n8n vs. Make (formerly Integromat)
n8n and Make (formerly Integromat) are two of the most powerful workflow automation platforms available, but they have fundamentally different approaches. While both allow you to build complex automations with a visual interface, they cater to different users and use cases. Choosing between them comes down to a trade-off between accessibility and raw technical power [1].
The Core Philosophy: Accessibility vs. Control​
- Make is a managed cloud platform that prioritizes simplicity and visual clarity. Its philosophy is to make complex automation accessible to non-technical users, like marketers and business owners. The UI is polished, and everything is a pre-built module, which reduces the learning curve [1, 3].
- n8n is an open-source platform that prioritizes flexibility and control. While it offers a cloud version, its self-hosting option is a key differentiator, giving developers complete ownership of their data and infrastructure. The UI is more technical, offering powerful low-code features like custom JavaScript nodes [1, 4].
UI/UX: Diagram vs. Node Canvas​
- Make's UI is a beautiful, free-form canvas. You drag and drop modules, and the connections are visual lines that show the flow of data. This "diagram" approach makes it easy to visualize and debug complex, branching workflows. It's highly intuitive for beginners and offers a clean, non-intrusive experience.
- n8n's UI is a more structured, node-based canvas. The focus is on functionality and power. While it's still visual, it's designed for users comfortable with concepts like JSON data structures and API requests. The learning curve is steeper, but it pays off with more granular control over data and logic [1, 5].
Pricing Models: Operations vs. Executions​
The pricing models are a major point of difference and heavily influence cost at scale.
- Make uses an operations-based model. An operation is a single action or step performed by a module in your workflow. If your workflow has ten steps, it will consume ten operations. While the base price is often lower, costs can add up quickly for complex or high-volume automations.
- n8n uses an execution-based model for its cloud plan. A single execution is one complete workflow run, regardless of how many nodes or steps are in it. This makes n8n a more cost-effective choice for long, multi-step workflows or automations that handle large datasets [1, 2]. For self-hosted deployments, the cost is just your server and maintenance.
| Feature | n8n | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted or Cloud | Cloud-only |
| Open-Source | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | Execution-based | Operations-based |
| UI | Node-based Canvas | Visual Diagram |
| Target Audience | Developers, technical teams | Marketers, business owners |
Advanced Features: Branching and Logic​
Both platforms handle conditional logic, but they do it in distinct ways that reflect their target audience.
Make's Branching Logic​
Make uses a "Router" module to create branching paths. This is a powerful, visual way to build conditional logic, allowing you to split a single workflow into multiple paths based on a condition [5]. Each branch can be configured with a filter to determine whether the data should pass through it. This approach is highly intuitive and easy for non-technical users to grasp.
- Example: A workflow that receives new form submissions.
- Router: The workflow splits into two paths.
- Filter 1: "if country is 'USA'". If true, send a notification to the U.S. sales team.
- Filter 2: "if country is 'Canada'". If true, send a notification to the Canadian sales team.
n8n's Branching Logic​
n8n uses the IF node for branching logic. It's a simple, straightforward node that evaluates a condition and sends the workflow's data to either a "True" or "False" branch [4]. For more complex scenarios, you can chain IF nodes together. Its real power, however, lies in the Code node, which allows you to write custom JavaScript to handle intricate conditional logic that would be impossible to build with a standard UI [1].
- Example: A workflow that processes orders.
- IF Node: "if order total is greater than $500".
- True Branch: Add the customer to a VIP list in your CRM.
- False Branch: Send a standard order confirmation email.
- Custom Code: You could then use a Code node to perform a custom check, like verifying the customer's loyalty tier before applying a discount.
Conclusion: Which One Is for You?​
Choosing between n8n and Make is a strategic decision.
- Choose Make if you are a non-technical user, a small business, or a marketing team that needs to build automations quickly with minimal setup. Its polished UI, vast library of pre-built integrations, and intuitive logic make it the fastest path to results.
- Choose n8n if you are a developer, a technical team, or an enterprise that needs full control over your data, a cost-effective solution for high-volume tasks, and the flexibility to build highly customized workflows with code. Its open-source nature and powerful customization options make it a long-term, scalable choice.
In the next article, we will bring all three platforms—n8n, Make, and Zapier—together for a final, comprehensive comparison to help you make a definitive decision.