Make.com Scenario Builder

Create visual Make.com automation scenarios with AI assistance - perfect for no-code automation.

Why Make.com?

Make.com (formerly Integromat) is a powerful visual automation platform:

• Visual Design - See your entire workflow at a glance
• 1000+ Integrations - Connect virtually any app
• No-Code - Build complex automations without coding
• Powerful Features - Routers, filters, error handlers
• Affordable - More cost-effective than Zapier
• Scalable - Handle complex multi-step workflows
• ️ Built-in Error Handling - Visual error routes

FREE Alternative: Use n8n + Ollama (Self-Hosted)

Want the same power without monthly costs? Use n8n (self-hosted) + Ollama (local LLM) for $0/month.

Quick Comparison

| Component | Paid (Make.com) | FREE (n8n + Ollama) | |-----------|----------------|---------------------| | Automation Platform | Make.com: $9-29/mo | n8n: $0 (self-hosted) | | AI Provider | OpenAI: $30-60/mo | Ollama: $0 (local) | | Total Monthly Cost | $39-89/mo | $0/mo | | Operations Limit | 10,000/mo | Unlimited | | Privacy | Data sent to Make.com | 100% local | | Hosting | Managed SaaS | Docker/K8s |

Savings: $468-1,068/year (enough to buy new hardware!)

Why n8n + Ollama?

n8n (Self-Hosted Automation):

• Visual workflow builder (same as Make.com)
• 400+ integrations (vs Make's 1000+, but covers 90% of use cases)
• Advanced error handling
• Self-hosted = unlimited operations
• Open-source = community support

Ollama (Local LLM):

• Runs Llama 3.2, Mistral, CodeLlama locally
• No API keys required
• Privacy-first (data never leaves your machine)
• Free forever

Setup Guide

1. Install n8n (Docker)

# Create docker-compose.yml
cat > docker-compose.yml <<'EOF'
version: '3'
services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
      - N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=changeme
    volumes:
      - ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n
EOF

# Start n8n
docker-compose up -d

# Access at http://localhost:5678

2. Install Ollama

# macOS
brew install ollama
brew services start ollama

# Linux
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# Pull AI model (4GB download)
ollama pull llama3.2

See ollama-local-ai plugin for detailed setup.

3. Connect Ollama to n8n

In n8n, use the HTTP Request node:

{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "http://localhost:11434/api/generate",
  "body": {
    "model": "llama3.2",
    "prompt": "{{ $json.input }}",
    "stream": false
  }
}

Migration Examples

Before (Make.com + OpenAI)

Cost: $9/mo + $30/mo = $39/mo

Trigger: Gmail New Email
↓
Action: OpenAI Chat Completion ($0.002/request)
↓
Action: Gmail Send Reply
↓
Action: Google Sheets Add Row

After (n8n + Ollama)

Cost: $0/mo + $0/mo = $0/mo

Trigger: Gmail New Email (n8n)
↓
HTTP Request: Ollama Chat (localhost:11434)
↓
Action: Gmail Send Reply (n8n)
↓
Action: Google Sheets Add Row (n8n)

Same functionality, zero cost.

Real Use Case: AI Email Assistant

Make.com + OpenAI Version

• Make.com Core: $9/mo
• OpenAI API: ~$30/mo (1000 emails)
• Total: $39/mo

n8n + Ollama Version

// n8n HTTP Request Node
{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "http://localhost:11434/api/generate",
  "body": {
    "model": "llama3.2",
    "prompt": "Reply professionally to: {{ $json.emailBody }}",
    "stream": false
  }
}

• n8n (self-hosted): $0
• Ollama (local): $0
• Total: $0/mo

Same AI quality, $468/year saved.

n8n Workflow Templates

Available in n8n-workflow-designer plugin:

• AI email automation
• Lead scoring & routing
• Content distribution
• Document processing
• Support ticket triage

Performance Comparison

| Metric | Make.com + OpenAI | n8n + Ollama | |--------|-------------------|--------------| | Response Time | 2-5s (API latency) | 1-3s (local LLM) | | Uptime | 99.9% (SaaS) | 100% (self-hosted) | | Privacy | Data sent to cloud | 100% local | | Operations/month | 10,000 limit | Unlimited | | Cost | $39-89/mo | $0/mo |

When to Use Make.com vs n8n

Use Make.com if:

• You need 1000+ integrations (vs n8n's 400+)
• You prefer managed hosting (no DevOps)
• Your team is non-technical
• Budget allows $39-89/month

Use n8n + Ollama if:

• You want unlimited operations
• You need privacy/compliance (HIPAA, GDPR)
• You have basic Docker skills
• You want to save $468-1,068/year

Resources

• n8n Docs: docs.n8n.io
• Ollama Setup: Use /setup-ollama command from ollama-local-ai plugin
• n8n Workflows: Install n8n-workflow-designer plugin
• Migration Guide: n8n vs Make.com

Bottom Line: If you're comfortable with Docker and want to save $468+/year, n8n + Ollama is the superior choice.

