Yes. Make runs on EU servers, is GDPR compliant and SOC 2 Type II certified, with data encrypted in transit and at rest. For most small businesses, that level of security is sufficient. Data does sit on Make's servers rather than your own, which only matters for strict data-control requirements.

Is n8n self-hosted hard to set up?

It requires basic server knowledge (VPS, Docker). If you know SSH and Docker, you can set up n8n in about 30 minutes. If not, n8n Cloud or Make will be the simpler route, since they remove server management entirely.

What if Make raises its prices?

It is a real risk; Integromat raised prices after rebranding to Make. The mitigation is that automations can be exported and recreated in n8n, so the logic migrates even if the platform changes. It is not full vendor lock-in.

Can I combine automation with an AI agent?

Yes, and it is one of the most popular scenarios we deploy. An AI agent on the site collects data, webhook to Make or n8n, add to CRM, email follow-up, notification. The agent handles the conversation, the automation handles everything after it.

Make.com vs n8n — which automation tool to choose?

Comparing Make.com and n8n point by point: pricing, ease of use, integrations, self-hosting. Which is the better choice for a small business?

Key takeaways

Key takeaways: Choose Make.com if you are non-technical and run low volume (9-29 EUR/month, 1 500+ integrations). Choose n8n self-hosted if you are technical, run high volume or need data control (5-10 EUR/month VPS, unlimited operations). Many businesses use both. Setup runs 120-1 200 EUR.

Make.com vs n8n — which should you choose?

Choose Make.com if you are non-technical, run simple low-volume automations and want something that just works. Choose n8n self-hosted if you have technical skills, run high volume, or need data to stay on your own server.

Both tools do the same job: connect apps and automate workflows, for example "client fills a form, add to CRM, send email, notify on Telegram". They differ in philosophy, pricing and target audience. This comparison takes the perspective of a small business that wants to automate without hiring a developer.

What is Make.com?

Make.com (formerly Integromat, a Czech startup acquired by Celonis in 2023) is a cloud-hosted SaaS automation platform built around a visual, drag-and-drop interface. Flows are drawn like diagrams, which makes it intuitive even for non-technical users.

Visual interface — drag-and-drop, intuitive for beginners.
1 500+ integrations — Google, Slack, Notion, Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, Mailchimp and hundreds more.
Cloud-hosted — zero configuration, works from minute one.
Operation-based pricing — you pay for the number of operations (steps) executed.

Make.com pricing (2026): Free (1 000 ops/month, 2 active scenarios), Core 9 EUR/month (10 000 ops), Pro 16 EUR/month (10 000 ops + advanced features), Teams 29 EUR/month (10 000 ops + team collaboration).

What is n8n?

n8n (a Berlin startup, open-source, "fair-code") is an automation platform you can self-host or run in the cloud. Its node-based interface resembles Make but takes a more developer-oriented approach, with more configuration options and a steeper learning curve.

Open-source — code available, host it on your own server for free.
Node-based interface — more config options, less beginner-friendly.
400+ integrations — fewer than Make, but covers all popular tools, plus custom integrations via HTTP Request and Code nodes.
Self-hosting = no limits — no operation caps or per-execution fees, you only pay for the server.

n8n pricing (2026): Self-hosted is free (open-source, VPS from 5-10 EUR/month), n8n Cloud Starter 20 EUR/month (2 500 executions), n8n Cloud Pro 50 EUR/month (10 000 executions).

Make.com vs n8n — point-by-point comparison

Here is the head-to-head for a small business across the factors that actually decide the choice.

Factor	Make.com	n8n	Winner
Ease of use	Intuitive, great docs, many tutorials	Steeper learning curve	Make
Price (small business)	9-29 EUR/month, operation limits	5-10 EUR/month VPS, unlimited	n8n
Price (high volume)	40-100+ EUR at 100k ops	Still 5-10 EUR self-hosted	n8n
Integrations	1 500+	400+ plus HTTP node	Make
Reliability	99.9% uptime (SaaS)	Depends on your server	Tie
Data control	Data on Make servers (EU, GDPR)	Data stays with you	n8n
AI integrations	Native OpenAI, Anthropic, HF	Native + custom AI workflows	Tie

When should you choose Make.com?

Make.com is the better choice when you want speed and simplicity over control. Pick it if you have no technical experience, run simple automations (5-10 steps) at low volume, need specific native integrations like Shopify or HubSpot, do not want to manage a server, and a 10-30 EUR/month budget is fine.

Typical Make.com scenarios for small businesses:

Contact form, CRM, confirmation email, Telegram notification
New Shopify order, invoice, client email, Google Sheets report
Blog post, automatic LinkedIn + Facebook + newsletter post

At NoStressStudio we configure Make.com automations from 120 EUR per scenario. For clients who do not want to manage the tool themselves, it is the fastest option.

When should you choose n8n?

n8n is the better choice when control, volume or custom logic matter more than convenience. Pick it if you have basic technical knowledge (or someone who does), generate high volume (1 000+ daily) and do not want per-execution fees, need data on your own server for GDPR or regulated industries, require custom JavaScript/Python logic, and want a fixed cost regardless of volume.

Typical n8n scenarios:

AI agent, email parser, CRM, automatic response (custom code)
Competitor price monitoring, alert on price drop, auto-update pricing
Sales pipeline with custom lead-scoring logic

n8n works great with AI agents, since custom code nodes allow complex logic Make does not support natively.

Can you use both Make.com and n8n?

Yes, and many businesses do. The practical split is Make.com for simple, repetitive automations (forms, notifications, SaaS integrations) and n8n for complex workflows with custom logic, AI and high volume.

This approach minimises cost: keep Make on the Free or Core plan for simple things, and run n8n self-hosted for everything that needs scale or data control. At NoStressStudio we help choose the right tool per process. We do not favour one, we recommend whatever gives the best ROI for the specific scenario.

How much does automation setup cost?

Automation deployment cost is independent of the tool you pick, and ranges from 120 to 1 200 EUR depending on complexity.

Scenario	Scope	Setup cost
Simple	3-5 steps, standard integrations	120-250 EUR
Medium	5-15 steps, conditional logic, API	250-600 EUR
Complex	Custom code, AI, multiple conditions, error handling	600-1 200 EUR

After deployment the automation runs 24/7. The only ongoing cost is the platform (Make 9-29 EUR/month or n8n VPS 5-10 EUR/month). An automation saving 2h/week pays for itself in 1-2 months; most of our clients automate processes that took 5-10h/week, so ROI lands in weeks.

Summary — what to choose?

Quick cheat sheet for the decision:

Choose Make.com if you are non-technical, run low volume, want to start fast, and a 10-30 EUR/month budget is fine.
Choose n8n if you are technical (or have someone), run high volume, need data control, and want a fixed cost.
Use both if you have different processes at different complexity levels.

Not sure which automation scenario gives the best ROI? Request a free AI audit, and I will identify 3 processes worth automating first and recommend the right tool.