Make credits × n8n executions

Same workflow.
Different meters.

Before comparing prices, estimate what your workflow consumes. Explore a simple, non-AI flow with one trigger and a few actions per record.

01 / Your workload

Count the work.

Example: 1,000 new leads or completed orders.
Standard, one-credit actions only.
One event per run: 1. A batch: more.
Add unused trigger runs
Only count runs that actually start the workflow. This assumes each is one billed n8n execution and one standard Make trigger operation. Native polling behavior can differ; check your logs.

02 / Estimated monthly usage

Two units. Not two prices.

Make 4,000credits / month1,000 trigger runs + 3,000 action runs
n8n Cloud 1,000workflow executions / month1,000 complete workflow runs

A smaller unit count does not mean a lower bill. Check plan allowances, features and billing periods before buying.

Check Make pricing ↗
Check n8n pricing ↗

Batch size is a design choice

In this model, each run starts with a trigger that emits records directly. Every record then passes through the same actions. Larger batches reduce the number of starts; they do not remove per-record work. Batching can increase delay and memory use.

Keep the estimate honest

This is a planning model, not a measured benchmark. It excludes extra fetch/iterator modules, branching, retries, sub-workflows, AI charges and third-party API fees. Add those separately using a real execution log.

What about free alternatives?

Make has a free tier with limits. n8n Community Edition is available to self-host; hosting, updates and recovery still take resources. An existing script may be sufficient for a simple task. This calculator does not establish feature compatibility or recommend migrating.

Sources and calculation method

Official documentation checked 20 September 2026. Make generally charges credits by module usage; standard action modules commonly consume a credit for each processed record. n8n describes an execution as a complete workflow run.

Runs with data = ceiling(records ÷ records per run). Make estimate = data runs + empty runs + records × actions. n8n estimate = data runs + empty runs. These formulas apply only to the workflow shape described above.