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Make vs n8n: which automation tool should you choose in 2026?

Make is a visual builder billed in credits; n8n bills per workflow run and can be self-hosted. Pricing, apps, webhooks, schedules and AI compared.

Published 20 October 2026. Prices and features from each vendor's own pages.

Maken8nvsPaid from$9/account$20/accountApps3,500+2,367Billed byCreditExecution

The short answer

MakePaid from $9/account

Choose it if you want the lower entry price, from $9 a month for 10,000 credits.

n8nPaid from $20/account

Choose it if you want to self-host on your own servers with the free Community Edition.

PromptLabIn the CRM from $11.99/seat

Choose it if your automations start and end in the CRM: deals, quotes, tasks and messages.

Make and n8n both connect apps into automated workflows. Make is a hosted visual builder that counts credits. n8n counts whole workflow runs, adds code steps and can also be run on your own servers.

Below, the two are compared on price, how each one bills, apps, triggers, AI and hosting. Every figure comes from the vendors' own pricing and product pages; prices are per account a month, billed annually, at the smallest volume each paid plan starts with, unless we say otherwise.

Make vs n8n at a glance

With PromptLab in the third column: the same job done inside a CRM.

Make vs n8n, with PromptLab: prices and features
Checked on 20 October 2026Maken8nPromptLab
Pricing
Free plan1,000 credits a monthSelf-hosted Community
Paid plans, a month$9 – $29per account$20 – $800per account$11.99per seat on Basic
Free trial
BillingBilled annuallyBilled annuallyBilled monthly
Workflow automation
App integrations3,500+2,367Slack, Google Sheets
Billed byCreditExecutionSeat
WebhooksFrom$23.99/month
Scheduled runs
AI steps
Self-hosting

Pricing: $9 to $29 against $20 to $800

Make is cheaper at every published step. Core is $9 a month for 10,000 credits, Pro is $16 and Teams is $29 at the same volume. n8n Starter is $20 a month for 2,500 executions, Pro is $50 for 10,000 executions, and Business is $800 for 40,000 executions.

The units are not the same, so the gap is not like for like. Both have an Enterprise plan by quote. Paying yearly saves 15% on Make's paid plans and 17% on n8n.

Credits against executions

Make counts credits. Most actions use 1 credit, and router and error handler modules use none. When credits run out, scenarios stop until you add more, in bundles of 1,000 or 10,000.

n8n counts executions. An execution is one full workflow run, however many steps it has, and n8n says it does not charge per step. A long workflow costs the same as a short one. Every n8n plan includes unlimited users and workflows.

Apps and building

Make connects to 3,500+ apps out of the box and lets you build custom apps on every plan. n8n lists 2,367 integrations and includes all of them on every plan. n8n also runs JavaScript or Python code steps on every cloud plan.

Make is built around a visual canvas with routers and filters, and the Free plan includes both. On n8n, the plan sets how many workflows run at once: 5 on Starter and up to 50 on Pro.

Webhooks, schedules and AI

Both start workflows from webhooks. Make's custom webhooks accept any data and start a scenario immediately. n8n includes webhook triggers on every cloud plan. For schedules, Make runs scenarios as often as every minute on paid plans, but every 15 minutes on Free. n8n's Schedule Trigger node runs workflows at fixed intervals and times.

On AI, Make includes AI Agents (in beta), the AI Toolkit and an MCP server on every plan. n8n includes Agents, MCP and AI nodes from Starter, with 1,600 Assistant credits a month.

Self-hosting

This is the biggest difference. n8n can be self-hosted: the Community Edition is free on GitHub and runs without a licence key. Business is self-hosted only.

Make's pricing page lists no self-hosted version. Its on-prem agent, an Enterprise feature, is for reaching local networks. On price, Make's Free plan gives 1,000 credits a month, while n8n's cloud plans start at Starter.

We make PromptLab, so here is where it fits.

Or automate inside your CRM

PromptLab has workflows built in. They start on CRM events such as a new deal, a stage change, a quote status or an inbound email, WhatsApp or Telegram message, on a schedule or by hand. They create tasks, update records, assign owners and send emails or Slack, Telegram and WhatsApp messages.

Steps can run AI on the record, branch on conditions and wait. It connects to far fewer outside apps than a general automation tool, so keep one if you chain many of them. Incoming webhooks and HTTP steps come with Professional.

Sales automation in PromptLab
Try PromptLab freeIncluded in PromptLab Basic, from $11.99 a user a month, with a 14-day free trial.

Which should you choose?

Choose Make if…

  • You want the lower entry price, from $9 a month for 10,000 credits.
  • You want a free cloud plan with 1,000 credits a month.
  • You want a visual canvas with routers and filters.

Choose n8n if…

  • You want to self-host on your own servers with the free Community Edition.
  • You want to pay per full workflow run, not per module.
  • Your team wants code steps in JavaScript or Python on every plan.

Choose PromptLab if…

  • Your automations start and end in the CRM: deals, quotes, tasks and messages.
  • You want AI steps that read the record without connecting two tools.
  • You'd rather pay per user than per task or operation.

Frequently asked questions

Is n8n better than Make?

It depends on your team. n8n suits teams that want self-hosting, code steps and per-run billing. Make suits teams that want a hosted visual builder with a lower entry price and a free plan.

Is Make cheaper than n8n?

At entry, yes: Make Core is $9 a month for 10,000 credits, against $20 for 2,500 executions on n8n Starter, both billed annually. The units differ, because n8n counts whole runs and Make counts each action.

Can you self-host Make?

Make lists no self-hosted version, and its on-prem agent is an Enterprise feature for reaching local networks. n8n can be self-hosted, and its Community Edition is free.

Does Make have a free plan?

Yes. Free includes 1,000 credits a month and 2 active scenarios, with runs at most every 15 minutes. n8n's cloud plans start at Starter, though you can try it free and self-host the Community Edition.

Do Make and n8n have AI features?

Yes. Make includes AI Agents (in beta), the AI Toolkit and an MCP server on every plan. n8n includes Agents, MCP and AI nodes from Starter.

Do I need an automation tool if my CRM has workflows?

Often not for work inside the CRM. PromptLab's workflows start on deals, quotes, tasks and messages and act on them, on every plan from $11.99 a user a month. Keep a dedicated tool when you chain many outside apps.

Sources

Compare Make with

PromptLabZapier

Compare n8n with

PromptLabZapier

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