Make vs Windmill: Which Is Better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of Make and Windmill, two automation tools — what each does, who it's best for, and how to choose between them.
Make
Visual automation platform for powerful, multi-step scenarios.
- Category
- Automation
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- automation, integromat, workflows
Windmill
An open-source platform that turns scripts into workflows, schedules and internal tools — a developer-first automation engine.
- Category
- Automation
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- automation, workflows, open source
| At a glance | Make | Windmill |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Visual automation platform for powerful, multi-step scenarios. | An open-source platform that turns scripts into workflows, schedules and internal tools — a developer-first automation engine. |
| Category | Automation | Automation |
| Type | Software | Software |
| Best for | automation, integromat, workflows | automation, workflows, open source, internal tools |
What is Make?
Make lets you design complex automations on a visual canvas with branching, filters and routers.
What is Windmill?
Windmill is an open-source developer platform that turns scripts into production-grade workflows, scheduled jobs, APIs and internal tools — combining the flexibility of code with the convenience of a low-code platform. It's aimed at developers and technical teams who want to automate processes and build internal applications without the limitations of pure no-code tools or the overhead of building everything from scratch. You write logic in real languages (Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL and more), and Windmill handles turning that into scalable, reliable automation.
The platform's versatility is its strength. From individual scripts, Windmill lets you build multi-step workflows with a visual flow editor, schedule jobs with cron, expose logic as APIs and webhooks, and create internal app UIs and admin tools on top of your code. This means a single platform can replace a patchwork of automation tools, internal tooling frameworks and job schedulers, all while keeping your business logic in maintainable, version-controllable code rather than locked inside a proprietary visual builder. It handles execution, dependencies, secrets, permissions and observability so you don't have to.
Being open source, Windmill can be self-hosted for full control, privacy and cost efficiency — appealing strongly to teams that want to own their automation infrastructure — with a cloud option available too. It's designed for performance and scale, and supports collaboration so teams can build and share scripts, flows and apps. This makes it a powerful fit for engineering, data and operations teams that need to automate workflows, run scheduled jobs, and build internal tools quickly while retaining the power and maintainability of code. For developers who find no-code automation too limiting but don't want to build and operate their own automation stack from zero, Windmill offers a flexible, open and genuinely powerful platform that bridges the gap.
Make vs Windmill: which should you choose?
Make and Windmill both serve the automation space, so the best choice depends on your priorities. Choose Make if you want Visual automation platform for powerful, multi-step scenarios. Choose Windmill if you want An open-source platform that turns scripts into workflows, schedules and internal tools — a developer-first automation engine.The smartest move is to try each one's free tier or trial on a real task — that's the fastest way to feel the difference and pick the tool you'll actually stick with.
Frequently asked questions
Is Make better than Windmill?
It depends on what you need. Make is Visual automation platform for powerful, multi-step scenarios. Windmill is An open-source platform that turns scripts into workflows, schedules and internal tools — a developer-first automation engine. Both are automation tools, so the right pick comes down to your specific priorities, budget and workflow.
What's the main difference between Make and Windmill?
Make focuses on Visual automation platform for powerful, multi-step scenarios. while Windmill focuses on An open-source platform that turns scripts into workflows, schedules and internal tools — a developer-first automation engine. Read the full breakdown above and check each tool's site for current features and pricing.
Can I use both Make and Windmill?
In many cases, yes — teams often use complementary tools together. Whether it makes sense depends on overlap in functionality and your budget. Try the free tier or trial of each to see how they fit your stack before committing.
Which is cheaper, Make or Windmill?
Pricing changes often, so check each tool's pricing page for the latest. Many tools offer a free tier or trial, which is the best way to evaluate value for your specific usage before you pay.