Make vs n8n

Side-by-side pricing, features and compliance for any tools in the directory.

Side-by-side comparison of Make, n8n: pricing, capabilities, integrations and compliance — from verified HokAI records.

Make

Make (part of Celonis)

Pick it if: Operations Manager optimizing multi-step business processes

Its edge: Advanced visual scenario builder with complex branching, conditional logic, and data manipulation that handles enterprise-grade workflows Zapier cannot match

The catch: Steeper learning curve and credit-based pricing model requiring careful monitoring; smaller integration ecosystem than Zapier (2,400 vs 5,000+ apps)

n8n

n8n GmbH

Pick it if: Platform/DevOps Engineers

Its edge: Execution-based billing model combined with code flexibility—allows building infinitely complex workflows at 40-90% lower cost than task-based competitors like Zapier/Make

The catch: Steep learning curve for non-technical users; requires API knowledge and DevOps skills for self-hosting; limited support on lower tiers relies on community forums

Pricing & access

Entry priceFree to startFree to start
Free tiertruetrue
Paid tiersFree — $0/mo; Pro — $9/mo; Business — $0/moCommunity Edition — $0/mo; Starter (Cloud) — $20/mo; Pro (Cloud) — $50/mo
Hidden costsOperations overage fees beyond plan limits can accumulate quickly on large-scale automations; Requires understanding of credit consumption model which varies by operation complexity; Legacy system integration may require custom webhooks or Self-hosting infrastructure costs ($5-40/month for basic VPS, scaling to hundreds for production); DevOps resource investment for maintenance, patching, scaling, and database management; Business plan execution fees can escalate quickly for
Budget fitmidmid

Verdict & fit

Killer featureAdvanced visual scenario builder with complex branching, conditional logic, and data manipulation that handles enterprise-grade workflows Zapier cannot matchExecution-based billing model combined with code flexibility—allows building infinitely complex workflows at 40-90% lower cost than task-based competitors like Zapier/Make
Primary weaknessSteeper learning curve and credit-based pricing model requiring careful monitoring; smaller integration ecosystem than Zapier (2,400 vs 5,000+ apps)Steep learning curve for non-technical users; requires API knowledge and DevOps skills for self-hosting; limited support on lower tiers relies on community forums
Best forOperations Manager optimizing multi-step business processes; Systems Administrator managing cross-app data flows; Integration Engineer building sophisticated automation architecturesPlatform/DevOps Engineers; IT Operations Directors; Solutions Architects
Worst forComplete beginner wanting instant results with no learning curve; Budget-constrained startup with very limited operation volume; Legacy enterprise heavily dependent on on-premise systemsNon-technical marketing teams; Business analysts without API knowledge; End users needing instant deployment
Minimum skill levelintermediateintermediate
Defensibility7 Strong visual builder UI and advanced branching capabilities create switching costs; acquired by $13B Celonis gives financial backing; 400k+ user base with established integrations; however, open competition from Zapier (larger), n8n (open-source), and Power Automate (Microsoft ecosystem) limits defensibility8 Strong moat built on fair-code license (open-source but protected from commercial abuse), massive community (200k+ members, 179.4k GitHub stars), extensive integration ecosystem (400+), and architectural superiority over competitors for complex workflows. AI-first positioning with 75% of customers using AI gives first-mover advantage in AI orchestration space. However, moat weakened by competitors (Zapier, Make, Workato) having stronger compliance certifications and larger enterprise adoption.
Target audienceOperations Manager, Business Analyst, Systems Administrator, Automation Engineer, Integration Developer, Product Manager, Startup FounderTechnical Founders & DevOps Engineers, IT Operations Teams (IT Ops, Sec Ops), Software Developers, Enterprise Architects, Data Engineers, Compliance Officers (regulated industries), Operations Managers, Systems Integrators

Capabilities

Key featuresVisual Scenario Builder; Advanced Data Handling; AI Agent IntegrationHybrid Visual + Code Builder; 500+ Pre-Built Integrations; AI-Native Architecture with MCP Support
CapabilitiesVision; Function callingVision; Function calling
StrengthsHandles multi-step, branching automations that trigger-only tools can't build, which is the main reason teams outgrow Zapier or IFTTT for Make; Visual scenario builder makes even intricate automations easier to understand, map, and troublesThe hybrid visual-plus-code approach means workflows are not capped by whatever the built-in nodes happen to support, a real advantage over strictly no-code tools.; Complete data control with self-hosting on your own infrastructure; the Com
Watch out forSteeper learning curve than simpler tools like Zapier, especially for complex scenarios and advanced features; Understanding and monitoring credit consumption can be complex and require careful cost management; Better suited for modern clouSteeper learning curve than pure no-code tools like Zapier: requires familiarity with APIs and basic programming concepts.; Self-hosting requires real DevOps expertise for server setup, maintenance, database administration, and scaling.; Li

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