Zapier vs Make.com: Which Automation Tool to Choose

You've decided to automate your business processes. Smart move. But now you're facing the most common automation question: Zapier or Make.com?

Both platforms connect your apps and automate workflows. Both have free tiers. Both can save you hours every week. But they're built for different users with different needs—and choosing wrong means either overpaying for simplicity or struggling with unnecessary complexity.

This guide compares Zapier and Make.com on what actually matters: pricing, ease of use, power, and fit for your specific situation. If you're new to business automation, start there for fundamentals before diving into tool selection.

Quick answer: Choose Zapier if you want the easiest setup and have simple automation needs. Choose Make.com if you need complex workflows or want to maximize value per dollar. If you're reading this article and aren't technical, Zapier is probably the safer bet.

Not sure which fits your workflows? Book a free automation consultation →

Zapier

Zapier launched in 2011 and pioneered the "connect any app to any app" category. They've grown to become the dominant player in workflow automation, with over 2.2 million businesses using the platform.

Key facts:

• Founded: 2011 (Sunnyvale, CA)
• Private company, $5 billion valuation
• 8,000+ app integrations
• Revenue: $310 million (2024)
• Known for: Ease of use, extensive integrations, reliability

Zapier's philosophy is removing complexity. Their interface guides you through automation setup step by step, and most users can build their first "Zap" within minutes.

Make.com (formerly Integromat)

Make.com started as Integromat in 2012, rebranding in 2022 after acquisition by Celonis. They've positioned themselves as the more powerful, developer-friendly alternative to Zapier.

Key facts:

• Founded: 2012 (Prague, Czech Republic)
• Owned by Celonis (process mining leader)
• 3,000+ app integrations
• Known for: Visual workflow builder, complex logic, cost efficiency

Make.com's philosophy is maximum flexibility. Their visual "scenario" builder lets you create branching workflows with conditional logic, iterations, and data transformations that Zapier can't match.

This is where the platforms diverge most dramatically. Understanding the pricing models is crucial to choosing wisely.

Zapier Pricing

Based on Zapier's pricing page:

*Prices shown are for annual billing. Monthly billing is approximately 25% higher.*

What's included:

• Free: Two-step Zaps only, 100 tasks/month
• Professional: Multi-step Zaps, webhooks, premium apps, filters, paths
• Team: Shared workspaces, shared connections, SSO, up to 25 users
• Enterprise: Unlimited users, advanced admin, dedicated support

Important pricing notes:

• Tasks = successful actions. Each step that runs counts as a task.
• If you exceed your limit, Zapier charges overage at 1.25x your per-task rate
• Recent update: Filters, Formatters, and Zapier utility apps no longer count as tasks

Make.com Pricing

Based on Make.com's pricing page:

*Prices shown are for annual billing.*

What's included:

• Free: 2 active scenarios, 15-minute minimum interval, 5-minute max runtime
• Core: Unlimited scenarios, 1-minute intervals, basic features
• Pro: Priority execution, full-text search, custom variables
• Teams: Team roles, shared templates, admin controls
• Enterprise: SSO, audit logs, dedicated support

Important pricing notes:

• Operations = individual actions within a scenario
• Additional operations available at ~$0.001 each (with 25-30% markup for overages)
• Free plan has strict limits: 512MB data transfer, 5MB file size cap

The Real Pricing Difference

Here's where Make.com's value becomes clear:

Same budget, different capacity:

• Zapier Professional at $19.99/mo = 750 tasks
• Make.com Core at $9/mo = 10,000 operations

That's roughly 13x more actions for half the price.

Real-world example:

A lead notification workflow that creates a contact, sends an email, posts to Slack, and creates a task = 4 actions.

• On Zapier Professional: 750 ÷ 4 = 187 leads/month before hitting limits
• On Make.com Core: 10,000 ÷ 4 = 2,500 leads/month before hitting limits

For high-volume workflows, Make.com is dramatically more cost-effective.

However: If you only need 100-200 simple automations monthly, Zapier's Free or entry Professional tier may be sufficient—and the ease of use is worth paying for.

