N8N vs Make.com: Which Automation Platform Should You Choose?
If you are serious about automation, you have probably heard a lot about n8n and Make.com (formerly Integromat). Both tools promise to help you automate anything – from marketing and sales to developer workflows and AI pipelines. But which one is actually better for you?
In this guide, we will compare n8n vs Make.com in clear, simple language so you can quickly decide which platform fits your budget, skills, and use cases. We will also add some helpful internal links to deeper guides like How to Automate Anything with n8n and No-Code AI Automation: How n8n Simplifies AI Integration so you can keep learning after this post.
What Are n8n and Make.com?
n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool. You can run it in the cloud or self-host it on your own server. It lets you connect apps, APIs, databases, and AI models using a visual node-based editor. Because it is open-source, you can extend it, host it anywhere, and keep full control over your data.
Make.com is a cloud-based no-code automation platform. It is completely hosted by Make, and you build automations (called scenarios) using a clean, visual interface. It focuses on making automation easy, fast, and beginner-friendly with hundreds of ready-made integrations.
Key Differences at a Glance
Here is the high-level comparison of n8n vs Make.com:
1. Hosting & Control
- n8n: Self-host or use n8n Cloud. Perfect if you care about data privacy, compliance, or custom infrastructure.
- Make.com: Fully hosted SaaS. No servers, no setup – but also less control.
2. Pricing Model
- n8n: Open-source and can be free if you self-host. Paid cloud plans scale by workflow executions and features.
- Make.com: Tiered subscription with limits on operations (steps) and data transfer. Very friendly for small teams, but can get costly at scale.
3. Flexibility & Power
- n8n: Extremely flexible. Great for developers, technical founders, and teams that need custom logic, advanced APIs, or AI workflows.
- Make.com: Focuses on simplicity. Amazing for non-technical users and teams that want to build fast without touching code.
If you want a broader view of why automation skills matter in general, you should also check Why Every Developer Should Learn Automation and How to Build a Side Business with AI – No Coding Required.
Ease of Use: Which One Is Simpler?
Make.com wins when it comes to onboarding speed and UI polish. The interface feels like a modern design tool: you drag modules, connect them, and configure each one in a side panel. You get templates for Zapier-like automations: send emails, sync spreadsheets, notify Slack, post on social media, and more. For many small businesses, this is all they need.
n8n feels more like a developer tool. It is still visual and no-code friendly, but many nodes expose raw API options, expressions, and JavaScript. Once you pass the small learning curve, you get a huge amount of power. If you want a gentle introduction to the interface, my detailed guide How to Automate Anything with n8n walks step-by-step through the basics.
Verdict: For beginners and non-technical users, Make.com is usually easier. For technical users and tinkerers, n8n becomes more enjoyable over time because of how much it lets you customize.
Power and Flexibility for Complex Workflows
When your automations grow beyond simple copy-paste tasks, you need logic, branching, loops, and deep API control.
n8n shines here. It offers:
- Advanced data transformation with built-in code and function nodes.
- Custom nodes you can build yourself, especially if you self-host.
- Easier integration with AI tools and custom APIs, as explained in No-Code AI Automation: How n8n Simplifies AI Integration.
- The option to run securely on-prem for enterprise or regulated environments.
Make.com is still powerful, with support for routers (branching), iterators (loops), and many built-in apps. But when you hit an edge case or need a very specific API behavior, you may feel boxed in unless you switch to a custom code module or external service.
Verdict: For complex, custom, and developer-heavy automations, n8n is usually the better long-term choice. For standard SaaS-to-SaaS workflows, Make.com is more than enough.
Pricing: Which Is More Affordable?
n8n has a huge advantage: it is open-source. You can run it on your own VPS or home server and pay only for hosting. This makes it ideal if you want to:
- Run many workflows without hitting strict limits.
- Keep costs predictable as you scale.
- Own your full automation stack.
Make.com uses a usage-based model tied to operations. For light to moderate use, it is very affordable and beginner-friendly. But if you are running high-volume data syncs or many always-on workflows, you will need a higher plan, and costs can increase over time.
Verdict: For heavy users or teams that plan to scale automation aggressively, n8n (especially self-hosted) is usually more cost-effective. For small companies, freelancers, and agencies doing client projects, Make.com can be easier to budget.
Data Privacy, Security, and Compliance
If your workflows touch customer data, finance, or healthcare, you must think about where your automations run.
With n8n, you can:
- Deploy on your own servers or private cloud.
- Keep all data inside your own infrastructure.
- Satisfy strict compliance policies by design.
With Make.com, you depend on their cloud and policies. They do offer strong security and are used by many companies, but if you need absolute control, you may still prefer self-hosting.
Verdict: For maximum control and compliance, n8n (self-hosted) wins. For most normal SaaS workflows, Make.com is secure enough and much simpler to operate.
AI & Developer Ecosystem
The automation world is quickly merging with AI workflows: connecting OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, vector databases, and custom tools. If this is your interest, you will enjoy exploring posts like AgentKit: Did OpenAI Just Make n8n Obsolete? and No-Code AI Automation: How n8n Simplifies AI Integration.
n8n is extremely popular among AI builders and developers because:
- You can easily call LLM APIs, third-party tools, and your own backend.
- The community publishes many custom nodes and templates.
- It works great alongside modern AI stacks and open tools.
Make.com also offers AI integrations and is adding more over time, but it is slightly more “black box” from a developer point of view.
Verdict: If you are building AI-powered products, agents, or API-driven businesses, n8n gives you more freedom and depth.
So, Which Should You Choose: n8n or Make.com?
Here is a simple way to decide:
Choose Make.com if you:
- Want a beautiful, beginner-friendly UI.
- Run mostly standard SaaS automations (CRM, email, chat, forms, social).
- Prefer a fully hosted solution with no servers to manage.
- Have light to medium automation needs and are happy with subscription pricing.
Choose n8n if you:
- Care about control, self-hosting, and data privacy.
- Need complex logic, custom APIs, and AI integrations.
- Are a developer, technical founder, or power user who likes to tweak things.
- Plan to scale automation heavily and want predictable long-term costs.
Final Thoughts
Both n8n and Make.com are excellent automation platforms. There is no single winner – only the tool that best matches your skills, risk profile, and automation roadmap.
If you want to go deeper into n8n, start with How to Automate Anything with n8n and No-Code AI Automation: How n8n Simplifies AI Integration. If you are more interested in how AI, automation, and startups are changing work, you will also enjoy AI Won’t Replace You – But Someone Using AI Will and How to Build a Side Business with AI – No Coding Required.
Whichever tool you pick, the most important step is this: start automating today. Your future self will thank you.
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