Best Open-Source Make Alternatives (2026)

13 self-hostable, open-source projects that replace Make — without operation-based pricing tiers. Each is scored for how hard it is to self-host, with one-click deploy options where they exist.

Make charges by operation, so every module run inside a scenario counts, and high-volume or many-step scenarios quietly consume tiers far faster than the headline price suggests. Teams that want their automation logic and data to stay in-house also leave to avoid sending every payload through a third-party cloud.

Our picks at a glance

Easiest to self-host

n8n

Difficulty 2/5 plus a One-Click deploy is the smoothest setup, matching Make's visual workflow style.

Most powerful

n8n

400+ integrations and native AI nodes give the most feature coverage for replacing complex multi-step scenarios.

Most active

n8n

115,000 stars is the clear momentum leader of the visual-automation options here.

Best managed option

n8n

n8n Cloud is an official managed offering, so you can replicate Make's hosted convenience without running servers.

Compare all 13 alternatives

Tap a column header to sort

Project			Deploy	License
n8n Sponsored TypeScript	193k ★	2/5 Easy	One-Click Docker +3	Sustainable Use License	2 days ago	Repo
changedetection.io Python	32k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Docker Compose +1	Apache-2.0	2 days ago	Repo
Node-RED JavaScript	23k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Docker Compose +1	Apache-2.0	2 days ago	Repo
Activepieces TypeScript	23k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose +2	MIT	2 days ago	Repo
Leon Nodejs	17k ★	4/5 Involved	Manual	MIT	13 days ago	Repo
Windmill Rust	17k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose +2	AGPL-3.0	2 days ago	Repo
Automatisch JavaScript	14k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose +1	AGPL-3.0	4 months ago	Repo
Cronicle Nodejs	5.7k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Manual	MIT	6 days ago	Repo
pyLoad Python	3.8k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Manual	AGPL-3.0	14 days ago	Repo
OliveTin Go	3.6k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Manual	AGPL-3.0	2 days ago	Repo
Dagu Go	3.5k ★	2/5 Easy	Docker Manual	GPL-3.0	2 days ago	Repo
Dittofeed Docker	2.8k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Docker Compose	MIT	2 months ago	Repo
Matchering Docker	2.6k ★	3/5 Moderate	Docker Manual	GPL-3.0	1 month ago	Repo

What to look for: Make's appeal is its visual canvas, so prioritize tools with a genuine drag-and-connect builder rather than code-first orchestration. Check the integration catalog against the apps you actually use, and confirm there's an HTTP/custom node for the long tail Make covered with its generic modules.

Head-to-head:n8n vs Make changedetection.io vs Make Node-RED vs Make Activepieces vs Make Leon vs Make

The alternatives, reviewed

#1
n8n
Sponsored
Self-host: Easy
Fair-code workflow automation with 400+ integrations and native AI nodes
193k TypeScript Sustainable Use License 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
Source-available (Sustainable Use License), not true OSI open source; some enterprise features (SSO, log streaming, external secrets) are gated behind paid tiers.

Self-hosted instances require you to manage your own queue/Redis and Postgres for scaling and reliability.

Far fewer pre-built app connectors than Zapier's 6,000+ catalog.

Concurrency and execution throughput on the free self-hosted tier require manual queue-mode tuning.
Repo Details & deploy →
#2
changedetection.io
Self-host: Easy
Monitor any website for changes and get notified instantly
32k Python Apache-2.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
No multi-step workflow automation — it only watches and notifies, not acts on changes

JavaScript-heavy sites require a separately configured Playwright browser container

No native API for programmatic watch management (REST API is limited)

Cannot extract and transform data into downstream systems without additional tools
Repo Details & deploy →
#3
Node-RED
Self-host: Easy
Flow-based low-code programming for wiring together APIs, services, and devices
23k JavaScript Apache-2.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
Not a polished SaaS-connector product; you assemble flows from lower-level nodes rather than pre-built app triggers.

No built-in multi-tenant team management, SSO, or audit logging out of the box.

Authentication and HTTPS for production exposure must be configured manually.

Geared toward IoT/event wiring, so common SaaS app integrations often need community nodes of varying quality.
Repo Details & deploy →
#4
Activepieces
Self-host: Moderate
MIT-licensed no-code automation and AI agents builder, an open Zapier alternative
23k TypeScript MIT 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
Smaller connector catalog than Zapier/Make; many niche apps still missing.

Enterprise features (SSO, audit logs, projects/RBAC, embedding) require the paid edition.

Self-hosting needs Postgres and Redis, so it is not a single-container setup.

Younger ecosystem means fewer pre-built templates and community examples.
Repo Details & deploy →
#5
Leon
Self-host: Involved
Open-source personal assistant server you fully control and run on your own machine
17k Nodejs MIT 13 days ago
How it compares to Make
Skill catalog is far smaller than Alexa's or Google Assistant's third-party ecosystem

No official Docker image; setup involves Node.js, Python, and optional model downloads

Voice accuracy depends on local NLU models that require additional setup and tuning

Not designed for multi-user household scenarios — user accounts and permissions are limited
Repo Details & deploy →
#6
Windmill
Self-host: Moderate
Developer platform to turn scripts into workflows and internal apps
17k Rust AGPL-3.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
Code-first approach is more developer-oriented than Zapier's pure no-code experience.