Zapier: Built for Everyone

Zapier optimizes for simplicity. The interface walks you through every step:

1. Choose trigger app — "When this happens..."
2. Select trigger event — "...specifically this event..."
3. Choose action app — "...then do this..."
4. Select action event — "...specifically this action."
5. Map fields — Connect data between apps
6. Test and activate — Verify it works, turn it on

Most users can build their first automation in 10-15 minutes with zero training.

Zapier strengths:

• Pre-built templates for common workflows
• Guided setup with clear instructions
• Minimal technical knowledge required
• Excellent documentation and tutorials

Zapier limitations:

• Multi-step workflows require paid plans
• Complex logic (branching, loops) is limited
• Less control over data transformation

According to G2 reviews, users consistently praise Zapier's ease of use, with 178 reviewers specifically mentioning it as a key strength.

Make.com: Built for Power Users

Make.com uses a visual canvas where you drag, drop, and connect modules:

1. Add trigger module — Starting point of your scenario
2. Add action modules — What happens next
3. Draw connections — Link modules with data flow
4. Add routers/filters — Branch logic based on conditions
5. Configure each module — Set up individual actions
6. Test and activate — Run the scenario, enable scheduling

The learning curve is steeper. Expect 1-2 hours to understand the interface and a few days of practice to feel comfortable with complex scenarios.

Make.com strengths:

• Visual representation of entire workflow
• Branching paths and conditional logic
• Iterators for processing arrays/lists
• More control over data transformation
• Error handling built into the interface

Make.com limitations:

• Steeper initial learning curve
• Interface can feel overwhelming
• Fewer ready-made templates
• Documentation less beginner-friendly

According to G2, Zapier rates 8.6 for Ease of Use while Make.com rates 8.5—close, but Zapier edges ahead for beginners.

App Integrations

Zapier: 8,000+ apps

The largest integration library in the industry. If an app exists, Zapier probably connects to it. All integrations are maintained by Zapier, ensuring reliability.

Make.com: 3,000+ apps

Smaller library, but often deeper integration. Make.com typically supports more actions per app than Zapier. For example, Zapier supports 25 Xero actions while Make.com supports 84.

Winner: Zapier for breadth; Make.com for depth on supported apps.

Workflow Complexity

Zapier:

• Linear workflows (A → B → C → D)
• Paths allow some branching (paid plans)
• Filters stop workflows based on conditions
• Limited looping/iteration capabilities

Make.com:

• Visual branching with routers
• Full conditional logic (if/else)
• Iterators process arrays item by item
• Aggregators combine multiple items
• Custom functions for data transformation

Winner: Make.com, decisively. For complex workflows with multiple branches and data manipulation, Make.com is far more capable.

Error Handling

Zapier:

• Automatic retry on failure
• Error notifications via email
• Task history shows what failed
• Limited ability to handle errors within workflows

Make.com:

• Built-in error handling modules
• Retry, ignore, or route errors to different paths
• "Break" directive stops and rolls back
• Error logs with detailed diagnostics

Winner: Make.com. The ability to handle errors within the workflow itself is a significant advantage for critical processes.

Data Transformation

Zapier:

• Formatter app for basic transformations
• Text manipulation, dates, numbers
• Limited to predefined functions
• Adequate for simple needs

Make.com:

• Built-in functions for complex transformations
• JSON/XML parsing and creation
• Regular expressions supported
• Array manipulation (map, filter, reduce)
• More developer-friendly

Winner: Make.com. If your workflows involve significant data manipulation, Make.com provides more tools.

Reliability and Uptime

Zapier:

• 99.9% uptime SLA (paid plans)
• Real-time monitoring dashboard
• Automatic retries on transient failures
• Established track record over 12+ years

Make.com:

• 99.9% uptime SLA (Pro and above)
• Execution logs for debugging
• Priority execution on higher tiers
• Generally reliable but younger platform

Winner: Tie. Both platforms are reliable for business use.

