Make.com vs n8n Pricing: Which Actually Saves You More?

Make.com and n8n are the two most popular Zapier alternatives — and for good reason. They both let you build automations without code, and they both cost dramatically less than Zapier at scale. But the pricing gap between them is enormous, and which one is cheaper depends on your volume, workflow complexity, and willingness to manage a server.

Here's the short version: self-hosted n8n will almost always be cheaper on a pure-dollar basis. But Make.com delivers a smoother experience that might save you more in time and headache. This guide breaks down exactly what you'll pay on each platform at every volume level, with pricing verified from each platform's pricing page.

Pricing Overview: The Headline Numbers

Before diving into the volume-by-volume breakdown, here's the big-picture pricing for each platform:

Make.com Pricing Plans (from make.com/en/pricing)

• Free: 1,000 Ops/month, 2 active scenarios, 15-min scheduling, 1 data transfer — $0
• Core: 10,000 Ops/month, 5 active scenarios, 5-min scheduling, 3 data transfers — $9.49/mo ($8.99/mo billed yearly)
• Pro: 10,000 Ops/month, 20 active scenarios, 3-min scheduling, 5 data transfers — $15.99/mo ($14.99/mo billed yearly)
• Teams: 10,000 Ops/month per user, 50 active scenarios per user, 2-min scheduling, 10 data transfers — $28.99/user/mo ($27.99/user/mo billed yearly)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, 100,000+ Ops/month, unlimited scenarios, 1-min scheduling, priority support
• Ops Boosters (add-on packs): 5,000 Ops — $9/mo, 10,000 Ops — $16/mo, 30,000 Ops — $49/mo, 100,000 Ops — $149/mo

n8n Pricing Plans (from n8n.io/pricing)

• Self-Hosted (Community Edition): Unlimited workflows, unlimited operations, all nodes, no caps — free. You only pay for your server.
• Cloud Starter: 5,000 workflow executions/month, 2 active workflows, standard support — €20/mo (~$22/mo)
• Cloud Pro: 25,000 executions/month, 10 active workflows, priority email — €50/mo (~$55/mo)
• Cloud Enterprise: Custom executions, dedicated Slack, SSO, priority support — quoted on request

Key insight: n8n charges per workflow execution (one run of a complete workflow regardless of steps). Make charges per operation (every step in a scenario counts as a separate operation). A 5-step workflow costs 1 execution on n8n but 5 operations on Make. This difference alone can 3-5x your effective costs on Make.

Volume-by-Volume Cost Comparison

The table below assumes a moderate-complexity workflow averaging 4 operations per execution (typical for a lead processing or CRM automation chain). We translate everything to monthly cost in USD for comparison. Self-hosted n8n assumes a $10/month VPS (DigitalOcean Basic droplet or similar).

Monthly Volume (Executions)	Equivalent Make Ops (4-step avg)	n8n Self-Hosted	n8n Cloud	Make.com
500 execs (~2k ops equiv)	2,000 Ops	~$10/mo (VPS + free n8n)	€20/mo (Starter)	$9.49/mo (Core) or Free
2,500 execs (~10k ops equiv)	10,000 Ops	~$10/mo	€20/mo (Starter)	$9.49-15.99/mo
12,500 execs (~50k ops equiv)	50,000 Ops	~$12/mo (scaled VPS)	€50/mo (Pro, 25k — need 2x)	$49-99/mo (Ops Boosters)
25,000 execs (~100k ops equiv)	100,000 Ops	~$15/mo (scaled VPS)	~€100/mo (2x Pro, or Enterprise quote)	$149-599+/mo (Enterprise)
250,000 execs (~1M ops equiv)	1,000,000 Ops	~$30/mo (stronger VPS)	Enterprise (custom quote)	Not designed for this volume

The pattern is unmistakable: the more you run, the more self-hosted n8n pulls ahead. At 100,000 operations per month, you're looking at roughly $15/month on self-hosted n8n versus $150+ on Make. That's a 10x difference that compounds as you scale.

