Should I choose Make.com or n8n for AI automation?

Make if: you want a hosted solution, need a visual canvas for complex branching, prefer Make AI Agents (launched February 2026), or do not have a developer. n8n if: you want self-hosting, need AI Agent nodes with LangChain/Ollama support, want zero per-execution billing at scale, or need to run local AI models air-gapped. Both are capable; the decision is driven by technical capacity and cost structure, not capability gaps.

How does Make.com billing compare to n8n billing?

Make charges per operation (each module run = 1 operation). n8n cloud charges per execution (each workflow run, not per node). n8n self-hosted has no per-execution billing. For complex multi-node workflows, n8n’s per-execution model is cheaper than Make’s per-operation model. At very high volumes with self-hosting, n8n is dramatically cheaper.

What is Make AI Agents and when did it launch?

Make AI Agents is a feature within Make scenarios that enables autonomous agent-style execution: the AI can choose which modules to activate, iterate on a task, and make decisions without a fixed sequential flow. It launched in February 2026 and is available on Core plan and above.

What is CVE-2026-21858 and does it affect Make.com users?

CVE-2026-21858 is a security vulnerability in self-hosted n8n instances (not Make.com). It relates to a server-side request forgery in webhook handling, patched in n8n 1.68.0. Make.com is a cloud-hosted platform and is not affected by this advisory. Self-hosted n8n users should update to 1.68.0 or later.

Can Make.com and n8n both handle voice-AI workflows?

Yes, both platforms can orchestrate voice-AI workflows. The pattern: Vapi or Retell sends a webhook when a call ends → Make or n8n receives the webhook, processes the transcript with AI, extracts structured data, and pushes to CRM/calendar. n8n has a slight advantage here because its AI Agent node can process the transcript with LangChain-style reasoning directly, without an additional API call step.

What is Make’s execution history retention compared to n8n?

Make retains execution history for 30 days on Core plan, 60 days on Pro, and custom on Enterprise (verify on make.com). n8n cloud retains execution history for 24 hours on the Starter plan and up to 365 days on Growth and higher (verify on n8n.io). Self-hosted n8n retains history indefinitely (limited by your database storage). Longer retention is important for debugging and audit purposes.

Platform Comparison — June 2026

Make.com vs n8n (2026): AI Agents, Billing, and Voice-AI

Operations vs executions billing, Make AI Agents launched February 2026, CVE-2026-21858 for self-hosted n8n, voice-AI orchestration patterns, and execution history retention compared.

Reviewed by Jordan M. Reyes — Updated 2026-06-13

Head-to-Head Overview

Feature	Make.com	n8n
Billing unit	Operations (per module run)	Executions (per workflow run) or free on self-host
AI agents	Make AI Agents (Feb 2026)	Native AI Agent nodes (LangChain, Ollama)
Self-hosting	No	Yes (Sustainable Use License)
Local AI models	No	Yes (via Ollama)
Visual builder	Excellent canvas	Good node editor
Integration count	1,800+ apps	400+ native, unlimited via HTTP
Execution history	30\u201360 days (plan dependent)	24h\u2013365 days (cloud); unlimited (self-host)
MCP server support	Via HTTP module	Native MCP nodes available

Billing Deep-Dive: Operations vs Executions

This is the most important cost difference between the two platforms:

Make: Bills per operation. Each module (step) that runs = 1 operation. A scenario with 12 modules that runs 1,000 times uses 12,000 operations. For AI workflows with many steps (enrichment, AI call, CRM write, email send), operations add up quickly.

n8n Cloud:Bills per execution. Each workflow run = 1 execution, regardless of how many nodes it contains. A 12-node workflow running 1,000 times uses 1,000 executions. For complex, multi-node workflows, n8n’s model is far cheaper.

n8n Self-hosted: No per-execution billing. You pay only for server infrastructure (a $10\u201320/month VPS handles moderate workloads). For high-volume automation, self-hosted n8n has the lowest total cost.

