Consider n8n when…
Shortlist n8n when you need self-hosting, long multi-step workflows, or AI agents whose steps you want to inspect.
Explore n8n alternativesFIND YOUR FIT
n8n vs Make
n8n vs Make: compare two visual automation builders by hosting, billing per run or per module action, and day-to-day editing.
The decision in brief
Both give you a visual canvas for branching workflows. The practical differences are where it runs and how usage is counted: Make is cloud-only and uses credits for most module actions, while n8n can be self-hosted and n8n Cloud counts each complete workflow run as one execution.
A focused editorial selection based on the linked official documentation. Fit notes are our judgment, rather than firsthand benchmark results or a universal ranking. How we select and verify information.
Compare the working details
| Decision factor | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Multi-step automations and AI agents you can inspect step by step, on n8n Cloud or your own servers. | Visual, branching scenarios with data mapping, routers, and error handling, run in Make's cloud. |
| Working setup | Start on n8n Cloud or install the self-hosted Community Edition with Docker, build a workflow from nodes, test each step, then activate it. | Create a scenario, add a trigger module, connect a module for each app action, map data between them, test a run, then schedule it. |
| Pricing model | Cloud plans are billed by monthly workflow executions, counting a complete run once however many steps it has, with unlimited users and workflows. The self-hosted Community Edition is free; Business and Enterprise licences add paid features. | A free plan includes 1,000 credits a month. Most module actions use one credit, so one scenario run can use anywhere from two to thousands of credits. |
| What to verify | Count executions for your busiest workflows, and decide who will update, monitor, and back up a self-hosted instance. | Credits are counted per module action, not per run; model a realistic run, including loops over many items, before choosing a tier. |
Which belongs on your shortlist?
Consider Make when…
Shortlist Make when you want a hosted visual canvas with routers and data mapping, and your scenarios are short enough that per-module credits stay predictable.
Run the same evaluation in both
- Rebuild the same scenario, including a loop over a list of at least ten items.
- Record executions in n8n and credits in Make for identical runs, and note where the loop changes the count.
- Check webhook limits, data retention, and error handling under each current plan before choosing.
Try the same task before you choose
Route one form submission end to end
Use the same fictional input in each candidate. Four form submissions arrive; one repeats the first with the same submission ID, and one has no email address. Each new, complete submission should create one CRM record and one chat notification; the incomplete one should go to an error or review path. Compare what each tool counts as billable usage for the same run.
Every check starts as Not run. Record your own observations; these are evaluation criteria, rather than completed product tests. Your worksheet stays in this page and can be downloaded.
| Task and expected observation | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Connect a webhook or form trigger Receive the fictional submissions and inspect the incoming fields before mapping them. | ||
| Send the repeated submission Explain and verify deduplication. The fixture contains three unique submissions, not four. | ||
| Handle the submission without an email Route it to an error or review path without creating a CRM record. | ||
| Create the records and notifications Two CRM records and two notifications, each mapped from the correct fields. | ||
| Make one action fail on purpose Record what the tool retries, what it logs and how you are alerted. | ||
| Have another person change the flow A second person can find the flow, understand each step and change the notification text. | ||
| Count billable usage for one run Record executions, tasks or credits for the run, then estimate a clearly labeled higher-volume month. |
0 of 14 checks have an observation. An observation does not imply a passed test.
Sources and check dates
Provider documentation supports the product and billing descriptions. Confirm current limits and terms before choosing a plan.
ShowMeYourSaaS also offers commercial product coverage. These guides follow our editorial selection criteria; placement is not a purchased ranking. Send a correction with the page and a supporting source.