AI Automation · Pricing comparison
Make vs n8n: Pricing
Make is the cheaper option ($12/mo less), both offer a free plan, n8n rates slightly higher. Below we break down plans, free tiers, and value so you can decide which fits your budget and workflow.
Last checked July 24, 2026
At a glance
Make is the cheaper option ($12/mo less), both offer a free plan, n8n rates slightly higher.
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Make vs n8n: side-by-side
| Feature | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Automation | AI Automation |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan details | Free plan with 1,000 operations/month. | Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions. |
| Starting price | $12/mo (Core) | $24/mo (Cloud Starter) |
| Highest known plan | $38/mo (Teams) | Custom Enterprise |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Best for | Ops-minded teams with intricate workflows and a budget | Engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and AI agents |
| Team support | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Editor rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
Pricing and free plans
Make uses a freemium model, starting at $12/mo (Core). Operations-based pricing; annual billing discounts. Complex scenarios consume more ops. Its free plan: Free plan with 1,000 operations/month.
n8n uses a freemium model, starting at $24/mo (Cloud Starter). Self-hosting costs infrastructure + your time. Cloud tiers scale by executions. Its free plan: Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions.
Which is cheaper?
If budget is the deciding factor, Make wins on entry price. If output quality or specific features matter more, weigh the feature lists below before deciding.
Make: pros and cons
Pros
- ~60% cheaper than Zapier at volume
- Powerful branching logic
- Generous ops allowances
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Fewer apps than Zapier
- Debugging complex scenarios takes skill
n8n: pros and cons
Pros
- Free forever if self-hosted
- No per-task pricing anxiety
- Best AI-agent flexibility
Cons
- Self-hosting is real DevOps work
- Non-technical users hit walls
- Fewer integrations than Zapier
Who each tool is best for
- Best for beginners: Make — lower barrier to entry and easier to start for free or cheaply.
- Best for teams: n8n.
- Make is best for: Ops-minded teams with intricate workflows and a budget.
- n8n is best for: Engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and AI agents.
Our call
Verdict
On price alone, Make is the value pick at $12/mo (Core). n8n edges ahead on our editor rating. For most people, choose Make if you want ops-minded teams with intricate workflows and a budget, and n8n if you want engineering teams wanting control, self-hosting, and ai agents.
Make vs n8n FAQ
Which is cheaper, Make or n8n?
Make has the cheaper entry price — about $12/mo less. Make starts at $12/mo (Core), while n8n starts at $24/mo (Cloud Starter).
Does Make or n8n have a free plan?
Both offer a free plan. Make: Free plan with 1,000 operations/month. n8n: Self-hosted community edition is free with unlimited executions.
Is Make or n8n better for beginners?
Make tends to be the easier starting point thanks to its pricing and free access, though both cover the same core ai automation needs.
Which is better for teams?
n8n is the stronger team pick given its collaboration support and rating.