Make AI Agents vs n8n AI Agent Node

Make AI Agents (launched February 2026) introduces autonomous execution to Make scenarios. Agents can activate different scenario branches based on AI reasoning, iterate until a condition is met, and handle multi-step tasks without a fixed sequential path.

n8n AI Agent node (launched 2024, maturing through 2025\u20132026) implements tool-calling natively. You attach any n8n node (HTTP request, database query, code) as a tool. The agent calls tools based on LLM reasoning, with memory options (in-context or database-backed) and support for multiple LLM providers.

n8n’s AI Agent node has a longer track record and is more integrated with the broader node ecosystem. Make AI Agents is newer but benefits from Make’s superior visual canvas.

Voice-AI Orchestration

Both platforms can orchestrate voice-AI workflows. The standard architecture:

Voice AI platform (Vapi, Retell) handles the call and sends a webhook when it ends
Make or n8n receives the webhook with the call transcript and metadata
AI node processes the transcript: extracts name, company, intent, urgency, sentiment
CRM node creates or updates a contact/deal record
Calendar/email node triggers follow-up if qualified

n8n has a slight advantage for this pattern: the AI Agent node can process the transcript with full tool-calling capability in a single node, whereas Make requires separate module steps for each operation.

Security: n8n CVE-2026-21858

Make.com is a cloud-hosted platform and is not affected by this advisory. For security-conscious teams, Make’s hosted model eliminates the responsibility of patching self-hosted infrastructure.

How to Choose

Need visual builder, hosted solution, Make AI Agents, no developer: Make
Need self-hosting, local AI models, no per-execution billing, mature AI Agent nodes: n8n
High volume (>50,000 workflow runs/month): n8n self-hosted is almost always cheaper
Small team, getting started, prefer managed infrastructure: Make

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I choose Make.com or n8n for AI automation?: Make if: you want a hosted solution, need a visual canvas for complex branching, prefer Make AI Agents (launched February 2026), or do not have a developer. n8n if: you want self-hosting, need AI Agent nodes with LangChain/Ollama support, want zero per-execution billing at scale, or need to run local AI models air-gapped. Both are capable; the decision is driven by technical capacity and cost structure, not capability gaps.
How does Make.com billing compare to n8n billing?: Make charges per operation (each module run = 1 operation). n8n cloud charges per execution (each workflow run, not per node). n8n self-hosted has no per-execution billing. For complex multi-node workflows, n8n’s per-execution model is cheaper than Make’s per-operation model. At very high volumes with self-hosting, n8n is dramatically cheaper.
What is Make AI Agents and when did it launch?: Make AI Agents is a feature within Make scenarios that enables autonomous agent-style execution: the AI can choose which modules to activate, iterate on a task, and make decisions without a fixed sequential flow. It launched in February 2026 and is available on Core plan and above.
What is CVE-2026-21858 and does it affect Make.com users?: CVE-2026-21858 is a security vulnerability in self-hosted n8n instances (not Make.com). It relates to a server-side request forgery in webhook handling, patched in n8n 1.68.0. Make.com is a cloud-hosted platform and is not affected by this advisory. Self-hosted n8n users should update to 1.68.0 or later.
Can Make.com and n8n both handle voice-AI workflows?: Yes, both platforms can orchestrate voice-AI workflows. The pattern: Vapi or Retell sends a webhook when a call ends → Make or n8n receives the webhook, processes the transcript with AI, extracts structured data, and pushes to CRM/calendar. n8n has a slight advantage here because its AI Agent node can process the transcript with LangChain-style reasoning directly, without an additional API call step.
What is Make’s execution history retention compared to n8n?: Make retains execution history for 30 days on Core plan, 60 days on Pro, and custom on Enterprise (verify on make.com). n8n cloud retains execution history for 24 hours on the Starter plan and up to 365 days on Growth and higher (verify on n8n.io). Self-hosted n8n retains history indefinitely (limited by your database storage). Longer retention is important for debugging and audit purposes.