Can AI replace Make?
KINDA · weekend projectA handful of workflows can be coded quickly, but Make's paid value is the visual builder, app modules, scheduling, observability, and maintenance.
Build me a code-first workflow runner to replace Make for my handful of scenarios. Requirements: - A Node project where each scenario is one file in scenarios/ exporting a trigger (cron string or webhook route) and an ordered list of steps, each step an async function that receives the previous step's output. - The runner executes steps in order, retries a failed step 3 times with exponential backoff, then halts the run recording the step name and error. - Every run saved to SQLite (better-sqlite3): scenario, start/end, per-step input and output JSON, status. That history is the debugging story, make it good. - A minimal dashboard on localhost:4880 (Express, server-rendered): scenario list with last-run status, click into a run to see each step's payload. - Webhook triggers land on the same Express app with signature verification helpers; cron triggers via node-cron. All credentials in .env. - Ship two example scenarios: a Stripe payment webhook appends to a Google Sheet and sends a Telegram message; an RSS post gets an LLM summary drafted as email. - Binds to localhost only, single user, no accounts, no telemetry. - Out of scope: a visual drag-and-drop builder and an app-module catalog. Scenarios are code, that is the point of this build. - README: how to add a scenario, .env keys, and a note that self-hosted n8n is the off-the-shelf fallback if maintaining this stops being fun.
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They pay because workflows evolve and break; a maintained builder reduces the upkeep.
xvisual scenario builder
xapp modules
xscheduling
xoperations history
xerror handling
xteam governance
Can AI replace Make?
Kinda. The core of Make is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: visual scenario builder, app modules. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does Make cost?
Make costs about $12/month (Core, checked 2026-07-30), which is $144 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Make?
Honestly: visual scenario builder; app modules; scheduling; operations history; error handling; team governance. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Make?
Yes — Activepieces (Open-source automation platform with app pieces, triggers, and actions.). Using prior art is also a valid exit; the prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.