Fair-code workflow automation and AI agent builder, cloud or self-hosted.
Dify vs Make
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Dify is best for building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows, while Make is best for visual, multi-branch automations across thousands of SaaS apps at a moderate cost. Only Dify offers self-hosting. Both Dify and Make offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which should you choose?
Choose Dify if…
- You need building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows
- Self-hosting matters to you
- You're one of: developers building llm apps, teams needing on-premise ai, rag chatbot projects
- Open-source Community Edition can be self-hosted at no cost
Choose Make if…
- You need visual, multi-branch automations across thousands of SaaS apps at a moderate cost
- You're one of: operations teams, automation agencies, small businesses scaling workflows
- Visual canvas makes complex branching logic easy to follow
At a glance
| Dify | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows | Visual, multi-branch automations across thousands of SaaS apps at a moderate cost |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | From $590/workspace/yr | From $9/mo |
| Learning curve | Medium | Medium |
| Platforms | Web, API | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Ideal for | Developers building LLM apps, Teams needing on-premise AI, RAG chatbot projects, AI product prototyping | Operations teams, Automation agencies, Small businesses scaling workflows, Marketers with multi-step processes |
Feature comparison
| Dify | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations, approx. | Hundreds of plugins | 3,000+ |
| AI agents | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosting | Yes | No |
| Custom code steps | Yes | Yes |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes |
| Human approval steps | Yes | — |
| Billed per | Message credit | Credit (per module action) |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Dify | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| SCIM user provisioning | Enterprise plan | — |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency options | — | US, EU |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, self-hosted, on-prem | Cloud |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Dify
Dify is an open-source platform for building AI applications, combining a visual workflow canvas, agent builder and RAG knowledge base pipeline. It can be used as a cloud service or self-hosted for free via the Community Edition. It is used mainly by developers and technical teams shipping AI chatbots, internal assistants and LLM-powered workflows.
Key features- Visual workflow and chatflow canvas
- Agent builder with tool calling
- RAG knowledge base with document ingestion
- Schedule, webhook and plugin triggers
- Human Input node for review and approval
- Plugin marketplace and API for every app
Make
Make is a cloud automation platform where users build scenarios on a visual canvas, connecting modules with routers, filters and iterators. Billing is per credit, with each module action generally counting as one credit and AI or code steps costing more. It is used by operations teams, agencies and small businesses that outgrow simple linear automations.
Key features- Drag-and-drop scenario canvas with routers and iterators
- 3,000+ app integrations
- Make AI Agents available on all plans
- Maia assistant that builds scenarios from chat
- Code app for JavaScript or Python
- Make Grid map of scenarios and dependencies
Pricing
Dify
Free plan (Sandbox) + open-source self-hosted; Professional $590/workspace/year
Make
Free plan (1,000 credits/mo); Make plan from $9/mo
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Dify
Strengths- Open-source Community Edition can be self-hosted at no cost
- Works with many LLM providers, including local models
- Every app is exposed as an API out of the box
- Built-in RAG pipeline removes the need for a separate vector tool
- Far fewer ready-made SaaS app connectors than Zapier or Make
- Free cloud Sandbox plan is limited to a handful of apps and message credits
- SSO and multiple workspaces require the Enterprise edition
- Self-hosting means managing Docker, upgrades and databases yourself
Not ideal for: Non-technical users who mainly want to connect everyday SaaS apps should look at Zapier or Make, which have far larger connector libraries.
Make
Strengths- Visual canvas makes complex branching logic easy to follow
- Large app library with detailed module options
- Generally cheaper per action than Zapier at similar volumes
- Free plan available for testing
- Free plan limited to two active scenarios and 15-minute intervals
- Data mapping, iterators and aggregators take time to learn
- Cloud only: no self-hosted edition, just an on-prem agent for local network access
- Credit costs for AI and code steps are harder to estimate than plain module actions
Not ideal for: Teams that must keep data on their own servers should look at n8n, and complete beginners may find Zapier quicker to start with.
Integrations
Dify
Make
FAQ
What is the main difference between Dify and Make?
Dify is built for building and self-hosting LLM apps, RAG chatbots and agentic workflows; Make is built for visual, multi-branch automations across thousands of SaaS apps at a moderate cost. Key differences: Dify offers self-hosting.
Is Dify or Make cheaper?
Dify starts from $590/workspace/yr and Make starts from $9/mo (as of September 2026). On entry price, Make is cheaper — but compare what each plan includes, since limits differ. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Dify and Make have free plans?
Both Dify and Make offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which is easier to use, Dify or Make?
Both have a medium learning curve.
What are good alternatives to Dify and Make?
Other automation tools worth comparing include n8n, Gumloop and Lindy.