AGPL plus a separate enterprise edition; some features (distributed workers at scale, SSO, audit) are gated.

Fewer turnkey SaaS connectors; you often write the integration glue yourself.

Self-hosting requires Postgres and worker configuration for real workloads.
Repo Details & deploy →
#7
Automatisch
Self-host: Moderate
Open-source business automation, a self-hostable Zapier alternative
14k JavaScript AGPL-3.0 4 months ago
How it compares to Make
Significantly fewer integrations than Zapier or even n8n.

Slower release cadence; development activity is lighter than the larger competitors.

No native code/function step comparable to n8n or Windmill for custom logic.

Self-hosting needs Postgres and Redis; not a single-container deploy.
Repo Details & deploy →
#8
Cronicle
Self-host: Moderate
Distributed task scheduler with a web UI — cron for teams with history and retries
5.7k Nodejs MIT 6 days ago
How it compares to Make
No DAG / dependency graph between jobs; pipeline orchestration is limited to linear chains

No built-in secrets management — credentials passed as environment variables or shell scripts

High-availability multi-master setup is complex and not well documented

UI and architecture feel dated compared to newer alternatives like Temporal or Windmill
Repo Details & deploy →
#9
pyLoad
Self-host: Easy
Web-controlled download manager for one-click hosters, torrents, and direct links
3.8k Python AGPL-3.0 14 days ago
How it compares to Make
Plugin ecosystem for one-click hosters is aging; many premium hoster plugins are broken or unmaintained

No built-in torrent client — only handles direct and hoster-based downloads

Web UI is functional but dated compared to modern download manager frontends

Python 3 migration improved stability but the codebase has accumulated technical debt
Repo Details & deploy →
#10
OliveTin
Self-host: Easy
Expose predefined Linux shell commands as a safe, simple web interface for non-techies
3.6k Go AGPL-3.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
No conditional logic, branching, or multi-step workflows — each button maps to a single command

No scheduling or trigger-based execution; only manual button presses

Authentication is basic (single shared password or reverse-proxy auth); no per-user RBAC

No audit log or notification system beyond live output in the UI
Repo Details & deploy →
#11
Dagu
Self-host: Easy
DAG-based workflow orchestrator with a web UI — cron replacement with real dependencies
3.5k Go GPL-3.0 2 days ago
How it compares to Make
No distributed worker pool — all steps run on the same host, limiting horizontal scale

No built-in secrets vault; credentials must be managed via environment variables or external tools

UI is functional but lacks advanced features like parameterized run forms or dynamic DAG generation

Community is smaller than Airflow or Prefect; fewer integrations and plugins
Repo Details & deploy →
#12
Dittofeed
Self-host: Moderate
Open-source customer messaging automation — email, SMS, and push journey builder
2.8k Docker MIT 2 months ago
How it compares to Make
In-app messaging channel (tooltips, banners, modals) is not yet supported

Deliverability tools like dedicated IP warm-up and domain authentication wizards are absent

Mobile push requires manual integration with APNs/FCM; no managed SDK

Feature cadence for the self-hosted version can lag behind the cloud offering
Repo Details & deploy →
#13
Matchering
Self-host: Moderate
Automated audio mastering library that matches your track to a reference song
2.6k Docker GPL-3.0 1 month ago
How it compares to Make
Mastering quality depends entirely on reference track choice; no AI-driven style presets like LANDR

No stem separation, noise reduction, or restoration processing

Web UI is very minimal — not a polished production tool without custom frontend work

Processing is CPU-only by default; no GPU acceleration for batch workflows
Repo Details & deploy →

The verdict

n8n is the closest like-for-like swap for Make: a visual node-based canvas, the largest integration catalog, and both self-hosted and managed options. Activepieces (MIT) is the strongest runner-up if license permissiveness is a hard requirement.

Still deciding? Compare n8n vs changedetection.io side by side →

Make alternatives — frequently asked questions

What is the best open-source alternative to Make (Integromat)?

n8n is the most direct match, offering a visual node-based builder, 400+ integrations, and AI nodes. Activepieces is the leading MIT-licensed alternative if you want a fully permissive license.

Which Make alternative has a visual drag-and-drop builder?

n8n, Node-RED, and Activepieces all provide visual flow builders. Node-RED is flow-based wiring of nodes; n8n and Activepieces are closer to Make's scenario-style canvas with app connectors.

Is there a Make alternative with no operation limits?

Yes, every option here removes operation-based billing when self-hosted, since you pay for compute, not per module execution. n8n, Automatisch, and Activepieces all run on Docker.

Which is the easiest to self-host?

n8n and Node-RED are both 2/5 difficulty. n8n adds a One-Click deploy path and an official managed cloud, making it the least effort overall.

Can I self-host with a permissive license for commercial use?

Activepieces is MIT-licensed, the most permissive option here. n8n uses a Sustainable Use License (free for internal business use, restricts reselling); Automatisch and Windmill are AGPL-3.0, which has copyleft obligations if you offer it as a network service.

Does it support AI steps like Make's AI modules?

Yes. n8n ships native AI nodes, and Activepieces markets itself as a no-code automation and AI agents builder. Both let you wire LLM calls directly into workflows.

Keep exploring

All Automation & iPaaS →Self-hosted directory →Easiest to self-host →

Zapier alternatives Tray.io alternatives Workato alternatives