Deep Dive: What Each Plan Actually Includes

Make.com — What You Get Per Plan

Free tier is genuinely usable for personal projects. 1,000 operations goes further than you'd think if your workflows are simple (form → email, RSS → social post). The 2-scenario limit and 15-min scheduling are the real constraints. You can't build anything that needs near-real-time responses.

Core ($9.49/mo) is the entry point for serious use. The jump from 1,000 to 10,000 ops is significant. But beware: the 5-scenario limit means you can only run 5 automations simultaneously. If you have 6+ live processes, you're forced into Pro or higher regardless of your operation usage.

Pro ($15.99/mo) unlocks 20 scenarios and 3-min scheduling. This is the sweet spot for most solopreneurs and small teams. You also get 5 data transfers (useful for data operations between scenarios). The scenario count is usually the bottleneck here — most users hit the 20-scenario limit before they burn through 10,000 ops.

Teams ($28.99/user/mo) gives you 10,000 ops per user, which stacks. A 3-person team gets 30,000 ops and 150 active scenarios total. The 2-min scheduling is also the fastest non-Enterprise option. This plan makes sense if multiple people are building automations, but if it's just you with high volume, you're better off buying Ops Boosters on the Pro plan.

Ops Boosters are add-on packs you stack on any paid plan. Need 30,000 ops on Core? Add the 30k booster for $49/mo. Need 50,000? Stack a 30k ($49) + 10k ($16) + 5k ($9) = $74/mo. There's no bulk discount until you hit Enterprise ($149 for 100k ops).

n8n — What You Get Per Option

Self-Hosted Community Edition is truly unlimited. No operation caps, no execution limits, no scenario restrictions. You get every node, every integration, every feature. The trade-off: you run it. You need a server (VPS, Docker on your own hardware, or a Raspberry Pi for light use), you handle upgrades, you manage backups, you troubleshoot when something breaks.

A basic $10/month DigitalOcean droplet handles thousands of executions per day comfortably. For 100k+ executions monthly, a $24/month droplet with more RAM is advisable. For truly heavy workloads (1M+ monthly), a $48/month dedicated CPU instance keeps things snappy. These numbers are approximate — actual performance depends on your workflow complexity, API response times, and parallel execution needs.

Cloud Starter (€20/mo) is the entry point if you want managed n8n. The 5,000 execution cap is the main constraint, and 2 active workflows is very limiting. This plan exists mostly as an on-ramp — you're meant to grow into Pro quickly.

Cloud Pro (€50/mo) is the sweet spot for managed n8n. 25,000 executions and 10 active workflows covers most small-to-medium businesses. The pricing is linear compared to Make — at 25k ops equivalent on Make (Teams plan with boosters), you'd pay $78-99+.

Enterprise is quoted per use case and includes SSO, audit logs, dedicated Slack support, and custom SLAs. Expect €200-500+/mo depending on execution volume.

The Execution Tax: Why Workflow Complexity Changes Everything

This is the single most misunderstood aspect of automation pricing. Let's make it concrete with three scenarios:

Scenario A: Simple automation (2 operations per execution)

Example: New Gmail email → Slack notification. Every time an email comes in, Make counts 2 operations. n8n counts 1 execution.

• 10,000 runs = 20,000 Make ops vs 10,000 n8n executions
• Make cost: $9/mo Core + $9/mo 5k booster + $9/mo 5k booster = $27/mo
• n8n Cloud cost: €20/mo Starter = ~$22/mo
• n8n Self-hosted cost: ~$10/mo

Scenario B: Medium complexity (5 operations per execution)

Example: Webhook → Parse JSON → Look up CRM → Check conditions → Send email → Log to sheet. This is a typical business automation.

