n8n vs Make (2026): Which Automation Platform Is Better for SMBs?
n8n and Make are the two most popular automation platforms for SMBs building AI-powered workflows. Both let you connect apps and automate processes visually, but they serve different audiences. This comparison breaks down exactly where each one wins, with pricing, features, and an honest recommendation.
For most SMBs without a technical team, Make is the better starting point. For businesses building complex AI workflows or wanting full control, n8n is more powerful and cheaper at scale.
You have technical comfort (or a developer), you want self-hosting control, you are building AI agent workflows, or you need unlimited executions on a budget.
You want the easiest visual builder, you need the most integrations out of the box, you prefer a fully managed cloud service, or you are just getting started with automation.
Key Takeaways
- n8n is open-source and free to self-host with no execution limits.
- Make has 3x more native integrations (1,500+ vs 400+).
- n8n has superior AI capabilities with native LangChain and vector store support.
- Make is significantly easier for non-technical users to learn.
- At scale (10,000+ operations/month), n8n is 60-80% cheaper.
n8n vs Make: Feature Comparison
| Feature | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free (self-hosted) / $20/mo (cloud) | Free tier / $9/mo (Core) |
| Ease of use | 7/10 (technical users) | 9/10 (visual, beginner-friendly) |
| Integrations | 400+ nodes | 1,500+ modules |
| AI capabilities | Native AI nodes (LangChain, OpenAI) | AI modules (ChatGPT, Claude) |
| Self-hosting | Yes (Docker, npm) | No (cloud only) |
| Custom code | Full JavaScript/Python support | Limited custom code modules |
| Error handling | Advanced (retry, fallback paths) | Basic (retry, error routes) |
| Execution model | Real-time + scheduled | Scenario-based, scheduled runs |
| Best for | Technical teams, complex workflows | Non-technical users, quick setups |
| Free tier limits | Unlimited (self-hosted) | 1,000 ops/month |
Pricing Breakdown
Make uses an operation-based pricing model. Every action in a scenario counts as one operation. The free tier gives you 1,000 operations per month, which is enough for testing but not production use. The Core plan ($9/month) adds 10,000 operations. Most active SMBs need the Pro plan at $16/month for 10,000 operations with advanced features.
n8n's cloud plan starts at $20/month for 2,500 executions (each execution can contain hundreds of actions). Self-hosting is completely free with unlimited executions. A basic cloud server for self-hosting costs $5-10/month, making n8n dramatically cheaper for high-volume automation.
For a business running 50,000+ operations per month, Make costs $99-299/month while self-hosted n8n costs $5-10/month for the server. That is a 90%+ cost reduction.
AI Automation Capabilities
n8n has invested heavily in AI features since 2024. It offers native LangChain integration, vector store support (Pinecone, Qdrant, Supabase), AI agent nodes that can use tools, and direct connections to OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and local models via Ollama. You can build sophisticated AI agents entirely within the visual editor.
Make added ChatGPT and Claude modules in 2024-2025, but they function as simple API calls rather than full agent frameworks. For basic "send text to AI, get response" tasks, Make works fine. For multi-step AI reasoning, tool use, or RAG (retrieval-augmented generation), n8n is the clear winner.
“The best automation platform is the one your team will actually use. A simple workflow that runs reliably beats a sophisticated one that never gets built.”
AdAI's Recommendation
We use both tools in client projects. For SMBs starting their automation journey with straightforward workflows (CRM syncing, email sequences, form processing), we recommend Make for its gentler learning curve and broader integration library.
For businesses building AI-powered workflows, AI agents, or scaling beyond basic automation, we recommend n8n. The self-hosting option makes it unbeatable on cost, and the AI capabilities are 12-18 months ahead of Make. Many of the AI agent solutions we build for clients run on n8n.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is n8n really free?
Can non-technical people use n8n?
Which is better for AI automation workflows?
Can I migrate from Make to n8n?
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