Make and n8n can connect the tools behind an agency's client workflows. Your decision should follow the team's ability to build, maintain and troubleshoot those workflows. Compare each product using the same onboarding task before you choose.
Start with your team
Make provides a visual automation platform with hosted plans. n8n offers cloud and self-hosted options. Self-hosting gives a team responsibility for the environment as well as the workflow: updates, backups, access control, monitoring and recovery need an owner. Review n8n's hosting documentation before assuming that hosting it yourself is the cheaper choice.
A small agency with no technical owner may value a hosted service. An agency with technical staff and specific hosting requirements may prefer to investigate n8n's self-hosted option. These are starting points, not universal rankings.
Compare one real task
Use a new client onboarding scenario:
- Receive a form submission with a client name and contact details.
- Check whether the client already exists in your project system.
- Create an onboarding task if needed.
- Notify the account manager with a link to the task.
- Record errors so the team can resolve them.
Use fictional client data and the same apps for both trials. Write down setup time, what each person needs to understand, and how the workflow behaves when an email address is missing. A successful demonstration is only the beginning: test duplicate submissions and disconnected accounts too.
Compare the full cost
Review Make pricing and n8n pricing for current billing units, limits and included features. Their usage measures differ, so a direct comparison of headline allowances can mislead.
Estimate subscription or hosting costs, any paid integrations, maintenance hours and the impact of failed runs. For self-hosting, include infrastructure, backups, security updates and the person responsible for them. Multiply each product's own usage measure by your forecast based on actual trial data.
Check client data and access
List the systems each automation can access. Grant only the permissions required, protect credentials and decide who can edit workflows. Check data processing terms and hosting region where your client agreements require them. A workflow that forwards client data to several tools creates additional places to review.
Choose with an exit plan
Pick the option your team can explain and support. Document the trigger, owner, connected accounts, expected result and recovery steps. Keep the original process usable until the new workflow has passed your tests. Record how you will export or rebuild critical workflows before making the tool essential to delivery.
Related: Make vs Zapier and client onboarding checklist.
Editorial notes — remove before publication
Documentation-based comparison. Perform and document identical trials before claiming a winner, timing or cost. Verify product features and terms at publication.