The verdict in three sentences
Make is unbeatable for quickly launching 5 to 10 simple automations, as long as volume stays under a few tens of thousands of operations a month. Self-hosted n8n becomes the best balance of cost and control once volumes grow or data must stay on your own EU server. Custom development, at 8,000 to 25,000 EUR, is justified for critical, high-volume flows or complex business logic that visual tools make unreadable.
2026 cost comparison for 10 to 30 automations
The three options cannot be compared on subscription alone. You must factor in setup, maintenance and the cost of volume.
| Criterion | Make | Self-hosted n8n | Custom development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription or hosting | 10 to 30 EUR per month to start | 20 to 60 EUR per month (VPS + backups) | 30 to 120 EUR per month hosting |
| Volume-based billing | Yes, per operation (credits) | No, unlimited on your server | No |
| Setup (10 to 30 flows) | 3,000 to 9,000 EUR | 4,000 to 12,000 EUR | 8,000 to 25,000 EUR |
| Annual maintenance | 1,000 to 3,000 EUR | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR (server updates included) | 1,500 to 5,000 EUR |
| Monthly cost at 100,000 operations | 150 to 350 EUR | 40 to 80 EUR | 30 to 120 EUR |
| Data location | Vendor servers (EU available) | Your own server | Your own server |
| Delivery time | 2 to 4 weeks | 3 to 6 weeks | 6 to 12 weeks |
These are 2026 orders of magnitude observed for SMEs with 20 to 150 employees (USD figures are roughly 8 % higher). Make's pricing changes regularly: always check the credit tier matching your real volume.
The limits of each option
Each approach has a breaking point. Knowing it avoids rebuilding the whole system after 18 months.
| Limit | Make | n8n | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| High volume (over 500,000 operations per month) | Costs explode | Manageable with a bigger server (80 to 150 EUR per month) | No practical limit |
| Complex business logic (calculations, nested rules) | Scenarios hard to read | Possible via JavaScript code nodes | Strength |
| Dependence on one person | High if one builder | High, plus server skills | Lower if code is documented and tested |
| Error handling and retries | Basic | Decent, needs configuration | Complete (queues, alerts) |
| Ready-made connectors | Over 2,000 | Over 400, plus HTTP requests | Built case by case |
| Automated tests | None | Limited | Included |
The real risk is not the tool but sprawl: 40 scenarios built by three different people without documentation become unmanageable. Whatever you choose, require a flow inventory, explicit names and an email alert on failure.
Which option for which tasks
The most profitable setup is often hybrid: Make or n8n for simple flows, code for the critical core.
- Make: form-to-CRM sync, Slack or Teams notifications, copying attachments to a Drive, simple reminders.
- n8n: high-volume flows (orders, tickets), sensitive data that must stay on your server, chains that call an AI model.
- Custom: quote calculation, two-way ERP integration, invoicing, any flow where an error costs money.
Mini case study
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Clara, operations manager of a 60-employee SME in Lyon, wants to automate 20 tasks generating about 120,000 operations a month. On Make: 6,000 EUR setup, 250 EUR a month in credits and 2,000 EUR maintenance, so 11,000 EUR in year one and 5,000 EUR after. On n8n: 8,000 EUR, 50 EUR a month and 2,500 EUR maintenance, so 11,100 EUR then 3,100 EUR a year. Over three years, n8n totals 17,300 EUR versus 21,000 EUR for Make. The 20 tasks save 70 hours a month at 35 EUR loaded cost, or 29,400 EUR a year: both options pay back in under five months, and n8n saves 3,700 EUR over three years.
FAQ
Make or n8n, which is easier for a non-technical team?
Make, thanks to its very visual interface and many connectors. n8n needs some technical background, especially for hosting, but 2 to 3 days of training are enough to edit existing flows.
Is n8n really free?
The self-hosted version is free for internal use under a "fair-code" licence. You pay for the server, 20 to 60 EUR a month, and maintenance time, roughly 2 to 4 hours a month.
At what volume does custom become cheaper?
Above 500,000 monthly operations, or once a critical flow causes more than 2 to 3 incidents a month. The extra 5,000 to 15,000 EUR upfront is then absorbed in 1 to 2 years.
Can we migrate from Make to n8n later?
Yes, but each scenario must be rebuilt. Budget 200 to 500 EUR per flow depending on complexity.
Does our data stay in Europe?
With n8n or custom code hosted with an EU provider, yes, on a server you choose. Make offers EU hosting, but on its own infrastructure.
Let's scope your project. We inventory your 10 to 30 tasks and price Make, n8n and custom side by side, with an indicative budget of 3,000 to 25,000 EUR and a start within 3 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
