n8n vs Make, and Where to Run n8n for $7/mo
Make bills every module run as a credit, starting at $9/mo, so the bill moves with the workload. n8n has no meter. What it has instead is a server you need to put somewhere, and that part is $7/mo flat on InstaPods.
Should you move off Make, and where do you run n8n?
Make is the better product if you want a polished visual builder and a very large app catalog with nothing to operate. It is also metered: Make renamed operations to credits in August 2025, every module run still costs one, and the entry paid plan is $9/mo billed annually, so a scenario that fans out over a few hundred records eats a tier faster than the sticker price suggests. n8n trades that meter for a machine. Executions become free and the bill becomes your hosting, which on InstaPods is $7/mo flat for 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 25 GB SSD, with HTTPS, daily backups and WEBHOOK_URL set at boot. The honest catch: Make has more prebuilt connectors, so budget an afternoon for the rebuild and expect to use n8n's HTTP Request node for the long tail. Every place you could run n8n is priced side by side in n8n hosting compared and the cheapest n8n hosting roundup.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $9/mo (entry paid plan, billed annually) | $7/mo flat (Build plan on InstaPods) |
| Metering | Credits - every module run costs one | None - executions are free on your own server |
| Who Runs It | Make - nothing to host | A managed pod: 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD |
| Active Scenarios | 2 (Free) - unlimited (Teams+) | Unlimited workflows |
| Execution Interval | 15 min (Free), 1 min (Pro+) | Sub-minute triggers, cron, webhooks |
| Data Transfer | Counted against credits | No transfer metering, no bandwidth charge |
| Code Execution | Limited JavaScript/Python modules | Full JavaScript + Python with npm packages |
| Error Handling | Built-in retry and error routes | Built-in retry, error workflows, and custom logic |
| API Integrations | 1,800+ apps | 400+ built-in + 900+ community nodes |
| Self-Hosting | Not available | Full control - your server, your data |
| Source Code | Closed source | Open source (fair-code license) |
Where Make Gets Expensive
Trade-offs to weigh before committing.
A Meter on Every Plan
Make charges per module run. A scenario with 5 modules processing 100 records burns 500 credits. On the $9/mo entry plan that arithmetic runs out faster than the sticker price suggests, and the fix is always the next tier up.
Complex Pricing Math
Each module execution counts as one credit. Data transforms, filters and routers all consume them, and AI features consume more than one. Predicting next month's bill takes a spreadsheet.
Features Gated by Tier
The free plan is 1,000 credits a month with a 15-minute minimum interval. Higher-tier features like priority execution sit above the $9/mo entry plan, so growth means paying for the tier, not just the volume.
No Data Portability
Scenarios built in Make can't be exported to other platforms. Your automation logic is locked into their ecosystem.
Why Self-Host with n8n?
What you get when you pick this stack.
No Meter at All
No per-run billing. Process thousands of records without watching a usage counter. The only ceiling is the CPU and RAM on the pod, and moving that ceiling is a one-click plan change.
Full Code Access
Write JavaScript or Python with full npm/pip access. Import any library, call any API, process data however you need.
Own Your Automations
Workflows are stored as JSON on your server. Export, version control, and migrate them freely. No vendor lock-in.
Privacy by Default
Your API keys, credentials, and workflow data never leave your server. Critical for teams handling sensitive data.
Real Cost Comparison
Running 10 active workflows that burn about 50,000 credits a month.
- Entry paid plan starts at $9/mo billed annually
- 50,000 credits sits several tiers above the entry slider position
- Every module run, filter and router consumes credits
- Annual billing required for the advertised rate
- InstaPods Build plan: $7/mo flat
- n8n: free (fair-code, self-hosted)
- 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD
- Same bill at 5,000 runs or 500,000
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I host n8n after leaving Make?
On a server you control. The lowest-friction option is a $7/mo InstaPods Build pod: 2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM and 25 GB SSD, with HTTPS, daily backups and the webhook URL configured at boot, so there is no Docker file and no reverse proxy step. A DIY VPS costs a little less and you administer it yourself. All of it is priced side by side in n8n hosting compared.
What does self-hosted n8n cost per month?
$7/mo flat on InstaPods for the Build plan, which is the smallest one n8n runs comfortably on. n8n itself is free. There is no credit meter, no bandwidth charge and no per-connector fee, so a month with 500,000 module runs bills the same as a month with 5,000. See the cheapest n8n hosting roundup for the cheaper and the more expensive routes.
Is n8n as easy to use as Make?
Both have visual drag-and-drop editors. Make's interface is slightly more polished for beginners, but n8n's editor is powerful and intuitive once you spend 10 minutes with it. The learning curve is comparable.
Does n8n have as many integrations as Make?
Make has more pre-built app connections (1,800+ vs 400+ built-in for n8n). However, n8n has 900+ community nodes and an HTTP Request node that connects to any REST API. For most use cases, you'll find what you need.
Can I migrate my Make scenarios to n8n?
There's no automatic migration tool, but the concepts map directly: Make scenarios = n8n workflows, Make modules = n8n nodes. Most teams rebuild their key automations in an afternoon.
What if n8n doesn't have a node for my app?
Use the HTTP Request node to call any REST API directly, or write a custom node in JavaScript. The community also publishes nodes regularly - check the n8n community nodes list.
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