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Make vs Zapier 2026: Honest Comparison for Automation

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our ratings.

Quick Verdict

Make (formerly Integromat) is the better automation platform for users who need powerful, visual workflows at a lower cost. Its scenario builder provides a visual canvas where you can see data flowing between apps, manipulate variables, handle errors, and branch logic — all at once. Zapier is simpler to get started with and has a larger app library (7,000+ apps vs Make’s 2,000+), but it costs more per operation and offers less flexibility for complex automation sequences.

	Make	Zapier
Our Rating	4.5 / 5	4.0 / 5
Best for	Power users, complex multi-step workflows	Beginners, simple trigger-action automation
Starting price	Free (1,000 ops/mo) / $9/mo	Free (100 tasks/mo) / $19.99/mo
Free plan	✅ Yes (1,000 operations)	✅ Yes (100 tasks)

Pricing: Head-to-Head

Pricing differences are significant, especially at scale.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Free Plan	1,000 operations/month	100 tasks/month
Entry Paid Plan	~$9/month (Core)	~$19.99/month (Starter)
Mid-Tier (10k ops/tasks)	~$16/month	~$49/month (Professional)
Top Tier (50k ops/tasks)	~$29/month	~$99/month (Team)
Extra ops/tasks	Pay-as-you-go at low rates	Top-ups available
Unlimited premium apps	✅ (all plans)	❌ (limited on lower tiers)
Data transfer limits	10 MB/file	10 MB/file (5 MB on lower tiers)

Make counts operations (each action in a scenario), while Zapier counts tasks (each completed automation step). In practice, Make provides 5-10x more automated actions per dollar.

Winner: Make — significantly better value for active automation users.

Feature Comparison

Visual Builder

Make’s visual builder is its standout feature. It presents automation as a visual canvas where you can see every module, data flow, filter, and route. You can drag modules onto the canvas, connect them, map data fields visually, and see exactly how information moves between apps. Complex branching, loops, and error handling are built into the interface.

Zapier recently introduced a visual editor, but it remains primarily a linear, path-based builder. Each step is configured individually in a form, and you navigate forward through the automation. While this is simpler for beginners, it becomes cumbersome for workflows with more than a few steps.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Visual flow chart	✅ Full canvas	✅ Linear only
Drag-and-drop modules	✅	❌ (form-based)
Data mapping visualization	✅ See data flow visually	❌ Field mapping only
Branches / routers	✅ Unlimited	✅ Limited
Iteration / loops	✅ Native	❌ (workaround)
Error handling	✅ Advanced	✅ Basic
Scenario templates	✅ Large library	✅ Large library

Winner: Make — the visual canvas is dramatically more powerful for understanding and building complex automations.

App Integrations

Zapier leads with over 7,000 app integrations — by far the largest library in the automation space. It covers virtually every SaaS tool, from major platforms to niche applications. If it has an API, there’s likely a Zapier integration for it.

Make supports roughly 2,000+ apps. While this covers most popular services (Slack, Google Workspace, Notion, Airtable, Salesforce, Mailchimp, etc.), you are more likely to encounter an app that lacks a native Make connector.

Both platforms offer webhook modules and API integration capabilities for unsupported apps.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Total integrations	~2,000+	~7,000+
Google Workspace	✅	✅
Microsoft 365	✅	✅
Slack	✅	✅
Salesforce	✅	✅
Webhooks	✅	✅
Custom API	✅ HTTP module	✅ Webhooks + Code
Premium app limits	Unlocked on all plans	Varies by plan

Winner: Zapier — the larger app library means fewer situations where you need a workaround.

Complexity Handling

Make excels at complex automation. Its scenario builder handles:

Multi-branch logic (routers with conditions)
Data aggregation across sources
Iteration over arrays
Sub-scenarios for reusable logic
Built-in text/number/date parsing functions
Webhook-based bidirectional communication

Zapier handles multi-step zap paths but starts to creak beyond 5-10 steps. Filters, formatters, and paths cover basic complexity, but advanced data manipulation often requires a Code step (Python or JavaScript).

Feature	Make	Zapier
Branching logic	✅ Visual routers	✅ Linear paths
Loops / iterators	✅ Native	❌
Data aggregation	✅ Advanced	❌ Basic
Sub-scenarios	✅	❌
Built-in functions	✅ Extensive	✅ Formatter
Code steps	✅	✅ Python / JS
Error recovery	✅ Retry + continue	✅ Retry (limited)

Winner: Make — built for complex, multi-branch automation that would be difficult or impossible in Zapier.

Ease of Use & Learning Curve

Zapier wins on simplicity. For a simple “when a form is submitted, add a row to a spreadsheet and send an email,” Zapier can be set up in minutes. Its form-based interface is intuitive for non-technical users.

Make has a steeper learning curve. The visual canvas is powerful but requires understanding concepts like modules, operations, data flow mapping, and scenario structure. New users often need to watch tutorials before building their first scenario.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Time to first automation	10-15 min (learning curve)	2-5 min
Documentation	✅ Good	✅ Excellent
Community tutorials	✅ Growing	✅ Extensive
Support quality	✅ Good	✅ Variable by plan
Pre-built templates	✅ Thousands	✅ Thousands

Winner: Zapier — faster to get started, especially for non-technical users.

Operations & Task Management

Make provides a detailed operation log showing every action executed, its data payload, timing, and any errors. This makes debugging straightforward.

Zapier’s task history shows completed runs but with less detail. It’s sufficient for basic debugging but can be frustrating for complex workflows.

Winner: Make — superior monitoring and debugging tools.

