This comparison was auto-drafted from tool data and is being progressively edited. Last reviewed 2026-07-16.
n8n vs Make: The Side-by-Side Breakdown
n8n and Make are the two automation platforms people reach for when Zapier feels too rigid or too expensive. Both give you real visual logic with branching, loops, and rich data mapping, so the deciding factor is not raw power but hosting and flexibility. Make is a polished cloud-only scenario builder; n8n is self-hostable and lets you drop into real code. Here is where each one actually wins.
n8n
View detailsThe open-source workflow automation tool that gave technical teams a real alternative to Zapier and Make. A node-based visual builder you can run as hosted SaaS or on your own infrastructure.
Key Features
- Visual workflow editor with drag-and-drop nodes
- 400+ built-in integrations
- Custom code nodes for JavaScript and Python
- Webhook triggers and scheduled execution
- Self-hostable with Docker
- AI agent capabilities with LLM nodes
Pros
- + Self-hostable for complete data control
- + More flexible than Zapier with code nodes
- + Fair-code license allows free self-hosting
- + Visual editor is intuitive for complex workflows
- + Active community sharing workflow templates
Cons
- - Fair-code license is not fully open source
- - Cloud pricing can add up with many executions
- - UI can feel laggy with very large workflows
- - Some integrations are less polished than Zapier equivalents
Make
A visual automation platform, formerly Integromat, built around a drag-and-drop scenario canvas. More visual and logic-rich than Zapier, with operation-based pricing that tends to be cheaper at volume.
Key Features
- Visual scenario builder with routers, iterators, and aggregators
- Granular data mapping between modules
- Large app-integration library plus generic HTTP and webhook modules
- Error handlers and automatic retries
- Scheduling and real-time triggers
- Reusable scenario templates
Pros
- + Far more powerful visual logic than Zapier (branching, loops)
- + Operation-based pricing is cheaper at volume
- + Strong for complex, multi-branch workflows
- + Generous free tier for experimentation
Cons
- - Steeper learning curve than Zapier
- - Smaller native integration library than Zapier
- - No self-hosting option
- - Complex scenarios can be hard to debug
The Verdict
Both give you real visual logic, so hosting and flexibility decide it. Pick Make if you want a polished cloud-only scenario builder with powerful routers and iterators, cheaper operation-based pricing than Zapier, and no interest in running your own server. Pick n8n if you want to self-host for data control, write custom JavaScript or Python inside a workflow, and avoid usage-based cloud pricing entirely. Make is the smoother pure-cloud experience for complex flows; n8n wins for teams that value ownership, code-level escape hatches, and free self-hosting.
Choose n8n if:
Technical teams that want self-hosting and code nodes for maximum flexibility.
Choose Make if:
Builders who want powerful visual logic in a polished cloud tool without managing infrastructure.