Dafthunk vs Make
Dafthunk is an MIT-licensed workflow automation platform that runs on Cloudflare Workers. Start on our hosted SaaS, or self-host on your own Cloudflare account and run the same MIT source we do. Make is a proprietary SaaS with no self-hosting path.
What Make does well
Make, formerly Integromat, is a mature visual scenario builder with strong control-flow primitives such as routers, iterators, and aggregators. It connects to 2000+ SaaS apps, handles complex branching without code, and ships with a managed cloud, paid SLA, and commercial support. Non-developers can build multi-step scenarios in minutes.
Where Dafthunk is different
| Dafthunk | Make | |
|---|---|---|
License | MIT licensed. Fork it, embed it in a commercial product, resell a hosted version, or audit every line. | Proprietary. Make owns the platform and operates it as a hosted service. No source access, no self-hosting, no on-premise option. |
Deployment | Start on our hosted SaaS, or self-host on your own Cloudflare account. You choose where the code runs and where the data lives. | SaaS only. Scenarios run on Make's servers, in regions they choose. |
Pricing model | Pay Cloudflare for actual Workers, D1, and R2 usage. The free tier covers light workloads; costs stay in pennies per thousand executions for most workflows. | Per-operation pricing. Every module run, filter, or iteration counts as an operation. Costs grow with scenario complexity and volume. |
Data residency | Your Cloudflare account, your region preferences. Integration secrets and execution data stay with you. | Make's data centers in the EU or US, depending on your plan. Data leaves your infrastructure. |
Extensibility | Full source on GitHub, plus a JavaScript node for inline code. Add custom nodes in TypeScript and deploy to your own registry. | Custom apps through Make's SDK, reviewed and published through their marketplace. |
Agentic workflows | Any workflow node can become a tool for an AI agent. Bindings for Workers AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini ship built in. | AI modules for OpenAI and Anthropic. Agents are a newer add-on, not a first-class primitive. |
Questions people ask before switching
Do I have to self-host Dafthunk?
No. Most teams start on our hosted SaaS, which runs the same MIT-licensed code you can read on GitHub and removes the setup work. Self-hosting on your own Cloudflare account is there when you need full control over data, secrets, or infrastructure. You can move from SaaS to self-host at any time.
Is there a self-hosted, open source alternative to Make?
Yes. Dafthunk is MIT licensed and self-hostable on Cloudflare. You deploy the API and web app to your own Cloudflare account, store state in D1 and R2, and run workflows on Workers. Make is SaaS only; there is no way to run it on your own infrastructure.
Can I run Make on Cloudflare or my own servers?
No. Make is a proprietary SaaS. Scenarios run on their servers and the source is not available. If your goal is a workflow platform on Cloudflare, Dafthunk was built for that from day one.
How does Dafthunk pricing compare to Make?
Make charges per operation. Every module run, filter, or iteration costs one or more operations, and heavy scenarios can burn through a plan quickly. Dafthunk bills through Cloudflare for actual Workers, D1, and R2 usage, which runs to pennies per thousand executions for most workflows. Idle workflows cost nothing.
Which has better AI and agentic workflow support?
Dafthunk treats AI as a first-class primitive. Any node can become a tool for an AI agent, and Dafthunk ships native bindings for Workers AI, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini. Make offers AI modules and a newer agent product, but AI is one integration category among thousands rather than the core of the platform.
What about data residency and compliance?
With Dafthunk self-hosted, data lives in your Cloudflare account. You choose the jurisdiction, you hold the secrets, and you decide retention. Make stores scenario data and credentials in their data centers. For regulated industries, self-hosting often simplifies the compliance story.
When is Make still the better choice?
Choose Make if you need the widest SaaS-integration catalog, a polished UI aimed at non-developers, a commercial cloud with a paid SLA, or strong visual primitives like routers, iterators, and aggregators out of the box.
Sources
Try Dafthunk
Start on our hosted SaaS and build your first workflow in about four minutes. Self-host on your own Cloudflare account under MIT whenever you need full control.