GTM Playbooks
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Workflow automationLast reviewed

Make vs n8n for GTM automation and AI agents

Make and n8n both connect your CRM, enrichment, sequencer, and AI model with visual workflows. For GTM agents, the differences that matter are how each one bills you, where it runs, and how much code you want to write.

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At a glance

Make

Best for

Ops teams who want a hosted visual builder with no servers to manage

Make is a hosted visual builder. Scenarios chain app modules with routers, iterators, aggregators, and error handlers, and custom apps connect anything with a public API.

Visit MakeSee current pricing

n8n

Best for

Technical GTM teams building AI agents and workflows with many steps per run

n8n runs on n8n Cloud or on your own server. It includes an AI Agent node, MCP server and client nodes, and JavaScript or Python code steps, and the Community Edition is on GitHub to self-host.

Visit n8nSee current pricing

Feature comparison

Based on each vendor's own pricing and product pages. Plan contents change, so confirm the tier that includes a feature before you buy.

HostingMakeHosted by Make (no self-hosted option)n8nn8n Cloud, or self-hosted on your own server
Billing unitMakeCredits, mostly one per module actionn8nExecutions, one per full workflow run
Free optionMakeFree plan listedn8nFree self-hosted Community Edition, plus a Cloud trial
CodeMakeBuilt-in functions and transform tools; check your plan for code modulesn8nJavaScript and Python code steps on all plans
AI and agentsMakeAI modules and Make's AI Provider, where some AI features use extra creditsn8nAI Agent node, AI steps, and MCP server and client nodes
Custom APIsMakeHTTP module and custom apps for any public APIn8nHTTP request node, cURL import, and custom nodes when self-hosted
WebhooksMakeWebhook triggers; incoming webhooks queue if you run out of creditsn8nWebhook and queue triggers
Where data livesMakeMake's cloud; check its docs for region optionsn8nn8n Cloud stores data in the EU (Frankfurt); self-hosted runs wherever you put it

Pricing model

We do not publish prices because they change. Each card links to the vendor's pricing page with the current numbers.

How Make charges

Credits. Most module actions use one credit and some AI features use more, so one scenario run can use many credits depending on its steps and the data it loops over. Credits expire at the end of the term, extra credits can be bought, and a free plan is listed.

See current Make pricing

How n8n charges

Cloud and paid self-hosted plans bill per workflow execution: one full run counts once no matter how many steps it has. Users and workflows are unlimited on all plans. The Community Edition is free to self-host; you pay for your own server and maintenance.

See current n8n pricing

The billing units are the real difference. Make counts credits for each module action, so loops and long scenarios add up. n8n counts one execution per full run, so step count does not change the bill. Estimate your monthly runs and steps per run, then check current pricing for both.

Playbooks that fit each tool

Step-by-step workflows from this site that name the tool or map cleanly onto it.

Make

n8n

Verdict

Pick Make if

  • You want a fully hosted tool and nobody on the team wants to run servers
  • Your workflows are mostly app-to-app steps with little custom code
  • You want a large catalog of prebuilt app modules, including finance and enterprise apps
  • Your scenarios are short or run rarely, so per-action billing stays small
Visit Make

Pick n8n if

  • Your agent workflows have many steps per run, such as loops over contacts or chained AI calls
  • You need to self-host for data control or cost, and someone can maintain the server
  • You want JavaScript or Python code steps next to visual nodes
  • You want AI agent and MCP building blocks inside the workflow tool
Visit n8n

Bottom line

If your team wants a hosted tool and builds mostly app-to-app scenarios, Make is the simpler start. If you are building AI agents, loop over many records per run, or need to self-host, n8n is the stronger fit.

Frequently asked questions

Is n8n cheaper than Make?
For workflows with many steps per run, execution-based billing usually works out cheaper than per-action credits, because n8n counts a full run once. For short scenarios that run rarely, the difference is small. Estimate your monthly runs and steps, then see current pricing on both vendors' pages.
Can I self-host Make?
No. Make runs as a hosted service. If self-hosting is a requirement, n8n is the option of the two.
Which is better for AI agents, Make or n8n?
n8n has an AI Agent node, MCP nodes, and code steps, which makes it the better fit for multi-step agents that call tools. Make works well when the AI step is one part of an app-to-app scenario, such as classifying a ticket before routing it.
Can I rebuild the Zapier playbooks on this site in Make or n8n?
Yes. The triggers and steps in those playbooks map to Make scenarios and n8n workflows. You rebuild the steps in the new tool rather than importing them, and each comparison page lists the playbooks that fit best.

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