• 10,000 runs = 50,000 Make ops vs 10,000 n8n executions
• Make cost: $15.99/mo Pro + $49/mo 30k booster + $16/mo 10k booster = $80.99/mo
• n8n Cloud cost: €50/mo Pro = ~$55/mo
• n8n Self-hosted cost: ~$12/mo

Scenario C: Complex / AI workflow (15+ operations per execution)

Example: Ingest file → Chunk text → Embed with OpenAI → Store in vector DB → Search → Generate response → Post-process → Send to multiple channels. AI workflows burn through operations fast.

• 1,000 runs = 15,000+ Make ops vs 1,000 n8n executions
• Make cost: $15.99/mo Pro + $9/mo 5k booster = $24.99/mo (barely fitting)
• n8n Cloud cost: €20/mo Starter = ~$22/mo
• n8n Self-hosted cost: ~$10/mo

At every complexity level, n8n wins on raw operations-to-cost ratio. But the gap widens dramatically as workflows get more complex. If you're building AI agent workflows, heavy ETL pipelines, or anything with 10+ steps, Make becomes very expensive very fast.

Make.com: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easiest visual builder in the game. The drag-and-drop interface is genuinely intuitive — you can build a working automation in minutes without any technical background.
• No server management. Everything runs on Make's infrastructure. No Docker, no SSH, no backup scripts.
• Rich template library. Hundreds of pre-built templates for common workflows. Most users can find 80% of what they need already built.
• Excellent built-in data transformation. Make's data manipulation tools (filters, aggregators, routers, iterators) are more polished than n8n's equivalents.
• Free tier exists. 1,000 ops/month with no credit card required is genuinely useful for testing and low-volume personal use.
• Better error handling UX. Make's error handling UI is cleaner, with retry logic, incomplete execution queues, and visual feedback.

Cons

• Per-operation billing punishes complex workflows. A 10-step workflow costs 10x what a 1-step workflow does, even if they run at the same frequency.
• Scenario limits are the real bottleneck. Most power users hit the scenario cap before the operations cap. Going from 20 (Pro) to 50 (Teams) costs $13 more per month, even if you don't need more operations.
• No offline / self-hosted option. You're tied to Make's servers. If Make goes down, your automations go down. You can't run it on-premises for compliance reasons.
• Cost explodes at scale. Once you cross 50,000 ops, the pricing curve steepens dramatically. There's no linear transition — just Ops Boosters stacked until you qualify for Enterprise pricing.
• Limited customization for edge cases. You can't write custom JavaScript or Python nodes. If Make doesn't have a module for what you need, you're stuck with webhooks and workarounds.
• Less transparent about pricing changes. Make has both raised prices and adjusted plan structures over the years (e.g., the Pro plan once included 40,000 ops and was reduced to 10,000).

n8n: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Dramatically cheaper at scale. Self-hosted n8n costs a flat server fee regardless of how many workflows you run or how complex they are. At 100k+ operations/month, you're saving 80-90% over Make.
• No artificial limits. No scenario caps, no execution throttle, no operation counters. If your server can handle it, n8n runs it.
• Custom code nodes. Need a specific data transformation or API call? Write JavaScript or Python directly in the workflow. This makes n8n infinitely extensible.
• Open source with self-hosted option. Full transparency, community contributions, no vendor lock-in. You can audit the code, fork it, or run it entirely offline.
• AI / LLM native support. Built-in nodes for OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, Ollama, LangChain, and vector stores. If you're building AI agents, n8n is the clear choice.
• Execution-based pricing on Cloud. One workflow run = one charge, regardless of step count. Complex workflows don't penalize you.
• Active community and frequent releases. n8n ships new features and integrations regularly. The community forum and Discord are responsive.

