Make suits small businesses that want a visual, ready-to-use automation tool in the cloud, with over 3,500 apps and a free plan with no time limit. n8n suits teams with someone technical who wants control: you can self-host the free Community edition, keep data on your own servers and write code when you need to. If nobody on your team is comfortable with Docker, start with Make; if data control or heavy workflows matter, look hard at n8n.
Both tools now pitch themselves as places to build AI agents as well as automations, and both connect to Claude and ChatGPT. The difference that matters most to a small business is where your workflows run and how usage is counted. I read n8n's home, hosting docs and plans pages, and Make's home and plans pages.
n8n and Make compared
| n8n | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Yes, the self-hosted Community edition | Yes, a free plan with no time limit |
| Where it runs | Your own servers or n8n's cloud | Make's cloud |
| App library | 500+ native integrations, any API via HTTP | 3,500+ apps out of the box |
| How usage is counted | Workflow executions with unlimited steps | Credits, most actions use 1 credit |
| Code | Open any step, source code on GitHub | Custom JavaScript or Python when needed |
| AI features | Agents with human approval steps | AI Agents plus an MCP Server |
The counting difference that changes everything
This is the detail most comparisons skip. Make's plans FAQ says credits are its usage unit, each action your scenario performs uses credits, and most actions use one. Its Free plan includes 1,000 credits a month. n8n's cloud plans count workflow executions with unlimited steps, so a workflow with twenty steps still counts as one run.
For a simple two-step automation, that hardly matters. For long workflows that loop through a spreadsheet or check many records, the way Make counts each action can add up quickly, while n8n treats the whole run as one execution. Map out your busiest workflow before you choose.
Running the free Community edition yourself
n8n's docs say that without a licence key, n8n runs as the free Community edition, and every self-hosted install uses the same core product. You can set it up with Docker Compose, a one-line script on Linux or macOS, or npm. That's powerful if you handle client data and want it to stay on your own servers, but it also means you're responsible for updates, backups and security.
Why Make is easier to start with
Make is fully hosted, so there's nothing to install. You build by drag and drop, by prompt, or from Claude, ChatGPT and other AI chats through its MCP Server. Make says more than 500,000 teams use it, and it lists GDPR, SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 compliance on its home page. For a marketing team or a small agency, that means automations running the same afternoon.
If you're also weighing Zapier, my Zapier vs Make cheat sheet covers that choice, and this guide to your first 10 automations helps you decide what to automate first.
Questions to answer before you commit
- How many steps does your busiest workflow have, and how often does it run?
- Must client data stay on servers you control?
- Is there someone who can look after Docker, updates and backups?
- Are the apps you rely on in Make's library, or will you call their API directly?
Long, frequent workflows and strict data rules point to n8n. Short automations across lots of popular apps, with no one to run a server, point to Make.
My advice on n8n or Make
If you don't have a developer, use Make's free plan and build your three most useful automations this week. If you do have someone technical, or you've got long workflows and sensitive data, try n8n's Community edition on a small server, because owning the setup gives you more control and more room in each run.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Do you make automation or AI agent software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n free?
n8n's docs say the self-hosted version runs as the free Community edition when there's no licence key. Its cloud plans start with a free trial.
Does Make have a free plan?
Yes. Make says its free plan has no time limit, and its plans FAQ lists 1,000 credits a month on the Free plan.
How does Make count usage?
In credits. Each action a scenario performs uses credits, and Make says most actions use one.
Can n8n run on my own server?
Yes. n8n supports self-hosting on your own infrastructure, on-premises or in a private cloud, with Docker Compose, a one-line setup or npm.
Which has more integrations?
Make lists 3,500+ apps. n8n lists 500+ native integrations, plus any API through its HTTP step.
