n8n vs Make.com (2026): Which Automation Tool Is Right for Your Business?
n8n is one of the most talked-about automation tools right now, especially for building AI agents. Make.com is still the favorite for anyone who wants to connect apps quickly without writing code. Both can save your team many hours a week – but they charge in very different ways and suit different teams. Here is a plain-English breakdown.
Winner: n8n — Best for AI Agents & Large Workflows 2026
n8n (9.5/10) is best for teams that build AI agents or long workflows with many steps, or that want full control over their data. You pay per run of the whole workflow – not per step – and you can even run n8n for free on your own server. Make.com (9.4/10) is best if you are not very technical and want to start right away: it is easier to learn, has 3,500+ ready-made app connections and a free plan.
Detailed Breakdown: Ratings, Pros & Cons
We tested each platform in live production environments and calculated true total cost of ownership.
n8n
Flexible automation and AI agents – in the cloud or on your own server
✓ Why choose n8n
- You pay per run of the whole workflow – no matter how many steps it has
- The Community Edition is free if you run it on your own server
- Strong AI features: AI agents, MCP connections and the option to require human approval before an agent acts
- Unlimited users on every plan; the cloud version stores data in Frankfurt, Germany
✕ Drawbacks to consider
- Steeper learning curve – you need a basic grasp of data (JSON) and expressions
- Fewer ready-made app connections than Make; sometimes you have to call an API yourself
- If you self-host, updates, backups and security are your job
Make.com
Visual drag-and-drop automation with 3,500+ ready-made apps
✓ Why choose Make.com
- Very easy to get started – you see the whole workflow as a clear picture
- 3,500+ ready-made app connections
- Free plan with 1,000 credits/mo and a low-cost Core plan from $9/mo
- Choice of EU or US data storage (owned by Celonis)
✕ Drawbacks to consider
- Every step costs credits – long workflows and high volumes get expensive
- When credits run out, workflows stop until you buy more or upgrade
- Cannot be run on your own server
Feature-by-Feature Comparison Table (2026)
Side-by-side overview of pricing, free tiers, AI capabilities, and security compliance.
| Criteria | n8n | Make.com | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest paid price | €20/mo annual (€24 monthly) | $9/mo annual ($10.59 monthly) | Make.com |
| Free option | Free on your own server + 14-day cloud trial | Free cloud plan: 1,000 credits/mo | Make.com (for beginners) |
| How usage is counted | Per run of the whole workflow | Per step (credit) in the workflow | n8n |
| Easy to learn | Medium – a bit technical | Easy – fully visual | Make.com |
| AI agents & custom code | AI Agent node, MCP, JavaScript/Python | AI tools and agents, Code app (uses credits) | n8n |
| Ready-made app connections | Hundreds + custom API calls | 3,500+ | Make.com |
| Run on your own server | Yes (Community Edition is free) | No | n8n |
| Users | Unlimited on all plans | Team features from the Teams plan | n8n |
Which Tool Should You Choose? (Winner by Use Case)
Make is the easiest to learn. You drag and drop apps, see the whole workflow as a picture and get thousands of ready-made connections to tools like Google, HubSpot and Slack.
In n8n a whole run counts as one unit. A 30-step AI workflow costs the same per run as a 3-step one.
With n8n you can run everything on your own server or with a hosting provider of your choice. The cloud version stores data in Frankfurt.
The free plan is enough to test, and the Core plan from $9/mo goes a long way if your workflows are short.
Pricing Breakdown (USD): What Does It Actually Cost?