Cons

• Self-hosting requires technical skill. You need to know Docker (or at least Node.js), handle SSL certificates, set up a database (PostgreSQL recommended), manage backups, and apply security updates. This is non-trivial for non-developers.
• Cloud plans are underwhelming at entry level. €20/month for 5k executions and only 2 active workflows is a weak value proposition compared to Make's $9.49 Core plan with 10k ops.
• Learning curve is steeper. n8n's node-based interface is powerful but less intuitive than Make's visual flow. Expect to spend 2-3x longer building your first few automations.
• Data transformation is less polished. n8n has the core tools (Item Lists, Code nodes), but they require more manual setup than Make's built-in aggregators and filters. Simple tasks like "sum an array" need a Code node or a multi-step Item Lists chain.
• UI/UX is functional, not beautiful. n8n's editor works well but doesn't have Make's polish. Error messages can be cryptic. The debugging experience is less visual.
• Scaling self-hosted requires planning. Going from 1k to 100k executions/day means database tuning, worker scaling, and potentially multiple n8n instances. You're responsible for all of it.
• No official free cloud tier. There's no "try before you buy" on n8n Cloud — you must self-host or commit to a paid plan. (Though the 14-day free trial on Cloud plans partially addresses this.)

Use Case Recommendations

Choose Make.com if:

• You're non-technical and don't want to touch a server. Make's visual builder is the most accessible automation tool on the market.
• You run simple automations (2-5 steps per workflow) at low-to-moderate volume (under 10,000 ops/month). The Core or Pro plan is cost-effective.
• You need something running fast. Make's templates and intuitive UI mean you can have your first automation live in 15 minutes.
• You're a solo freelancer or very small business with fewer than 20 active automations. The Pro plan at $15.99/mo is hard to beat for the convenience.
• You value polished error handling and monitoring. Make's incomplete execution queue and visual retry tools are genuinely better than n8n's.

Choose n8n if:

• You run any volume above 10,000 operations/month. Self-hosted n8n pays for itself within months. The savings at 50k+ ops are several hundred dollars per month.
• You build complex, multi-step workflows with 5+ operations per run. The execution-based billing saves you 3-10x on effective cost.
• You're building AI agents or LLM pipelines. n8n's native AI/ML nodes make it the clear choice for anything involving embeddings, vector search, or LLM calls.
• You have DevOps skills or a technical team member. If Docker and SSH don't scare you, the self-hosted option is massively cheaper and more flexible.
• You need on-premises deployment for compliance, security, or data residency requirements. n8n runs entirely on your infrastructure — no third-party servers involved.
• You need custom code in your workflows. JavaScript and Python nodes give you unlimited flexibility that Make simply doesn't offer.

Consider both (or a hybrid) if:

• You want the best of both worlds: Use Make.com for simple, quick automations (where its UX saves you time) and self-host n8n for high-volume or complex workflows (where its pricing saves you money). There's no rule saying you must pick one platform for everything.

Real-World Cost Scenarios

Freelancer: 5 clients, 30 automations, 10k ops/month

Make.com: Pro plan ($15.99/mo) covers 10k ops and 20 scenarios — tight on scenarios but workable. If you need 30 scenarios, you're forced to Teams ($28.99/mo) even though you don't need per-user billing. Total: $15.99-28.99/mo.

n8n Cloud: Pro plan (€50/mo, ~$55) covers 25k executions but only 10 workflows — you'd hit the workflow limit first. Enterprise pricing required for more. Not ideal.

n8n Self-Hosted: $10-15/mo VPS handles this easily with no limits. Total: ~$12/mo.

Verdict: Self-hosted n8n is cheapest, but Make.com Pro is convenient and close in cost. If you're non-technical, Make wins here.

SaaS startup: 50 automations, 100k ops/month, AI workflows

Make.com: Enterprise tier needed. Expect $599+/mo based on typical published Enterprise floor pricing. Even with Ops Boosters, you're stacking $149 (100k) + $49 (30k) = $198/mo + a Pro or Teams base plan = ~$214+/mo. And that's before considering the 20+ operation-per-workflow AI pipelines that inflate your count further.

n8n Cloud: Enterprise quoted around €200-500/mo depending on volume.

n8n Self-Hosted: $24/mo VPS (upgraded for AI workloads). Total: ~$24/mo.

Verdict: Self-hosted n8n is 10-25x cheaper. The savings at this volume pay for a part-time DevOps contractor to manage the server.

