Popular comparison

n8n vs. Make: Which Is Right for Your Team?

Compare n8n and Make to find the right fit for your team, whether you need n8n's self-hosted data sovereignty and developer-grade customization or Make's visual scenario builder and broad no-code accessibility.

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n8n vs. Make

Compare n8n and Make to find the right fit for your team, whether you need n8n's self-hosted data sovereignty and developer-grade customization or Make's visual scenario builder and broad no-code accessibility.

Both n8n and Make let teams automate workflows across dozens of apps, but they're built for very different kinds of teams. n8n draws developers and technically-inclined IT teams who want code-level control and the option to run everything on their own infrastructure. Make appeals to ops and business teams who want a powerful visual builder without writing a line of code. Understanding workflow automation approaches matters before you commit.

n8n vs. Make at a glance

Here's how these two platforms stack up on the features that matter most to IT and ops teams.

Feature n8n Make
Purpose Developer-first workflow automation with code flexibility Visual no-code/low-code scenario automation
Best when you need Self-hosting, deep customization, or AI agent orchestration Fast setup, broad integrations, business-user accessibility
Primary user(s) Developers, DevOps, technical IT teams Ops managers, marketing, mixed technical/non-technical teams
Headline strength Self-hosting, fair-code license, native code execution 3,000+ integrations, visual canvas, transparent pricing
Limitation Steep learning curve; self-hosting requires dedicated DevOps Cloud-only; no HIPAA certification; user-reported learning-curve and support issues
Starting price €20/month (Starter, cloud-hosted, annual billing) $16/month (Pro, 10,000 credits/month, billed annually in USD)
Signature integration LangChain (via n8n's LangChain nodes and JS implementation) Salesforce

Overview of n8n

n8n is a workflow automation platform built for technical teams who need more than a point-and-click builder. It runs on a fair-code license, supports self-hosting via Docker or Kubernetes, and lets developers write JavaScript or Python directly inside workflow nodes. Beyond standard automation, n8n ships native AI agent nodes, LangChain integration, and MCP node support for teams building production AI workflows.

Key features:

  • Visual node-based canvas with developer-grade debugging
  • Self-hosting via Docker or Kubernetes; air-gapped deployments are supported for self-hosted/offline setups, though the documentation specifically evidences this for Docker rather than explicitly for Kubernetes
  • Native JavaScript and Python code execution within workflows
  • 400+ native integrations including Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, and GitHub
  • AI agent nodes with memory, goal-oriented task completion, and human-in-the-loop controls
  • Native LangChain integration and MCP node support
  • Git-based version control (Business and Enterprise)
  • External secret store support (Enterprise)

Ideal for: Technical teams and DevOps-mature organizations that need self-hosted data sovereignty, deep workflow customization, or production AI agent orchestration.

Overview of Make

Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual-first iPaaS and workflow automation platform built for teams who want powerful automation without writing code. Its drag-and-drop scenario builder handles complex branching logic, data transformation, and multi-app orchestration through a single canvas. Formerly acquired by Celonis, Make was launched as its own business unit within Celonis in 2022.

Key features:

  • Visual scenario builder with drag-and-drop module connections
  • 3,000+ pre-built app integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, Slack, and NetSuite
  • Dedicated AI category in the Apps Center
  • Custom JavaScript and Python execution via Make Code App
  • HTTP/Webhook module for connecting to any public API
  • Make Grid: auto-generated view of your entire automation landscape
  • SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant with SSO (Enterprise)
  • Operations-based pricing with transparent public tiers

Ideal for: Business operations and mixed technical/non-technical teams that need fast deployment, a wide integration library, and a visual workflow builder that non-developers can actually use.

Side-by-Side Feature Comparison

Feature n8n Make
Deployment Cloud (SaaS) or fully self-hosted Cloud only
Open-source / license Fair-code license (GitHub, 150k+ stars) Closed-source
Native code execution JavaScript and Python in workflow nodes JavaScript and Python via Make Code App
Integration count 400+ native integrations 3,000+ integrations
AI capabilities AI agent nodes, LangChain, RAG support AI Agents
Visual builder Node canvas with step-by-step debugging Drag-and-drop infinite canvas
Version control Git-based (Enterprise) Not available
Multi-environment (dev/staging/prod) Yes (Enterprise) Not available
SSO / SAML Yes (Business and Enterprise) Yes (Enterprise)
HIPAA certification Not confirmed Evaluating demand (per Make's community forum)
SOC 2 Type II Security and compliance details vary by vendor and plan Security and compliance details vary by vendor and plan
Pricing model Per workflow execution Per operation (individual module action)
Starting price €20/month (Starter, annual) $16/month (Pro, 10,000 credits)
Free tier Community Edition (self-hosted, free) Free plan
Enterprise pricing Contact sales Contact sales
Support on base plans Support options vary by plan Support options vary by plan
On-premises / private network Yes (self-hosted) On-premises agent (Enterprise only)
RBAC Yes (Pro and Enterprise) Yes (Teams and Enterprise)
Audit logging Yes (Enterprise) Yes (Enterprise)

When to Choose n8n vs. Make

Both platforms can handle sophisticated multi-step automation. The decision comes down to who's building the workflows and what constraints you're working within.

