The no-code automation market is growing fast: Gartner expects the global low-code platform market to exceed $29 billion by 2026. Two platforms dominate the Mittelstand segment: n8n and Make (formerly Integromat). Both let you connect hundreds of apps without writing code. Which one is right for your business?
What are n8n and Make?
n8n is an open-source automation tool founded in Berlin in 2019. You can self-host it on your own server or use the cloud version. Strengths: full data ownership, unlimited workflows in the community edition, and a very active developer community.
Make (originally Integromat, Prague) is a cloud-based automation tool with a particularly intuitive visual canvas. Make offers 1,500+ app integrations and is ideal for teams that want to start quickly without technical background.
User experience & learning curve
Make clearly wins here: the colour-coded module canvas is intuitive and makes complex flows readable at a glance. Non-technical users find their way quickly.
n8n has a steeper learning curve but offers more flexibility. If you have JavaScript skills, you can extend workflows with custom code — a big advantage for bespoke requirements.
Cost & pricing
Here lies one of the most important differences:
- Make: Paid from the first production use. Starter from ~€9/month (1,000 operations). Costs scale quickly with volume.
- n8n Self-Hosted: Community edition is free — you only pay for the server (~€5–10/month). Ideal for cost-efficient scaling.
- n8n Cloud: From €20/month including hosting and support.
For businesses with high automation volume, n8n is significantly cheaper long-term.
Integrations & connectors
Make's 1,500+ pre-built integrations give it a broader selection for standard apps (Google Workspace, Slack, Shopify, HubSpot, etc.). n8n has 400+ connectors — growing fast thanks to the open-source community. For bespoke or in-house software, n8n's HTTP Request node can hit any REST API.
Privacy & GDPR
For data-sensitive industries (health, legal, finance), self-hosted n8n clearly wins: all data stays on your own server inside the EU. Make stores data on US servers by default — EU hosting is available but must be explicitly configured.
Who should pick what?
- Make is ideal if: you want to start fast, have no technical team, mostly connect standard apps, and run a manageable volume.
- n8n is ideal if: privacy and data sovereignty matter, you need custom code or APIs, volume is high, and cost optimisation matters.
"The best platform isn't the one with the most features — it's the one your team actually uses and that fits your processes."
How Sinthu Consulting helps
We are platform-agnostic and run both n8n and Make for our clients. In our process automation service we analyse your processes, recommend the right tool, and take on the full implementation and training. Talk to us.
Sources
- Gartner (2024): Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms. gartner.com
- n8n.io (2025): Official Documentation and Pricing. n8n.io
- Make.com (2025): Official Documentation and Pricing. make.com
- Forrester Research (2023): The Total Economic Impact of No-Code Automation. forrester.com