Enterprise team: Compliant, on-prem, 500k ops/month

Make.com: Enterprise custom quote. Based on published pricing structures, expect $2,000-5,000+/mo for this volume with dedicated support.

n8n Cloud Enterprise: Custom quoted, typically €500-1,500/mo.

n8n Self-Hosted (on-prem): $48/mo VPS or your existing server infrastructure. You're already paying for compute anyway. Total: ~$48/mo or absorbed into existing infra.

Verdict: For on-premise compliance requirements, n8n self-hosted is the only option (Make doesn't offer self-hosting). The cost difference is 40-100x.

Hidden Costs You Should Know About

Make.com Hidden Costs

• Data transfers: Core includes 3 data transfers, Pro includes 5. If you have scenarios that move data between each other (common in complex setups), you may hit this limit and need to upgrade.
• Premium apps: Some integrations on Make are "Premium" only — available on Pro and above. Core users have a reduced app library.
• Scheduling limits: Free plan is 15-min minimum. Core is 5-min. If your use case needs 1-min execution, you need at least Pro ($15.99/mo).
• History retention: Free keeps 3 months of execution history. Pro keeps 6 months. Enterprise gets 12+ months. If you need audit trail retention, this forces higher plans.

n8n Self-Hosted Hidden Costs

• VPS / server cost: $5-48/mo depending on your volume. At production scale, you also want automated failover and backups.
• Database: PostgreSQL recommended for production. Managed Postgres (like Supabase or Neon) is another $5-20/mo, or run it on the same VPS.
• Redis (optional): For queue mode and scaling — another service to manage or pay for.
• SSL certificate: Free with Let's Encrypt but requires setup (Certbot, auto-renewal cron job).
• Domain name: $10-15/year if you want a clean URL for webhooks.
• Backup solution: Automated database + n8n config backups to S3/Backblaze. A few dollars per month in storage or just your time to set up.
• Your time: This is the real cost. Initial setup takes 1-4 hours depending on your Linux/Docker experience. Ongoing maintenance (upgrades every few weeks, security patches, troubleshooting) averages 1-3 hours per month.

The Honest Verdict

If you process under 10,000 operations per month and run simple workflows, Make.com is the better value — not because it's cheaper on paper, but because your time and convenience have real value. The $9-16/month you'll spend on Make saves you hours of server setup and maintenance. Your time is worth more than that.

If you process over 10,000 operations per month, or your workflows are complex (5+ steps), or you're building AI pipelines, self-hosted n8n is dramatically cheaper — and it stays cheap as you scale. The savings grow from 2x at low volumes to 10-40x at high volumes. At 100k ops/month, n8n self-hosted saves you thousands per year compared to Make.

n8n Cloud is the hardest sell here. It's more expensive than Make at the starter level (€20 vs $9.49) with fewer included features (5k executions, 2 active workflows). It only becomes competitive at the Pro level (€50 for 25k executions vs Make's similar cost for 50k ops-equivalent). n8n Cloud makes sense if you want n8n's capabilities without server management, but you're paying a significant premium for that convenience.

For most people reading this, the right answer is: start on Make.com (free tier or Core plan) to learn automation and get your workflows running fast. If you hit volume or complexity limits, migrate your heavyweight workflows to self-hosted n8n. Keep the simple ones on Make. This hybrid approach gives you the best of both — Make's ease for quick wins and n8n's pricing for heavy lifting.

Final numbers:

• At 10k ops/month: Make.com $9.49 vs n8n self-hosted ~$10 — essentially a tie. Choose based on your technical comfort.
• At 50k ops/month: Make.com $65-99 vs n8n self-hosted ~$12 — n8n wins by 5-8x.
• At 100k ops/month: Make.com $149-599 vs n8n self-hosted ~$15 — n8n wins by 10-40x.
• At 1M ops/month: Make.com not viable vs n8n self-hosted ~$30 — n8n is the only real option.