Make AI vs Appsmith
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Make AI and Appsmith.
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Verdict: Appsmith wins
Appsmith scores 4.0/5, edging out Make AI at 3.9/5. Engineering and technical-ops teams who write JavaScript and want open-source control over internal tools, admin panels and dashboards — self-hosted or on cloud.
Make AI AI scenarios in Make automation | Appsmith Open-source low-code internal tool builder | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.9 (1 review) | 4.0 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best For | Existing Make users adding AI steps and agents to their automations, and teams that want credit-priced workflow automation with a native AI layer. | Engineering and technical-ops teams who write JavaScript and want open-source control over internal tools, admin panels and dashboards — self-hosted or on cloud. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tierno code | open sourcefree tierapi access |
| Visit Make AI → | Visit Appsmith → |
Make AI
Pros
- + Credit pricing is transparent and cheap at entry: Core is $9/month annual for 10K credits at time of writing (make.com/en/pricing)
- + Maia generated a working scenario from a one-sentence description — faster than building it visually in my test
- + MCP server lets external AI clients call Make scenarios, turning Make into a callable automation layer
- + 3,000+ native apps plus Custom Apps for any public API; routers and error handlers cost zero credits
- + AI Agents (beta, all plans) can use Make's AI Provider or your own LLM key
Cons
- - AI modules routed through Make's AI Provider consumed multiple credits per bundle in my runs — plan credits for the AI path, not the step count
- - Not standalone: everything requires a Make subscription; this is Make's AI layer, not a separate tool
- - Running out of credits stops scenarios entirely until you top up or upgrade
- - Free tier is thin for real work: 2 active scenarios, 15-minute scheduling, 5-minute execution cap
- - AI Agents are still beta and the AI module selection is narrower than dedicated AI platforms
Appsmith
Pros
- + Apache-2.0 core with real self-hosting: a pinned docker-compose image stood up the whole platform in about five minutes in my test
- + JavaScript everywhere is a strength for developers — JSObjects and {{ }} bindings make almost any internal-tool logic expressible
- + 25+ database connectors plus REST/GraphQL with OAuth 2.0 and cURL import cover the real internal-tool data estate
- + Free tier is generous (5 cloud users, 5 workspaces, 3 Git repos) and Business at $15/user undercuts Retool-class pricing
- + Ask AI writes schema-aware SQL and JavaScript in the editor, and has shipped in the Community Edition since v2.3
Cons
- - Non-developers stall fast: debugging means reading JavaScript and error logs, and one reviewer found 8 broken bindings in a paid template
- - Mobile responsiveness requires manual block-by-block resizing — the most consistent complaint in G2 reviews
- - The 99-user Business cap forces a jump to Enterprise at $2,500/month for 100 users
- - AI features need bring-your-own provider keys (Anthropic, OpenAI, Azure OpenAI or Ollama), so LLM costs sit outside the platform bill
- - The legacy Appsmith AI datasource stops working on 30 September 2026 — a forced migration for apps built on it — and workflows remain in open beta
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Make AI or Appsmith?▼
Appsmith scores higher at 4.0/5 vs 3.9/5 for Make AI, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Make AI and Appsmith?▼
Make AI: Make's built-in AI capabilities including natural language workflow creation and AI modules for text and image processing. Appsmith: Appsmith is an open-source low-code platform for internal applications, with a drag-and-drop UI builder, JavaScript for logic and connectors to databases and APIs.
Is Make AI or Appsmith more affordable?▼
Make AI starts at €0/mo, Appsmith starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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