Need help evaluating which features matter for your workflows? Schedule a consultation →

Zapier is the right choice if:

• You're new to automation — The learning curve is minimal, and you'll be productive quickly
• Your workflows are simple — Linear A→B→C processes without complex branching
• You need a specific integration — With 8,000+ apps, Zapier likely has it
• Time matters more than money — You'd rather pay more than spend time learning
• Your team isn't technical — Non-technical users can build and maintain Zaps
• You need enterprise features — SSO, SCIM, advanced admin controls

Common Zapier use cases:

• New lead notifications to Slack
• Adding form submissions to CRM
• Syncing contacts between apps
• Simple email sequences triggered by events
• Basic data backup and organization

Typical Zapier user: Marketing teams, small business owners, solo entrepreneurs, non-technical departments.

Make.com is the right choice if:

• You have complex workflows — Branching logic, multiple conditions, data transformation
• Budget is a concern — Get 10-30x more actions for the same price
• You're processing high volumes — Thousands of operations monthly
• You need advanced data handling — Parsing, iterating, aggregating complex data
• You're comfortable with technology — Willing to invest time learning the platform
• Error handling matters — Need workflows that gracefully handle failures

Common Make.com use cases:

• Multi-branch lead routing based on criteria
• Processing spreadsheet data row by row
• Complex approval workflows with multiple paths
• Data transformation and enrichment pipelines
• Workflows requiring custom API calls

Typical Make.com user: Operations teams, technical founders, agencies managing client workflows, businesses with complex processes.

Yes—and some businesses do.

Hybrid approach:

• Use Zapier for quick, simple automations where ease matters
• Use Make.com for complex workflows where power matters

The platforms don't conflict. You can have Zapier handling your simple notifications while Make.com runs your complex data processing.

When this makes sense:

• Large organizations with varied automation needs
• Teams with mixed technical abilities
• Gradual migration from Zapier to Make.com as needs grow

When it doesn't make sense:

• Small teams (added complexity of managing two platforms)
• Simple needs (Zapier alone is sufficient)
• Very complex needs (Make.com alone is sufficient)

Zapier to Make.com

If you've outgrown Zapier's capabilities or want to reduce costs:

Challenges:

• No direct migration path—you'll rebuild scenarios manually
• Learning curve for Make.com's interface
• Some Zapier-specific integrations may not exist in Make.com

Benefits:

• Significant cost savings at scale
• More powerful workflow capabilities
• Better long-term scalability

Recommendation: Migrate gradually. Start with new workflows in Make.com while existing Zaps continue running. Rebuild high-volume Zaps first for maximum cost savings.

Make.com to Zapier

Less common, but sometimes necessary:

Reasons to switch:

• Team can't handle Make.com's complexity
• Need a specific Zapier integration
• Enterprise requirements (SSO, compliance)

Challenges:

• Complex Make.com scenarios may not translate to Zapier
• Higher ongoing costs
• Loss of advanced features

For most businesses reading this article:

Start with Zapier if:

• You're automating for the first time
• Your team isn't technical
• You have fewer than 500 automations monthly
• You value simplicity over cost savings

Start with Make.com if:

• You have technical comfort or willingness to learn
• You need complex, branching workflows
• You're running thousands of automations monthly
• Budget optimization is a priority

Still uncertain? Ask yourself:

1. How complex are my workflows? Simple → Zapier. Complex → Make.com.
2. How technical is my team? Non-technical → Zapier. Technical → Make.com.
3. How many automations monthly? Under 500 → Zapier. Over 1,000 → Make.com.
4. What's my priority? Ease → Zapier. Value → Make.com.

• Zapier offers 8,000+ integrations and exceptional ease of use—best for beginners and simple workflows
• Make.com provides 10-30x more actions per dollar with more powerful features—best for complex, high-volume workflows
• Both platforms have free tiers worth testing before committing
• Zapier's learning curve is minimal; Make.com requires 1-2 hours to understand
• For complex branching logic and data transformation, Make.com is significantly more capable
• Many businesses successfully use both platforms for different use cases

Before choosing:

1. List your automation needs — What workflows do you want to automate?
2. Estimate volume — How many times per month will each workflow run?
3. Assess complexity — Do you need branching logic or simple linear flows?
4. Test both platforms — Both have free tiers; build the same workflow in each

If your needs are straightforward, start with Zapier. If you need power or want to optimize costs, start with Make.com.

Need help building your automation strategy? We've implemented hundreds of workflows across both platforms and can help you choose the right tool—and build it correctly from the start.

Book Your Free Automation Consultation →