (€667/month, annual billing) and Enterprise tier (custom pricing) add SSO, LDAP, Git version control, and extended data retention. n8n qualifies startups with fewer than 20 employees and less than €5 million in funding for 50% off the Business plan, resulting in €333/month annually.

n8n’s main trade-offs involve complexity. Self-hosted deployments require infrastructure management. The platform targets builders comfortable with code rather than pure no-code users. Cloud and self-hosted options coexist with different pricing. Execution duration limits vary across tiers: Starter allows 5-minute maximum execution duration, while Pro and Business allow 40 minutes. Community Edition on GitHub is free but requires self-management.

Price and plans

Make’s pricing scales by monthly credit allotment. The free plan offers 1,000 credits monthly. The Core plan costs $9/month with annual billing and includes 10,000 credits. The Pro plan costs $16/month with annual billing and gives 10,000 credits. Additional credits are available at $1.60 per 1,000. The Teams plan is $29/month. Enterprise pricing is custom. Credits are consumed per action: adding a spreadsheet row, fetching email data, or executing code each deduct from the monthly allotment.

n8n pricing is execution-based rather than action-based. The Starter plan (€20/month, billed annually) includes 2,500 workflow executions with unlimited steps. The Pro plan (€50/month) provides 10,000 executions. The Business plan (€667/month) includes 40,000 executions and is self-hosted only. Enterprise plans are custom. All paid plans include unlimited workflow steps and all integrations. A startup plan offers €333/month for qualifying companies under 20 employees with less than €5 million in funding.

Make’s cost becomes variable as scenarios grow; complex workflows consume more credits per run. n8n’s model charges per complete workflow execution regardless of step count, offering consistency. Both provide trial periods without credit card requirements.

Which one should you choose

Choose Make if you want a visual, code-light platform with managed infrastructure and fast setup. Make suits non-technical team members, marketers automating lead workflows, and businesses preferring vendor-managed updates and security. The platform’s 3,500+ prebuilt integrations and drag-and-drop interface minimize setup time. Teams and paid plans unlock collaboration features like shared templates and team roles.

Choose n8n if you need self-hosting, full version control, or significant custom logic. Developers building complex multi-step agent workflows will benefit from code steps, Git integration, and multiple environments. Organizations with strict compliance requirements or data residency mandates favor self-hosted deployment. Startups under 20 employees can access Business plan features at 50% discount.

If starting at no cost, Make’s free plan is easier to use than n8n’s Community Edition, which requires infrastructure setup. For long-term scaling, n8n’s execution-based pricing and unlimited integrations suit growing automation libraries better than Make’s credit system.

Common questions

Can I self-host either platform?

Make does not offer self-hosting. Workflows run entirely on Make’s managed cloud infrastructure. n8n provides self-hosting through its Community Edition, available free on GitHub. Paid plans support self-hosted deployment, though the Business plan is self-hosted only. This is a key difference: Make is cloud-only, while n8n supports both cloud and on-premises.

How many integrations does each platform include?

Make lists 3,500+ integrations across all plans. n8n includes all integrations (called nodes) on every plan without publishing a total count. Both platforms add integrations regularly. Neither source specifies which integrations are newest or most commonly used.

Do both platforms support AI agents?

Yes. Make includes AI Agents and MCP Server support across all plans, including free. Users can build agents using Make’s AI Provider or their own LLM key. n8n includes Agents (preview), AI Agent nodes, and MCP Server Trigger on all paid plans, with Starter including 1,600 Assistant credits monthly. Both platforms embed conversational AI capabilities.

Which platform is better for startups?

n8n offers explicit startup pricing: 50% off the Business plan (€333/month annually) for companies under 20 employees with less than €5 million in funding. Make does not publish startup discounts. n8n’s startup plan includes 40,000 executions, Git version control, and multiple environments. For non-technical startups, Make’s free tier (1,000 credits) is easier to begin with but becomes expensive as usage grows. For developer-led startups, n8n’s pricing advantage and self-hosting option offer clearer benefits.

The conclusion

Make and n8n serve overlapping but distinct audiences in workflow automation. Make excels at speed and simplicity with its visual-first design, managed infrastructure, and broad app library, making it accessible to non-technical teams. n8n prioritizes developer control, self-hosting, and structured deployments through Git version control and multiple environments.

The choice hinges on three factors: technical skill, infrastructure preference, and cost model. Teams wanting rapid automation without infrastructure overhead should choose Make. Organizations needing self-hosting, version control, or maximum customization should choose n8n. Both platforms include AI agent capabilities, making them viable for AI automation workflows. Budget-conscious startups should compare n8n’s startup discount against Make’s free tier to determine which trial period matches their workflow needs. Neither platform dominates; each fills a specific role in the automation landscape.

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