Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat) are the two dominant no-code automation platforms. Both let you connect apps and automate workflows without coding. But they take different approaches and serve different types of users. After 60 days of using both, here’s the definitive comparison.
The One-Line Answer
Zapier: Easiest to use. Best for beginners who want automation running quickly with minimal learning curve.
Make: More powerful and significantly cheaper at scale. Best for users comfortable with a steeper learning curve who need complex, high-volume automations.
Ease of Use
Zapier’s setup process is genuinely beginner-friendly. You choose a trigger (when something happens in App A), choose an action (do something in App B), and you’re done. Most Zaps can be configured in under 5 minutes. The interface is clean, the documentation is excellent, and there are thousands of pre-built templates for common workflows.
Make’s visual canvas is more powerful but more complex. You can see the entire automation workflow visually — every step, every branch, every data transformation — but building it requires more understanding of how data flows between steps. Expect a 3-5 day learning curve before you’re comfortable building your own automations.
Winner on ease of use: Zapier
Pricing Comparison
Zapier:
- Free: 5 Zaps, 100 tasks/month
- Starter: $19.99/month — 20 Zaps, 750 tasks
- Professional: $49/month — unlimited Zaps, 2,000 tasks
Make:
- Free: 1,000 operations/month
- Core: $9/month — 10,000 operations/month
- Pro: $16/month — 10,000 operations, advanced features
Make is dramatically cheaper for equivalent functionality. At 10,000 operations/month, Make costs $9. Zapier’s comparable tier costs $49/month. For businesses with high automation volume, the savings compound significantly over time.
Winner on pricing: Make — by a wide margin at scale
App Integrations
Zapier connects 6,000+ apps — the largest library in the category. If an app exists, Zapier probably integrates with it. Make connects 1,500+ apps — significantly smaller, but covering all major business tools: Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, HubSpot, Shopify, Stripe, and hundreds more. The vast majority of small businesses will never hit Make’s integration limits.
Winner on integrations: Zapier (for the edge cases) | Make (for most small businesses)
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Zapier if:
- You’re new to automation and want to start quickly
- You use niche apps that might not be in Make’s library
- You need simple, linear automations (trigger → action)
Choose Make if:
- You need complex multi-step automations with branching logic
- You’re running high-volume automations where Zapier’s task limits are a constraint
- You want to save 60-80% on automation costs vs Zapier
Our recommendation for most small businesses: start with Zapier’s free plan (5 Zaps covers most immediate needs), then switch to Make when you’re ready to scale and the savings become meaningful.