Installation

/plugin marketplace add jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins
/plugin install make-scenario-builder

Features

Scenario Design

• Visual Workflows - Clear module-by-module design
• Routers & Filters - Conditional logic and branching
• Data Mapping - Transform data between apps
• Error Handling - Graceful failure management
• Iterators - Process lists and arrays
• Aggregators - Combine multiple items

AI Integration

• OpenAI - Native GPT integration
• Anthropic Claude - Via HTTP module
• Custom AI - Connect any AI API
• Prompt Design - Optimized prompts included

Module Types

• Triggers - Webhooks, scheduled, polling
• Actions - Create, update, search, delete
• Tools - Router, iterator, aggregator, filter
• Flow Control - Delays, repeaters, break

Commands

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | /make | Generate Make.com scenario design | | Talk about Make/Integromat | Activates make-expert agent |

Example Scenarios

1. AI Email Assistant

Gmail Trigger → OpenAI Response → Send Reply → Log to Sheets

Business Value: Auto-respond to customer emails Cost: ~$0.02/email (4 operations) Setup Time: 15 minutes

2. Lead Qualification

Webhook → AI Scoring → Router → [High/Medium/Low] → Actions

Business Value: Automatically prioritize and route leads Cost: ~$0.04/lead (4-6 operations) Setup Time: 20 minutes

3. Content Distribution

RSS Feed → AI Rewrite → Iterator → Post to Social Platforms

Business Value: Automate content sharing across platforms Cost: ~$0.12/post (3 platforms × 4 ops) Setup Time: 25 minutes

4. Document Processing

Drive Trigger → OCR → AI Extract → Sheets Log → Email Summary

Business Value: Automate invoice/receipt processing Cost: ~$0.08/document (8 operations) Setup Time: 30 minutes

5. Support Automation

Ticket Created → AI Classify → Router → Route by Priority

Business Value: Triage support tickets automatically Cost: ~$0.06/ticket (6 operations) Setup Time: 25 minutes

Getting Started

1. Install the Plugin

/plugin install make-scenario-builder

2. Describe Your Scenario

I need to automatically process new Google Drive PDFs,
extract data with OCR, and log it to a spreadsheet.

3. Get Complete Design

The plugin provides:

• Visual workflow diagram
• Module-by-module configuration
• Data mapping instructions
• Error handling setup
• Testing steps
• Cost estimates

4. Build in Make

1. Log into make.com
2. Create new scenario
3. Add modules as described
4. Configure data mapping
5. Test with sample data
6. Activate scenario

Make.com Plans

| Plan | Price | Operations | Best For | |------|-------|------------|----------| | Free | $0 | 1,000/mo | Testing, small projects | | Core | $9/mo | 10,000/mo | Solo entrepreneurs | | Pro | $16/mo | 10,000/mo | Agencies, power users | | Teams | $29/mo | 10,000/mo | Collaboration |

Operations: Each module action counts as 1 operation

Real-World Use Cases

Agency: Client Onboarding

Scenario: New client signup → Create folders → Send contracts → Schedule calls → Update CRM

Results:

• Time saved: 3 hours per client
• Setup time: 45 minutes
• ROI: Positive after 1 client

SaaS: User Activation

Scenario: New signup → Welcome email → Monitor usage → Trigger onboarding → Alert sales

Results:

• Activation rate: +18%
• Setup time: 1 hour
• Cost: $0.004 per user

E-commerce: Order Fulfillment

Scenario: Order received → Inventory check → Payment processing → Fulfillment → Tracking

Results:

• Error reduction: 75%
• Setup time: 2 hours
• Payback: 2 weeks

Make.com vs Alternatives

| Feature | Make.com | Zapier | n8n | |---------|----------|--------|-----| | Visual Design | Excellent | ️ Basic | ️ Good | | Integrations | 1000+ | 5000+ | 200+ | | Ease of Use | Excellent | Easy | ️ Moderate | | Cost (10K ops) | $9-16 | $49 | $0 | | Error Handling | Visual | ️ Limited | Advanced | | Complex Logic | Good | Limited | Excellent | | Self-Hosting | No | No | Yes |

Best For: Visual learners, agencies, businesses wanting managed hosting

Best Practices

Design Principles

1. Start simple - Build incrementally
2. Use routers wisely - Keep logic clear
3. Add error handlers - Always plan for failures
4. Test thoroughly - Use sample data first
5. Document scenarios - Use Notes modules

Performance Tips

1. Filter early - Reduce unnecessary operations
2. Use aggregators - Batch API calls
3. Optimize data mapping - Only map needed fields
4. Monitor usage - Watch operations dashboard
5. Schedule wisely - Spread load across time

Security

1. Use connections - Don't hardcode API keys
2. Validate webhooks - Verify request sources
3. Limit data exposure - Only map necessary fields
4. Regular audits - Review scenario permissions
5. Team management - Use proper access controls

Advanced Features

Routers

Create conditional branches:

Input → Router
  ├─ High priority → Immediate action
  ├─ Medium → Queue for later
  └─ Low → Archive

Iterators

Process arrays:

Get list of items → Iterator → Process each → Aggregate results

Error Handlers

Graceful failure management:

API Call → [Success] → Continue
         → [Error] → Retry → Fallback → Notify

Data Stores

Temporary storage:

Store data → Process → Retrieve → Continue workflow

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Not enough operations"

• Solution: Upgrade plan or optimize scenario

"Connection error"

• Solution: Reauthorize app connection

"Data mapping error"

• Solution: Check field names and data types

"Timeout error"

• Solution: Reduce batch size or add delays

"Incomplete execution"

• Solution: Review error logs and add error handlers

Requirements

• Claude Code >= 1.0.0
• Make.com account (free tier available)
• App connections for integrated services

Support & Resources

• Make.com Documentation: make.com/en/help
• Make Academy: Free training courses
• Community Forum: community.make.com
• Plugin Issues: GitHub Issues

License

MIT - See LICENSE file

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Submit PRs with:

• New scenario templates
• Module configurations
• Use case examples
• Documentation improvements

Part of Claude Code Plugin Hub

Perfect for agencies and businesses that want powerful automation with a visual, no-code interface.