What we build in n8n
For high execution volume, self-hosting requirements, or logic complex enough that you want real code inside nodes. Execution-based pricing on their cloud, or effectively free on infrastructure you already run.
n8n is the right answer when the reason is economics or data residency rather than features. Workflows are node graphs, similar in shape to Make, but with first-class code nodes and a JSON representation that works well in version control. We build on it when execution volume is high, above roughly 100,000 steps a month, when data cannot leave your infrastructure, or when you already run containers and the marginal cost of one more service is near zero.
We do not build on it when nobody owns the server. Self-hosting costs a server, typically $10 to $40 a month for a small cloud instance, plus patching, backups, monitoring and upgrades. When neither economics nor residency applies, Make is usually the easier tool.
What it is, and where it sits
n8n is a workflow automation platform you can self-host. Workflows are node graphs, similar in shape to Make, but with first-class code nodes and a JSON representation that works well in version control.
The reason to choose it is almost always economics or data residency rather than features. When one of those applies it is decisively the right answer; when neither does, Make is usually the easier tool.
What we build in it
- High-volume event processing where per-step pricing would be punishing
- Workflows handling regulated or residency-constrained data that cannot leave your infrastructure
- Data transformation pipelines using real code inside the workflow
- Custom API integrations for systems with no off-the-shelf connector
- AI orchestration with retries, fallbacks and structured-output validation
- Internal tooling where workflows are version-controlled alongside application code
How it is priced
Two very different models.
| Model | What you pay for | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| n8n Cloud | Per execution: one whole workflow run, regardless of how many steps it contains. | Workflows are complex rather than merely frequent. A 40-step workflow costs the same as a 3-step one, which inverts Make's incentive. |
| Self-hosted | Nothing per anything. A server, typically $10 to $40 a month for a small cloud instance, and unlimited executions against it. | Someone owns the infrastructure. The constraint becomes CPU rather than billing. |
The saving at volume is real and can run to thousands a year. It evaporates if self-hosting consumes an afternoon a month of someone expensive, so count that honestly.
When to choose it, and when to think twice
We hold no reseller agreement with this vendor, take no affiliate commission, and do not resell licenses. You buy your own subscription directly. It is the only arrangement under which our recommendation means anything.
Want the cost model run on your numbers?
Tell us your workflows and volumes and we will show you the three-year cost across every option.
You will talk to Fayez or Kareem. Nobody else.