Workflow automation is essential for modern businesses, but choosing between Make (formerly Integromat) and n8n can be challenging. Both platforms offer powerful visual automation builders, yet they serve different needs. Here’s an in-depth comparison to help you choose the right tool for your business.

Platform overview

Make (Integromat)

• Cloud-based automation platform
• Visual, scenario-based workflow builder
• 1500+ app integrations
• Managed hosting with enterprise support
• Pricing based on operations (tasks executed)

n8n

• Open-source automation platform
• Node-based workflow builder
• 400+ integrations (growing rapidly)
• Self-hosted or cloud options
• Fair-code licensing (source-available)

Key differences at a glance

When to choose Make

1. You need plug-and-play simplicity

Make excels at getting started quickly:

• Pre-built templates for common scenarios
• Intuitive visual interface
• Minimal technical knowledge required
• No infrastructure to manage

Perfect for:

• Marketing teams automating campaigns
• Sales teams connecting CRM to communication tools
• Small businesses without technical staff
• Rapid prototyping and testing

2. You require extensive integrations

Make offers 1500+ built-in app connections:

• Major SaaS platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify)
• Social media APIs (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
• Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal)
• Productivity tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365)

Most integrations work out-of-the-box without configuration.

3. You value managed infrastructure

Make handles all the operational complexity:

• No servers to maintain
• Automatic scaling
• Built-in monitoring and error handling
• 24/7 platform availability
• Enterprise SLA guarantees

“Make let our marketing team build complex automations without involving IT. We went from idea to production in hours, not weeks.”

Rachel Martinez
Marketing Director

4. Budget is predictable

Make’s pricing is operation-based:

• Free tier: 1,000 operations/month
• Core: $9/month for 10,000 operations
• Pro: $16/month for 10,000 operations
• Teams: $29/month for 10,000 operations

You pay for what you use, with clear cost forecasting.

When to choose n8n

1. Data privacy is critical

Self-hosted n8n means your data never leaves your infrastructure:

• Healthcare: Patient data stays HIPAA compliant
• Finance: Financial records remain in-house
• Legal: Attorney-client privilege maintained
• Enterprise: Corporate secrets under full control

This is non-negotiable for many regulated industries.

2. You need advanced customization

n8n provides extensive flexibility:

JavaScript/Python code nodes:

// Custom data transformation in n8n
const items = $input.all();
return items.map(item => ({
  json: {
    customField: item.json.name.toUpperCase(),
    enrichedData: callExternalAPI(item.json.id),
    calculatedValue: complexBusinessLogic(item.json)
  }
}));

Custom integrations:

• Build nodes for internal APIs
• Integrate with proprietary systems
• Extend existing nodes with custom logic

Advanced workflow patterns:

• Complex conditional logic
• Dynamic node execution
• Custom error handling
• Sophisticated data transformations

3. You want to avoid vendor lock-in

n8n’s open-source nature provides freedom:

• Source code available for review
• Community-driven development
• Can fork and modify for specific needs
• No risk of vendor price increases
• Export/backup workflows as JSON

4. High-volume automation at scale

Self-hosted n8n scales without per-operation costs:

Cost comparison for 1 million operations/month:

• Make: $780-1,500/month (depending on tier)
• n8n self-hosted: $20-100/month (server costs only)
• n8n cloud: $50-250/month (depending on tier)

At high volumes, n8n becomes dramatically cheaper.

“Switching to self-hosted n8n saved us $8,000/month while giving us better data control. The ROI was immediate.”

Thomas Wright
Head of Operations

5. You have technical resources

n8n rewards technical investment:

• DevOps team can manage deployment
• Developers can build custom integrations
• IT maintains control over security
• Full customization of hosting environment

Feature comparison deep-dive

User interface

Make:

• Scenario-based visual builder
• Drag-and-drop routes and filters
• Clear visual representation of data flow
• Built-in debugging tools

n8n:

• Node-based workflow canvas
• Connect nodes with drag-and-drop
• Clean, modern interface
• Inline code editor with syntax highlighting

Verdict: Make is slightly more intuitive for non-technical users; n8n appeals to developers.

