n8n vs Make: which automation tool costs less at your volume?
By Jordan Ellis Published 8 min read
On this page (8 sections)
In short: For small businesses with 1-50 people needing reliable automation, choose n8n if you want more control and lower cost at moderate volumes, but pick Make if you handle very high workflow runs monthly and need extensive app integrations.
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| Monthly task limits | 1,000–10,000 runs |
|---|---|
| Free plan runs | n8n: 2,000, Make: 1,000 runs |
| Typical team size | 1–50 users |
| Pricing model | n8n: usage-based, Make: tiered |
| Integration count | Make 1,000+, n8n 200+ |
Key takeaways
- n8n generally costs less for moderate volume but has fewer built-in integrations.
- Make supports higher monthly task runs scaling well for larger workflows.
- Free plans on both have strict limits that break workflows beyond 1,000-1,500 runs monthly.
- Choose n8n for technical teams wanting customization, Make for simpler drag-and-drop setups.
- Teams under 10 usually find n8n more cost-effective, while 20+ users benefit from Make's scaling.
The differences at a glance
n8n and Make both automate repetitive business tasks but differ in pricing, task volume limits, and integration availability. These differences decide which suits your business size and automation needs best.
Make generally supports higher monthly execution limits on paid plans, which suits businesses running tens of thousands of automation tasks monthly. n8n offers a self-hosted option that can scale beyond limits with added infrastructure.
Another key difference lies in workflow customization and flexibility. n8n’s open-source architecture allows for extensive customization through code and custom nodes, which suits teams wanting tailored solutions. Make’s platform is more closed, focusing on user-friendly drag-and-drop workflows with predefined modules, limiting customization but speeding up setup.
Performance consistency is another point. Make’s cloud infrastructure ensures consistent execution times and uptime guarantees, benefiting businesses with strict SLAs. n8n self-hosted setups depend on your hardware and network quality, which can introduce variability but also opportunities for optimization. This trade-off influences which platform is ideal depending on your tolerance for technical maintenance versus guaranteed service levels. We go through cheaper automation tools step by step elsewhere on the site.
| Feature | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan monthly runs | 2,000 task runs | 1,000 task runs |
| Paid plan runs/month | 5,000 to 100,000+ runs | 10,000 to 800,000+ runs |
| Number of integrations | 200+ native & custom | 1,000+ prebuilt |
| Pricing style | Usage-based credits | Tiered subscription |
| Deployment options | Cloud + self-hosted | Cloud only |
| Typical team size fit | 1-15 users | 10-50 users |
- n8n offers self-hosting
- Make has more integrations
- n8n has generous free tier
- Make scales to high volume
- n8n setup complexity
- Make limited to cloud
- Make free plan lower runs
- n8n fewer out-of-box apps
Pricing differences between n8n and Make
n8n charges based on workflow executions or 'credits' used, typically reflecting how many tasks your automations perform. This makes n8n more flexible if your monthly volume varies.
Make uses tiered subscription plans with fixed monthly task limits. Lower-priced tiers suit fewer executions; higher tiers cater to sustained, high-volume use.
Both platforms offer free plans. n8n’s free tier allows about 2,000 task runs per month, while Make’s free tier caps around 1,000 task runs monthly. Paid plans start at volumes around 5,000 runs monthly for n8n and 10,000 runs for Make. We cover zapier or n8n comparison in its own article.
Another pricing aspect to consider is overage charges. Make’s higher-tier plans sometimes allow purchasing additional task bundles if you exceed limits, with costs around $20 to $30 per 10,000 extra task runs. n8n’s pay-as-you-go pricing means you only pay for actual usage, which can be economical in months with variable volumes but unpredictable in budgeting.
For example, a small marketing agency running 6,000 tasks in January and 3,000 in February would pay roughly the same with n8n’s usage-based model but might have to upgrade and pay for unused capacity with Make’s tiered plans, leading to potential waste. This flexibility can be decisive for businesses with seasonal workflow spikes.
- n8n pricing – usage-based, pay for what you run each month.
- Make pricing – predictable monthly tiers with fixed task run limits.
- Free tiers – n8n offers double the workflow runs than Make.
Scalability for high volume workflows
Make supports up to 800,000 task runs per month on its highest plans, making it a better choice for businesses automating thousands of daily tasks. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at zapier vs make.
n8n can also scale high but primarily through self-hosting; commercial cloud plans top out near 100,000 runs. Self-hosted n8n depends on your server and database setup, so scalability varies.
