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Side-by-side buying guide

Make vs n8n

Compare Make and n8n by managed or self-hosted deployment, credit or execution billing, workflow control, licensing and operating effort.

Research statusOfficial-source comparison
No hands-on claims
Last verified August 16, 2026

Published bySmarterBuyLab
EvidenceOfficial-source comparison
VerificationAugust 16, 2026 · 8 sources

Quick verdict

Choose by use case—not brand.

Choose Make when a managed visual automation service, visible scenario routing and no self-hosted infrastructure burden fit the operator. Choose n8n when complete-workflow execution billing, code-capable workflows or a Cloud-versus-self-hosted choice is more important—and the team can own the added operational and licensing decisions. Model the same workflow before paying because credits and executions are not directly interchangeable.

Start with

Make

Best fitTeams connecting multiple business apps through visible, reusable workflows

Check firstA single native integration already solves the complete workflow with less operational overhead

Read assessmentCheck Make
Start with

n8n

Best fitTechnical teams that prefer complete-workflow execution billing over per-step usage

Check firstThe team cannot own self-hosted security, updates, backups and incident response

Read assessment

Sponsored affiliate links · The verdict is independent of commission rate

Make and n8n overlap in cross-app automation, APIs, webhooks, branching and AI-assisted workflows, but they package control differently. Make is a managed visual platform whose scenarios consume credits. n8n offers hosted Cloud plans and self-hosted paths whose paid usage is centered on complete workflow executions.

The self-hosting option changes more than the invoice. It changes who owns upgrades, credentials, access controls, backups, recovery and license review. This page uses current official documentation and does not claim hands-on deployment, workflow or reliability testing.

Current facts that change the decision

Usage modelMake: Credits

Most non-AI module operations use a fixed credit amount, while selected built-in AI and advanced features can consume credits dynamically.

Hosting modelMake: Managed Make platform

The buyer designs scenarios and connections while Make operates the automation platform; connected APIs and AI providers can still create separate charges.

Entry workflowMake: 1,000 Free credits and 15-minute interval

The current official pricing table lists these Free-plan limits; Core adds unlimited active scenarios, API access and scheduling down to the minute.

Usage modeln8n: Complete workflow executions

Current paid pricing is based on monthly workflow executions regardless of the number of steps in each complete run.

Hosting modeln8n: n8n Cloud or self-hosted

Current plans include n8n-hosted Cloud, a self-hosted Community Edition and commercial self-hosted options with different feature and support boundaries.

License and operationsn8n: Sustainable Use License plus owner responsibility

Community use is governed by the official license. Self-hosting also makes the buyer responsible for security, updates, backups, recovery and infrastructure cost.

Time-sensitive facts verified August 16, 2026. Recheck the live plan before paying.

Side-by-side decision

United States

Make

Visual workflow automation and AI-agent orchestration across business apps, APIs and webhooks.

Good fit

  • Teams connecting multiple business apps through visible, reusable workflows
  • Operators combining deterministic automation with selected AI-assisted steps
  • No-code and low-code builders that still need APIs, webhooks and branching

Look elsewhere if

  • A single native integration already solves the complete workflow with less operational overhead
  • You cannot estimate or monitor recurring credit and third-party API consumption
  • The process lacks an owner for permissions, failures and offboarding
Read assessmentStart with Make
Germany

n8n

Fair-code workflow automation available as n8n Cloud or a self-hosted Community and commercial deployment.

Good fit

  • Technical teams that prefer complete-workflow execution billing over per-step usage
  • Organizations choosing between a managed Cloud service and controlled self-hosting
  • Builders that need code steps, API calls, webhooks or self-hosted custom nodes

Look elsewhere if

  • The team cannot own self-hosted security, updates, backups and incident response
  • A fully managed visual platform better matches the operators and governance model
  • The intended commercial distribution or hosted-service model does not fit the current license
Read assessment

Compare these before buying

  1. Draw the same workflow with triggers, branches, loops, retries, approvals and connected AI services
  2. Estimate Make credits and n8n executions from the same monthly event volume
  3. Choose managed service, n8n Cloud or n8n self-hosting before comparing plan headlines
  4. Confirm required connectors, code steps, custom nodes, APIs and webhook behavior
  5. For self-hosting, price infrastructure, database, backups, certificates, monitoring, upgrades and operator time
  6. Review licensing, team roles, shared credentials, environments, audit needs, support and offboarding

SmarterBuyLab has not run hands-on workflow, reliability or integration testing for this comparison. We do not declare a universal value winner from provider marketing or unmatched usage units.

Frequently asked questions

Is n8n cheaper than Make?

There is no universal cost winner. Make credits and n8n executions count work differently, while self-hosted n8n adds infrastructure and operator costs. Model one real workflow at the same event volume and include every connected service.

Should I self-host n8n instead of using Make?

Self-host n8n only when infrastructure control is valuable and named owners can handle security, credentials, updates, backups and incidents. Use a managed platform when removing that operational burden is more important.

Does n8n charge for every workflow step?

The current official pricing page says paid plans are based on complete workflow executions, regardless of the number of steps in the run. Separate AI, API and infrastructure charges can still apply.

Is n8n Community Edition unrestricted open-source software?

No. The source is available under n8n's Sustainable Use License, which permits internal business, personal and non-commercial use but includes commercial and distribution limits. Review it for the intended deployment.

Why does Make have a buying button but n8n does not?

SmarterBuyLab has an active Make affiliate relationship and no active n8n referral route. n8n remains a neutral candidate, and commission does not determine the facts or verdict.

Did SmarterBuyLab deploy Make or n8n for this comparison?

No. This is an official-source comparison of current product, pricing, hosting, licensing and legal information—not a hands-on deployment or reliability test.

Primary sources