Make vs n8n
Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual automation builder where you connect apps and services into "scenarios" using a drag-and-drop canvas, with branching logic, error handling, and data transformation tools that go beyond simple trigger-action automations. Built-in modules for OpenAI, Anthropic's Claude, Google Gemini, and other AI providers make it straightforward to add an AI step into a workflow — for example, summarizing incoming form submissions before routing them to a CRM. The free tier includes a meaningful number of monthly operations, generous enough for small personal automations; paid plans starting around $9/mo raise operation limits and unlock more frequent scenario execution. The visual builder is more powerful than simpler tools but has a steeper learning curve, and debugging complex multi-branch scenarios can take some practice.
n8n is a node-based workflow automation tool similar in concept to Make or Zapier, but with a fair-code license that allows free self-hosting on your own infrastructure with full access to the source code — a major draw for technically-minded teams who want control over data and costs. Its AI capabilities go beyond simple "add an AI step": dedicated nodes support building multi-step AI agents, connecting to vector databases for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and chaining multiple LLM calls with conditional logic. For those who don't want to manage infrastructure, n8n Cloud plans start around $20/mo with execution-based pricing. The trade-off for self-hosting is that you're responsible for setup, updates, and uptime, and the node-based interface has a steeper learning curve than Zapier — though it rewards that investment with far more flexibility, especially for AI-agent workflows.
| Make | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation | Automation |
| Price | Free / from $9mo | Free (self-hosted) / from $20mo (cloud) |
- + Powerful visual workflow builder
- + Deep customization with branching logic
- + Built-in AI modules (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini)
- + Generous free operation allowance
- – Steeper learning curve than simpler tools
- – Complex scenarios can be hard to debug
- – Operations-based pricing scales with usage
- + Free and self-hostable with full source access
- + Powerful AI/agent and RAG-building nodes
- + Large library of integrations and community templates
- + Visual node editor with fine-grained control
- – Self-hosting requires technical setup and maintenance
- – Cloud plans add up for higher execution volumes
- – Steeper learning curve than Zapier for non-technical users