High-volume automation requires stable, reliable execution without pauses. Make's tiered approach guarantees capacity; n8n's self-hosted option requires technical skill to maintain uptime.
In real-world scenarios, a business running 50,000 automation tasks monthly on Make’s Pro plan benefits from SLA-backed uptime and support. Meanwhile, a comparable volume on n8n requires robust server infrastructure, such as dedicated cloud instances with load balancing and database optimization to avoid bottlenecks. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at tasks to automate first.
A technical check to confirm scalability on n8n involves monitoring workflow execution logs and server CPU/memory usage during peak hours. If task queues grow or failures increase, scaling horizontally by adding worker nodes or vertically by upgrading servers is necessary to maintain performance.
Make’s cloud handles this scaling transparently but at a higher fixed cost, whereas n8n’s self-hosted approach trades cost savings for hands-on operational management. This distinction is crucial for businesses without dedicated IT staff.
Limitations of free vs paid plans
Free plans on both platforms impose clear caps on monthly task runs and features. n8n’s free plan offers about twice the monthly runs as Make’s but lacks advanced connectors made available only on paid tiers.
Make restricts features like higher priority task processing and more frequent scheduling on free plans. n8n limits customizations and connected users in its free tier.
Paid plans unlock advanced integrations, higher task limits, and priority support. Make’s higher tiers enable very dense automation schedules, crucial for scaling fast.
It is also important to note that free plans differ in API rate limits. Make’s free tier restricts API calls to around 20 per minute, limiting integration speed for real-time workflows. n8n’s free tier has more lenient API limits but imposes restrictions on concurrent executions, which can delay processing of task bursts.
Users often encounter these limitations during peak usage, causing automation delays or failures. Testing workflows under expected load before committing to a platform helps identify potential bottlenecks caused by free plan constraints.
Upgrading to paid plans lifts most limits, enabling faster and more reliable automation suited for growing businesses.
- Free plan task runs: n8n ~2,000, Make ~1,000 per month.
- Feature access is limited on free tiers for both.
- Paid plans allow higher user seats and integrations.
Typical team size suited for each platform
n8n suits smaller teams, typically 1-15 users, especially those with some technical skills to manage workflows or self-host the platform.
Make scales well from small teams to mid-sized (10-50 users) with its cloud-only service emphasizing ease of use over custom infrastructure.
If your team has dedicated automation or IT resources, n8n gives more flexibility. Otherwise, Make’s easier setup and broader app library fit non-technical teams better.
Team collaboration features vary significantly. Make’s paid plans include role-based access control, audit logs, and versioning, facilitating workflow governance in teams of 20 or more users.
n8n’s collaboration capabilities on cloud plans support multiple users but lack advanced enterprise features, relying on external tools for version control and audit trails. Self-hosted n8n installations can integrate with Git repositories for workflow versioning, but this requires technical setup.
Therefore, businesses with compliance or audit requirements might prefer Make’s built-in features for managing larger teams effectively.
n8n vs Make: which fits your budget and volume best
Choose n8n if you want lower ongoing costs at moderate task volumes, have some technical skill, and value self-hosting options for complete control.
Opt for Make if your workflows exceed around 10,000 runs a month and you need many app integrations with minimal setup effort.
If you operate a small team with fewer than 10 users and predictable automation, n8n’s credit-based pricing delivers better value.
Make is the clear winner if you anticipate scaling beyond 50,000 monthly task runs or need enterprise-level integrations and support.
- n8n: best for moderate volumes, technical teams, and self-hosting.
- Make: best for high volumes, large teams, and extensive integrations.
- Free plans are fine to start but expect to upgrade below 2,000 monthly runs.
- Evaluate your average monthly task runs before choosing.
For most small businesses balancing cost and volume, n8n wins; for heavy, fast scaling, Make dominates.
Questions people still ask
Can I switch from n8n to Make easily if my volume grows?
Switching requires rebuilding workflows due to different platforms and connectors. Plan for migration time and testing to avoid disruptions.
Does self-hosting n8n reduce costs significantly?
Self-hosting removes cloud subscription fees but adds server, maintenance, and technical overhead which may offset savings depending on your setup.
Are all common business apps supported by both platforms?
Make offers over 1,000 prebuilt app connectors, more than n8n’s 200+. However, n8n allows custom integrations if you have developer resources.
What happens if I exceed my monthly task runs?
Both platforms pause automation when limits are reached until the next billing cycle or upgrade; this can stop critical processes unexpectedly.
Is the free plan sufficient for any small business?
Free tiers support basic testing and light automation but most businesses outgrow these limits quickly and need paid plans.