Side-by-Side Pricing
| Plan | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 — Self-hosted community edition, unlimited executions | $0 — 1,000 ops/mo, 2 active scenarios |
| Entry cloud | Starter $20/mo ($240/yr) — 2,500 executions, cloud-hosted (EUR pricing) | Core $10.59/mo ($108/yr) — 10,000 ops/mo, unlimited scenarios |
| Mid tier | Pro $50/mo ($600/yr) — 10,000 executions, unlimited workflows | Pro $18.82/mo ($192/yr) — 10,000 ops/mo, custom functions, priority |
| Team | Enterprise: custom pricing | Teams $34.12/mo ($348/yr) — 10,000 ops/mo, team features |
| Enterprise | Custom — SSO, audit logs, dedicated support | Custom pricing |
n8n's self-hosted edition is genuinely free and unlimited. n8n cloud is more expensive than Make cloud — but self-hosting eliminates the recurring cost entirely. Make's cloud pricing is significantly cheaper than n8n's cloud pricing at every tier.
The Real Cost of Self-Hosting n8n
n8n is free to self-host, but hosting infrastructure is not. Realistic costs:
- •VPS hosting: $5–20/mo (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Railway)
- •Your time: 1–4 hours/month for updates, monitoring, debugging
- •Total realistic cost: $5–20/mo + maintenance time
For a solo developer comfortable with Docker, self-hosting n8n at $5/mo is dramatically cheaper than any cloud automation tool. For a team without DevOps capacity, the maintenance burden can exceed Make's $10.59/mo Core plan.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-hosted (Docker) or cloud | Cloud only |
| Custom code | JavaScript/Python in any node | Custom functions (Pro+ only) |
| Integrations | 400+ built-in nodes + custom HTTP | 1,800+ apps |
| Visual builder | Node-based canvas (technical feel) | Flowchart-style (more visual) |
| Error handling | Basic — improving | Advanced — routers, filters, error branches |
| AI agent nodes | Yes — AI agent workflows native | AI modules available |
| Data sovereignty | Full control (self-hosted) | Data on Make's cloud |
| Version control | Git-based workflow versioning | Scenario versions (limited) |
What n8n Does Better
Full control. Self-host n8n and you own everything: the data, the infrastructure, the execution logs. No vendor lock-in, no data leaving your servers. For companies with compliance requirements (HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2), this is often the deciding factor.
Custom code everywhere. Write JavaScript or Python in any node. This makes n8n essentially a visual programming environment. If a pre-built integration doesn't exist, you can build it with HTTP requests and custom code in minutes.
No execution limits (self-hosted). The community edition has no caps on executions, workflows, or data volume. Your only limit is your server's capacity.
What Make Does Better
Zero infrastructure. Make runs entirely in the cloud. No servers to manage, no Docker containers to update, no SSL certificates to renew. Sign up and start building. For non-technical teams, this is a massive advantage.
Integration breadth. Make has 1,800+ pre-built app integrations vs n8n's 400+. If you need to connect niche SaaS tools, Make is more likely to have a native module. n8n can use HTTP/webhook nodes for anything, but that requires more technical work.
Visual scenario builder. Make's flowchart interface with routers, filters, aggregators, and iterators is more visual and arguably more intuitive than n8n's technical canvas — especially for complex branching logic.
Cost Comparison at Scale
| Scenario | n8n (self-hosted) | Make (cloud) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 executions/mo | $5–10/mo (hosting only) | $0/mo (free plan) |
| 10,000 executions/mo | $5–10/mo (hosting only) | $10.59/mo (Core) |
| 100,000 executions/mo | $10–20/mo (bigger VPS) | $100+/mo (custom ops volume) |
| 1,000,000 executions/mo | $20–50/mo (powerful VPS) | $500+/mo (enterprise pricing) |
At high volumes, n8n self-hosted saves thousands annually. At low volumes, Make's free tier is the better starting point. The crossover happens around 10,000–50,000 monthly executions.
Decision Framework
Choose n8n if:
- ✓You can self-host (comfortable with Docker)
- ✓You need custom code in workflows
- ✓Data privacy / compliance is a requirement
- ✓You run high-volume automations
Choose Make if:
- ✓You want zero infrastructure management
- ✓You need the broadest app integrations
- ✓Visual workflow design is a priority
- ✓Your team is non-technical
Migration Between the Two
Make to n8n
Effort: High. No auto-migration exists. You'll rebuild each scenario as an n8n workflow. Make's data stores, routers, and error handling patterns need to be re-implemented. Budget 2–4 hours per complex scenario.
n8n to Make
Effort: High. Custom code nodes in n8n have no direct equivalent in Make (until Pro plan). Workflow JSON doesn't transfer between platforms. Each workflow needs manual recreation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n really free?
The self-hosted community edition is free and unlimited (fair-code license). n8n's cloud service starts at $20/mo (EUR) for 2,500 executions. Self-hosting requires a VPS ($5–20/mo) and your time for maintenance.
How do operations compare to executions?
Make counts each module/step in a scenario as an operation. A 5-step scenario uses 5 operations per run. n8n counts entire workflow runs as executions. This means n8n's 2,500 cloud executions may handle the same workload as Make's 10,000 operations.
Can I use n8n cloud instead of self-hosting?
Yes. n8n offers a cloud-hosted service starting at $20/mo. But at that price, Make Core ($10.59/mo) offers more operations and a broader integration library. n8n cloud only makes sense if you specifically need n8n's custom code capabilities without wanting to self-host.
What about Zapier?
Zapier ($29.99/mo Starter for 750 tasks) is the most expensive option by far but has the broadest integration catalog (7,000+ apps) and simplest UX. Both n8n and Make are significantly cheaper at scale.
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