Choose n8n if you need:

  • Full data sovereignty: self-hosted on your own infrastructure, including air-gapped environments
  • Developers or engineers who want JavaScript, Python, or custom node development as your primary workflow builders
  • Production AI agent workflows with LangChain, RAG, or MCP server integration
  • Git-based version control and dev/staging/prod environments for workflow lifecycle management
  • A fair-code license with auditable source code and no vendor lock-in risk
  • Execution-based pricing that stays flat regardless of workflow complexity

Choose Make if you value:

  • A visual canvas that non-technical team members can actually use without developer support
  • Access to 3,000+ pre-built integrations with faster out-of-the-box connectivity
  • Transparent, publicly listed pricing tiers you can model before talking to sales
  • SOC 2 Type II compliance across all plans, not just Enterprise
  • Make Grid for maintaining visibility across a large portfolio of automation scenarios
  • Fast deployment without infrastructure setup or DevOps overhead

Neither platform is universally better. n8n wins on control and customization; Make wins on accessibility and integration breadth.

Automate the Service Workflows Around Your Automation Stack

n8n and Make both handle what happens inside a workflow, triggering actions, moving data between apps, and executing logic. What they don't handle is the layer of coordination that surrounds those workflows: cross-departmental access provisioning, approval routing, and the service requests that kick off automation in the first place. That's where Siit fits. Siit's AI agents manage the human coordination layer, routing requests, chasing approvals, and executing actions across identity providers like Okta and device management tools like Jamf, so the right workflows actually get triggered with the right context.

Whether your team is running n8n for developer-led automation or Make for business ops, Siit connects the service request workflows that feed into those platforms. Employees submit requests in Slack or Microsoft Teams, Siit handles triage, approval routing, and provisioning through native integrations with tools like BambooHR, Okta, and Google Workspace, and your automation stack executes what it was built to do, without manual coordination overhead in between.

Book a demo with Siit today.

FAQs

Can I migrate from n8n to Make, or vice versa?

Migration is possible but requires rebuilding workflows from scratch—there's no native export format that translates between platforms. n8n uses a node-based JSON structure while Make uses scenario-based module configurations. Teams migrating should audit their existing workflows, prioritize high-volume automations first, and expect to rebuild logic rather than import it directly.

Which platform is better for non-technical users?

Make is the clearer choice for non-technical users. Its drag-and-drop canvas and 3,000+ pre-built connectors let business ops teams build scenarios without writing code. n8n describes itself as a low-code workflow automation tool, and independent sources note it has a steeper learning curve than Make or Zapier. Teams without dedicated developer support will hit customization limits in n8n quickly.

How does n8n's execution-based pricing compare to Make's operation-based pricing?

n8n charges per full workflow execution, regardless of how many steps it contains; a 200-step workflow counts as one execution. Make charges per operation, meaning each module action inside a scenario counts toward your monthly credit total. For complex, multi-step workflows, n8n's execution model can be significantly cheaper. For simple, low-step automations at high volume, the difference is smaller.

Does Make offer self-hosting like n8n?

No. Make is a cloud-only platform with no self-hosted deployment option. n8n is the only major workflow automation platform among Make, Zapier, and n8n that supports fully self-hosted deployment under a fair-code license. Make does offer an on-premises agent on Enterprise plans for accessing local networks, but the automation engine itself runs on Make's cloud infrastructure.

Which tool has stronger AI workflow capabilities?

Both platforms have invested heavily in AI. n8n provides LangChain-based nodes, including AI Agent nodes that support memory and goal-oriented task completion, and it also supports MCP via MCP Client and MCP Client Tool nodes. Make offers 350+ AI app integrations and an MCP client with a list of verified remote MCP servers. For teams building production AI pipelines with RAG or LangChain, n8n's native integration depth is an advantage. For teams wanting pre-built AI modules without custom configuration, Make's broader AI app library is more accessible.

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