# Mug vs Make: Code-First Workflows vs Visual Canvas | Mug

Make is a visual automation builder. Mug has TypeScript, git, AI agents, and a built-in SQL database. No credit math, no feature gates.

Mug vs Make
    
    Make is a visual automation platform with 3,000+ integrations, complex scenario routing, real-time data visualization, and the lowest entry price in the automation category.Mug is an AI automation platform that runs on top of your current systems — custom agents, scheduled + triggered workflows, data sync, and "click and close" web surfaces people access via email, SMS, and Slack. No new app for anyone to learn.
  
  

What Make does

Make's visual scenario builder supports complex routing, iterators, aggregators, and five types of error handlers — more structural flexibility than any other visual platform. The canvas shows data flowing through each module in real time. Debugging is genuinely intuitive.
The 3,000+ integration library covers most major services. The error handling model — ignore, resume, rollback, commit, break — gives you granular control over every failure scenario. For visually building and debugging complex multi-step workflows, Make's canvas is the best there is.

What Mug does different

Make is a pure workflow runner. Mug bundles workflows with data, surfaces, and delivery.
Credit math gets real fast. A 1-minute polling trigger consumes 43,200 credits/month on its own. A 5-module scenario polling every minute: 216,000 credits. Core is hard-capped at 300K. Failed operations still consume credits. Mug includes 1,000,000 operations on Starter — flat price.
Make has no data storage (Data Stores are key-value, no SQL), no UI building capability at all, no built-in notifications, and no agency model (no wholesale pricing, no consolidated billing). Mug bundles SQLite with cross-source JOINs, built-in email and SMS, headless surfaces, and wholesale pricing for consultants.

When Mug wins

Mug wins when credit math gets expensive or unpredictable — especially with high-frequency polling scenarios. Make has no data storage and can't build any client-facing surfaces, so if you need SQL or delivery channels like email, SMS, and Slack, Mug bundles both. It's also the better choice when AI coding agents should build the automation in TypeScript rather than a visual canvas.

Head to head

DimensionMakeMug
Base plan$12/mo (Core)$99/mo $49/mo (Starter) 50% off beta pricing
Database recordsNone (key-value Data Stores only)250K, API connectors + sync, full SQLite with JOINs
Automations10K credits/mo (per module action)1M operations/mo
AI workflow builderMaia (waitlist, not GA)Any AI coding agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex)
Custom agentsAI agents on paid plans15K AI credits/mo, custom skills, persistent memory, vector search + RAG
Real codeNoYes — TypeScript in git

FAQ

How does Make's credit system work?
Each module action in a scenario consumes one credit. Filters, routers, and error handlers are free. A 5-module scenario running once = 5 credits. Running every minute = 216,000 credits/month. Failed operations still consume credits. Mug includes 1,000,000 operations on Starter with no per-module metering.
Can AI coding agents build Make scenarios?
No. Make's CLI (April 2026) manages resources but can't edit scenario logic. MCP triggers scenarios but doesn't author them. Maia (AI builder) is still in waitlist as of May 2026. Mug workspaces are TypeScript — any AI agent builds directly.
Does Make have data storage?
Make's Data Stores are key-value tables — no SQL, no joins, no foreign keys. Storage allocated at 1 MB per 1,000 credits. Mug includes SQLite with cross-source JOINs starting at 250,000 records.
Can Make build client-facing interfaces?
No. Make has zero UI capability — no forms, dashboards, portals, or pages. Every client-facing interface requires an external tool. Mug includes headless surfaces — email, SMS, Slack, web portals, approval flows.

  
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## FAQ

### How does Make's credit system work?
Each module action in a scenario consumes one credit. Filters, routers, and error handlers are free. A 5-module scenario running once = 5 credits. Running every minute = 216,000 credits/month. Failed operations still consume credits. Mug includes 1,000,000 operations on Starter with no per-module metering.

### Can AI coding agents build Make scenarios?
No. Make's CLI (April 2026) manages resources but can't edit scenario logic. MCP triggers scenarios but doesn't author them. Maia (AI builder) is still in waitlist as of May 2026. Mug workspaces are TypeScript — any AI agent builds directly.

### Does Make have data storage?
Make's Data Stores are key-value tables — no SQL, no joins, no foreign keys. Storage allocated at 1 MB per 1,000 credits. Mug includes SQLite with cross-source JOINs starting at 250,000 records.

### Can Make build client-facing interfaces?
No. Make has zero UI capability — no forms, dashboards, portals, or pages. Every client-facing interface requires an external tool. Mug includes headless surfaces — email, SMS, Slack, web portals, approval flows.