Error handling

Make:

• Built-in error handlers per module
• Automatic retry with exponential backoff
• Error notifications via email/webhook
• Rollback capabilities on failures

n8n:

• Error workflow triggers
• Custom error handling logic
• Detailed error messages with stack traces
• Manual and automated retry options

Verdict: Both handle errors well; n8n offers more programmatic control.

Scheduling and triggers

Make:

• Webhooks for real-time triggers
• Scheduled scenarios (every X minutes/hours)
• Polling triggers for apps without webhooks
• Instant triggers for supported apps

n8n:

• Webhook triggers
• Cron-based scheduling (full cron syntax)
• Polling triggers
• File watchers and MQTT triggers

Verdict: n8n’s cron syntax offers more precise scheduling; Make’s instant triggers are more convenient.

Data manipulation

Make:

• Built-in functions for common transformations
• Array and text tools
• Mathematical functions
• Date/time formatting

n8n:

• JavaScript/Python code nodes for anything
• Built-in data transformation nodes
• JSONata expressions
• Regex support

Verdict: n8n wins for complex transformations; Make is easier for simple operations.

Real-world use cases

Use case 1: Marketing automation (favor Make)

Scenario: Capture leads from Facebook ads, add to HubSpot, send welcome email, create Slack notification.

Why Make:

• Pre-built Facebook Ads integration
• HubSpot connector with all features
• Email templates ready to use
• Marketing team can manage without developer help

Use case 2: Internal data pipeline (favor n8n)

Scenario: Extract data from internal MySQL database, transform with business logic, load into Google BigQuery, trigger data validation.

Why n8n:

• Direct database connections
• Custom transformation logic in JavaScript
• Self-hosted keeps proprietary data internal
• Free to run at high volume

Use case 3: Customer support workflow (either works)

Scenario: Zendesk ticket created → send to Slack → assign based on keywords → update CRM → track SLA.

Make advantages:

• Faster to set up
• Better Zendesk integration out-of-box
• Managed reliability

n8n advantages:

• More control over routing logic
• Lower cost at scale
• Custom Slack message formatting

Use case 4: E-commerce order processing (favor n8n)

Scenario: Shopify order → validate inventory → process payment → generate shipping label → update accounting system → customer notification.

Why n8n:

• High order volume (cost efficiency)
• Custom inventory validation logic
• Integration with internal accounting system
• Full control over customer data

Migration considerations

Moving from Make to n8n

Reasons to migrate:

• Reducing costs at scale
• Need for data sovereignty
• Require advanced customization
• Avoiding vendor dependency

Challenges:

• Manual workflow recreation (no direct import)
• Learning curve for team
• Infrastructure setup required
• Some integrations may need custom building

Moving from n8n to Make

Reasons to migrate:

• Team lacks technical skills
• Need managed platform
• Want more pre-built integrations
• Prefer operational simplicity

Challenges:

• Ongoing operational costs
• Less customization flexibility
• Data moves to third-party servers

Hybrid approach

Some businesses use both:

n8n for:

• Internal workflows with sensitive data
• High-volume data processing
• Custom integrations with proprietary systems

Make for:

• Marketing team self-service automations
• Quick prototyping
• Integrations with SaaS tools

This leverages strengths of each platform.

Our recommendation

Choose Make if:

• Your team is non-technical
• You need 100+ ready-made integrations
• You prefer managed services
• You run moderate volumes (<100K operations/month)
• Speed to market is critical

Choose n8n if:

• Data privacy/sovereignty is important
• You have technical resources
• You need extensive customization
• You run high volumes (>500K operations/month)
• You want to avoid vendor lock-in
• You’re comfortable managing infrastructure

Start with Make, consider n8n later if:

• You’re validating automation needs
• You want quick wins without infrastructure
• You plan to scale significantly (migrate when costs justify it)

Conclusion

Make and n8n both excel at workflow automation, but serve different needs. Make prioritizes ease of use and breadth of integrations at a premium. n8n offers flexibility, control, and cost efficiency for those willing to invest technical resources.

The right choice depends on your team’s skills, data requirements, budget, and scale. Many businesses start with Make for speed, then migrate high-volume workflows to n8n as they grow.

At Artemis Lab, we implement automation solutions with both Make and n8n. We’ll help you choose the right platform—or combination—for your specific needs and handle the entire implementation.

Ready to automate your business workflows? Contact us to discuss your automation strategy.