Make.com
Visual automation that connects 1,500+ apps without code.
Make.com scenarios you can clone: lead enrichment, content repurposing, AI-powered inbox triage, and reporting on autopilot.
Explore Make.com →Head to Head
Make.com vs n8n
Visual automation: managed simplicity vs open-source control.
n8n
Open-source automation you can self-host. Power-user choice.
n8n workflows: AI agents, webhook patterns, self-hosting on a $5 VPS, and connecting LLMs to your real stack.
Explore n8n →Verdict
Make if you want zero ops and clean visuals. n8n if you want self-hosted control and lower cost at scale.
Make and n8n solve the same problem — visual automation that connects hundreds of apps — but from opposite ends of the philosophy spectrum. Make is a managed SaaS, polished, opinionated, and easy to hand to a non-technical teammate. n8n is open source, self-hostable, and gives you a code node when the visual builder isn't enough.
For most small teams, Make is the faster answer: no server to run, no upgrade to worry about, and the UI does more heavy lifting. For teams that already run infrastructure, care about cost at high volume, or need workflows to touch data that can't leave their network, n8n is the obvious pick.
Both handle AI steps well now. Both have a real API. The decision is almost always about ops appetite, not features.
Pick Make.com if
- ›You want to build automations without hosting anything yourself.
- ›You're setting up a team that includes non-developers who need to edit scenarios.
- ›You value a polished UI more than the last 20% of flexibility.
Pick n8n if
- ›You already run infrastructure and want your automation platform on it.
- ›You need a real code node for the edges the visual builder won't cover.
- ›You're moving enough volume that Make's per-operation pricing starts to sting.
Our take
We score every AI app on the Ninja Score™ framework — learning curve, ROI, privacy, automation potential, cost, and business value. Full head-to-head scoring drops with our weekly reviews; subscribe to The Dojo to get them first.
Frequently asked
›Which is cheaper — Make or n8n?
At low volume, Make is often effectively free. At high volume, self-hosted n8n on a small VPS is dramatically cheaper. n8n Cloud sits in the middle.
›Can I migrate workflows between them?
Not directly — there's no one-click import. But most workflows translate cleanly because both use the same 'trigger → modules → action' mental model.
›Which is better for AI workflows?
Both are strong. Make has clean native OpenAI/Anthropic modules; n8n has a proper AI Agent node with tools and memory. Pick based on ops preference, not AI capability.