April 15, 2025·by Himanshu·n8n / automation / ai
n8n vs Make.com — which automation tool I actually use in 2026
After running both for 18 months on real client work, here is the honest verdict — including hosting cost, AI integration, and the one thing that broke me.
TL;DR
I run n8n self-hosted for client work and Make.com only for clients who need a no-code dashboard.
Cost difference is dramatic. Capability difference is smaller than you would think.
The 5 things that actually matter
1. Cost at scale
- n8n self-hosted on a 400rs/month VPS: unlimited executions
- Make.com Pro: 2400rs/month, 10K operations cap
2. AI node quality
n8n's Gemini, OpenAI, and Claude nodes ship faster than Make's.
3. The breaking point
Make's scenarios UI is gorgeous until you have 30+ modules. Then it becomes a maze.
4. Self-hosting is not for everyone
If you have never SSH'd into a VPS, just use Make. Seriously.
5. Community
n8n's templates library is now 1000+ workflows.
My current setup
- n8n on Hostinger VPS — AI auto-blog, social cross-poster, lead enrichment
- Make for one client who needs a Google Sheets-driven dashboard
- Zapier for nothing in 2026
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