Prices from n8n.io/pricing (EUR) and make.com/pricing (USD), checked October 2026. Taxes may apply. Key point: n8n counts runs of the whole workflow, while Make counts credits – roughly one per step.
| Plan / Tier | Monthly Price (USD) | Annualized / Effective Cost | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| n8n Community Edition | Free | $0 (you only pay for the server) | Run n8n on your own server with unlimited workflows. You handle hosting, updates and backups. |
| n8n Starter (cloud) | €20 / mo annual · €24 monthly | €240 / yr | 2,500 runs/mo, 5 runs at the same time, AI agents and MCP, unlimited users |
| n8n Pro (cloud) | €50 / mo annual · €60 monthly | €600 / yr | 10,000 runs/mo (50,000 for €145/mo), 3 shared projects, admin roles, workflow history |
| n8n Business (self-hosted) | €667 / mo annual | €8,004 / yr | SSO/LDAP, multiple environments, Git version control, queue mode for scaling. 50% off for qualifying companies under 20 employees. |
| Make Free | $0 | $0 | 1,000 credits/mo, 2 active scenarios, runs at most every 15 minutes |
| Make Core | $9 / mo annual · $10.59 monthly | $108 / year | 10,000 credits/mo, unlimited active scenarios, runs every minute, Make API |
| Make Pro | $16 / mo annual · $18.82 monthly | $192 / year | 10,000 credits/mo, priority execution, custom variables, log search |
| Make Teams | $29 / mo annual · $34.12 monthly | $348 / year | 10,000 credits/mo, teams and roles, shared templates |
1. The big difference: how you pay
Make charges per credit. Almost every step in a workflow (read an email, add a row to a spreadsheet, send a Slack message) costs one credit. A 10-step workflow that runs 1,000 times uses about 10,000 credits – which fits in Make Core for $9–10.59 a month. n8n instead charges per run of the whole workflow, no matter how many steps it has. The same workflow is 1,000 runs and fits in n8n Starter. Bottom line: short, simple workflows are often cheapest on Make. Long workflows, AI agents and high volumes are usually cheaper on n8n.
2. Your own server: free, but you look after it
n8n has a free version (Community Edition) that you can install on your own server. You then only pay for the server, and all data stays with you. The downside is that someone has to handle updates, security and backups. Note that n8n is not standard open source but uses its own license (Sustainable Use License): you can use it freely inside your own business, but you cannot resell n8n as a service. Make only runs in Make's own cloud.
3. AI agents in 2026: n8n leads, Make keeps up
An AI agent is a workflow where an AI model decides which tools to use – for example, looking up a customer in your CRM and then writing a reply. n8n has a dedicated AI Agent node, supports MCP (a standard way to give AI models access to tools) and can require a person to approve a step before the agent carries it out. Make also offers AI tools and agents, but every AI step uses credits. If you plan to build many AI workflows, n8n is currently the more flexible choice.
4. How easy is it to get started?
Make is the easiest. You see the workflow as a row of round icons, pick apps from a list and fill in fields. Most people can build their first workflow in an afternoon. n8n is visual too, but you run into technical things like JSON data and expressions sooner. A good way to start is with n8n's ready-made templates. If nobody on your team enjoys technical details, choose Make.
Get started with n8n in 2 minutes
Test it with your own workflows and see why it is our #1 rated platform for 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions about n8n vs Make.com
Is n8n free?
Yes and no. The Community Edition is free if you run it on your own server. The cloud version, where n8n handles everything, starts at €20/mo billed annually (€24 monthly) and has a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Can I move my Make scenarios to n8n?
There is no official one-click way to move workflows between the two tools. Expect to rebuild your workflows in n8n. Simple ones are usually quick; plan more time for large ones.
Which tool is better for GDPR?
Both can be used in a GDPR-compliant way. n8n Cloud stores data in Frankfurt, and with your own server you decide exactly where data lives. Make lets you choose an EU or US data center. Always sign a data processing agreement (DPA) with the vendor.
Do I need to know how to code?
Not for Make. You don't strictly need to code in n8n either, but it helps to understand how data is structured. If you know a little JavaScript or Python, you'll get the most out of n8n.
What happens if I run out of credits on Make?
According to Make, your scenarios stop until you have credits again. You can buy extra credits, switch on automatic purchase of extra credits, or upgrade your plan.