n8n vs Make: Which Automation Platform to Pick
Self-hosted flexibility vs managed ease — pick by team, volume and data sensitivity.
/ quick answer
n8n and Make (formerly Integromat) are the two serious contenders for visual AI/data automation in 2026. n8n is open-source and self-hostable; Make is fully managed with a slicker UI and a bigger app catalogue. Self-hosted flexibility vs managed ease — pick by team, volume and data sensitivity.
| Dimension | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-host (Docker/VPS) or n8n Cloud | Fully managed SaaS only |
| Pricing model | Free self-hosted; Cloud from ~$20/mo | Per-operation, from free tier to enterprise |
| App catalogue | ~500 nodes + universal HTTP node | 2,000+ native app integrations |
| Code flexibility | First-class JS/Python code node | Limited code sandbox (JSON tools) |
| Data residency | Runs anywhere you deploy it | EU or US regions on Make cloud |
| Best learning curve | Steeper — devs love it | Gentler — ops teams pick it up in a day |
- →n8n → sensitive data flows, dev-heavy teams, high-volume cheap execution
- →Make → non-technical teams, wide app coverage, fast time-to-first-flow
Is n8n really free?
The community edition is free to self-host under the Sustainable Use License. n8n Cloud and the Enterprise edition are paid.
Which has more integrations, n8n or Make?
Make has more native app integrations (2,000+). n8n has ~500 native nodes plus a universal HTTP node that covers any REST API.
Can Make handle sensitive customer data?
Make offers EU or US data regions but still runs as multi-tenant SaaS. For strict data residency, on-prem or air-gapped needs, self-hosted n8n is a safer default.
Which is easier to learn?
Make. Its UI, error messages and scenario builder are more polished for non-technical users. n8n rewards developer instincts and code-node fluency.
- Make — 1 month Pro freevisit ↗Start with the managed option; migrate to n8n later if needed.
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/ continue exploring
Related concepts
The vocabulary this page depends on.
- →No-Code Automation
Building business workflows visually without writing code.
- →Workflow Trigger
The event that starts an automated workflow.
- →n8n
Open-source workflow automation you can self-host.
- →Research Automation
Research automation turns a question into a sourced, structured answer using search, retrieval, extraction and synthesis agents.
Related workflows
Turn this into a repeatable process.
- →AI Content Factory: One Topic to Ten Assets
Convert a single topic into a full multi-channel content drop.
- →Automated Lead Qualification & Outreach
Score every new lead and trigger personalized outreach in minutes.
- →Build a Research Automation Pipeline
Question in, sourced structured brief out — on a schedule.
- →How to Create a Website with AI
Go from idea to a live, custom-domain website in one afternoon using AI builders.
Related tool stacks
The tools that run it in production.
- →AI-Powered Agency Ops Stack
Run a 10-person agency with the operational overhead of a 3-person team.
- →AI Marketing Ops Stack
The control center for an AI-augmented marketing team of one to five.
- →Browser Automation Stack
Run browser agents on a schedule with credentials, retries and screenshots.
- →Research Automation Stack
Search, fetch, extract and synthesise sourced briefs on a schedule.
Related prompts
Reusable prompts for this job.
- →No-Code Automation Spec Writer
Turn a vague 'I want to automate X' into a buildable scenario spec for Make / n8n / Zapier.
- →Browser Automation Task Spec Prompt
Converts a manual click-path into a reliable automation spec.
Comparisons & alternatives
Pick between the options.
- →Best AI Workflow Automation Tools: n8n vs Zapier vs Make
The three tools most operators consider for AI workflow automation — compared on pricing, AI integration and technical flexibility.
- →Browser Agent vs API Automation
APIs win whenever they exist; browser agents exist for the systems that never gave you one.
- →Claude Code vs Cursor: Which Coding Agent to Use
Terminal-native agent vs IDE-native pair programmer — different jobs, both worth using.
- →Grok vs ChatGPT: Which Assistant Wins in 2026
Real-time X-native model vs the default all-rounder — different strengths for different jobs.