Make.com vs n8n: which automation tool should you use?
Both Make.com and n8n are powerful workflow automation platforms — but they serve different needs. This guide compares features, pricing, self-hosting options, and use cases to help you choose the right tool for your business.
The quick comparison
| Feature | Make.com | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $9/month (cloud) | Free (self-hosted) / from $20/month (cloud) |
| Self-hosting | Not available | Full self-hosting supported |
| Integrations | 1,500+ native apps | 400+ native + HTTP/API for any tool |
| Ease of use | Very beginner-friendly | Moderate — technical users thrive |
| Code execution | Limited (JavaScript modules) | Full JavaScript/Python in workflows |
| Data privacy | Cloud only — data on Make servers | Self-hosted — data stays on your hardware |
| AI integration | Growing AI modules | Excellent — AI agents, LangChain, vector stores |
| Error handling | Good visual error paths | Advanced — custom error workflows |
| Community | Large, active community | Very active open-source community |
| Best for | Non-technical users, quick setups | Technical teams, AI workflows, data privacy |
When to use Make.com
Make.com is the better choice when you need to get workflows running quickly without technical expertise. Its visual builder is genuinely intuitive — drag and drop modules, connect them with lines, and your automation is live. The library of 1,500+ native integrations means most common tools connect with a few clicks. For small businesses automating straightforward processes like form submissions, email sequences, and CRM updates, Make.com gets the job done fast.
The trade-off is flexibility. Make.com runs in the cloud only, so your data passes through their servers. Custom code execution is limited. And as your workflows become more complex — especially when AI is involved — you start hitting the boundaries of what Make.com can handle elegantly.
When to use n8n
n8n is the better choice when data privacy matters, when you need full code execution within workflows, or when you are building AI agent systems. Self-hosting means your data never leaves your hardware — critical for GDPR compliance and for businesses handling sensitive information. The ability to run JavaScript and Python directly inside workflows makes n8n dramatically more powerful for complex logic.
n8n's AI capabilities are particularly strong. It has native support for LangChain, vector stores, AI agents, and LLM providers — making it the platform of choice for building sophisticated AI workflows that go beyond simple automation. At JWHive, we use n8n as the backbone of our AI agent deployments because it gives us the power and flexibility that cloud-only tools cannot match.
Our recommendation
We use both. Make.com handles simpler automations where speed of setup matters and data sensitivity is low. n8n handles everything else — AI workflows, complex business logic, data-sensitive processes, and anything that needs to run on client hardware. Most of our clients end up with a mix of both, playing to each platform's strengths.
The good news is that you do not need to make this decision yourself. When you work with JWHive, we choose the right tool for each workflow and manage both platforms for you. You just see the results.
Need help choosing?
Book a free AI audit and we will recommend the right tools for your specific workflows — and build them for you.