Data Transformation & Formatting

Make includes a rich set of built-in text, number, date, array, and object transformation functions. You can aggregate data, filter arrays, parse JSON, convert formats, and build complex expressions — all within the visual interface.

Zapier offers a Formatter step with common transformations (text, numbers, dates) but is significantly less capable. Complex transformations often require a Code step in Python or JavaScript.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Text functions	✅ Extensive	✅ Basic
Math / number functions	✅ Extensive	✅ Basic
Date/time manipulation	✅ Advanced	✅ Good
Array aggregation	✅ Native	❌
JSON parsing	✅ Built-in	✅ Code step
XML / CSV	✅ Built-in	❌
Regex support	✅	✅ Formatter
Custom expressions	✅ Visual expression builder	❌

Winner: Make — comprehensive data transformation capabilities built into the visual interface.

Collaboration & Team Features

Make offers team workspaces on paid plans. You can share scenarios, assign permissions, and collaborate on automation builds. The platform supports version history for scenarios, allowing teams to track changes over time.

Zapier provides team features through its Team and Company plans, including shared folders, permissions, and task management. It also offers Workspace-level administration for larger organizations.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Team workspaces	✅ (Core+)	✅ (Team+)
Permissions	✅ Folder-level	✅ Folder + Workspace
Version history	✅	✅
Task assignment	❌	❌
Shared folders	✅	✅
Audit logs	❌	✅ (Company)

Winner: Draw. Both offer solid collaboration features for team automation.

Security & Compliance

Make provides SOC 2 Type II certification, data encryption at rest and in transit, GDPR compliance, and SSO on enterprise plans. Its security posture is appropriate for most business use cases.

Zapier offers SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA compliance (on applicable plans), GDPR compliance, data encryption, and SSO. Zapier’s enterprise security features are more mature, particularly for regulated industries.

Feature	Make	Zapier
SOC 2 Type II	✅	✅
GDPR compliance	✅	✅
HIPAA	❌	✅ (Business plan)
SSO	✅ (Enterprise)	✅ (Team+)
Data encryption	✅ At rest + transit	✅ At rest + transit
Data retention	✅ Configurable	✅ Configurable

Winner: Zapier — HIPAA compliance and more mature enterprise security.

Reliability & Uptime

Zapier has a long track record of reliable execution with strong uptime SLAs, especially on paid plans. Task execution history is detailed and monitoring is straightforward.

Make has also built a strong reliability reputation since its rebrand from Integromat. Historical execution logs are detailed, and the platform provides clear error notifications and retry mechanisms.

Feature	Make	Zapier
Uptime SLA	✅ 99.9%	✅ 99.9%
Execution history	✅ 30 days (free), 90+ (paid)	✅ 30 days (varies by plan)
Retry on failure	✅ Configurable	✅ Automatic (limited)
Error notifications	✅ Email + in-app	✅ Email + in-app

Winner: Draw — both offer reliable execution with solid monitoring.

When to Choose Make

You need complex, multi-step automations with branching and loops
You want to see data flow visually across your entire workflow
Operation volume is high — Make’s pricing is much more favorable per action
You need granular error handling and retry logic
You work with APIs or HTTP requests regularly

When to Choose Zapier

You need a simple trigger-action workflow with minimal setup
You rely on an app that has a Zapier integration but no Make connector
You want the largest app library for maximum compatibility
You prefer form-based setup over visual canvas configuration
Non-technical team members need to build automations independently

What Users Say

Recurring themes from G2, Capterra, Reddit, and Trustpilot:

Make users praise:

Visual builder makes complex workflows understandable
Excellent value for money — far more operations per dollar
Powerful data manipulation and routing
Great for technical users and automation professionals

Make users criticize:

Steep learning curve for beginners
Smaller app library than Zapier
Interface can feel overwhelming
Some modules lack documentation depth

Zapier users praise:

Incredibly easy to start using
Massive app library covers everything
Reliable execution with good uptime
Strong documentation and tutorials

Zapier users criticize:

Expensive per task — costs add up fast
Limited for complex automation
Visual editor is basic
Task history and debugging could be better

Final Verdict

Choose Make if	Choose Zapier if
You build complex, multi-branch automations	You need simple trigger-action workflows
You want 5-10x more automation per dollar	You rely on a niche app only Zapier supports
Visual data flow is important to you	You want the fastest possible setup
You need loops, sub-scenarios, and error handling	Non-technical team members build automations

Our recommendation: For anyone who builds automations regularly or needs more than simple two-step workflows, Make is the better platform. The visual builder transforms complex automation from a debugging nightmare into a clear, manageable flow, and the pricing per operation is dramatically better. Zapier remains the right choice only for simple automations or when you need a specific app integration that Make doesn’t support.

👉 Try Make Free — no credit card required.

Last verified: July 2026. Prices and features are subject to change. Always check official pricing pages for current information.

Make (Formerly Integromat) Best Price Guide 2026: Operations Pricing, Annual Savings & Hidden Costs

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase through our link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we’ve tested and believe provide genuine value.

Make Pricing: What You Actually Pay in 2026

Make (formerly Integromat) uses an operations-based pricing model. Every time a module in your scenario runs, it counts as one operation. In August 2025, Make rebranded operations as “credits,” but the concept is identical. This is a fundamental difference from competitor pricing models.

Plan	Monthly Price	Annual (per month)	Operations/Credits	Key Limits
Free	$0	$0	1,000	2 active scenarios, basic apps
Core	$12	$9	10,000	Unlimited scenarios, 1-min scheduling
Pro	$21	$16	10,000	Priority execution, custom variables
Teams	$38/user	$29/user	10,000/user	Collaboration roles, premium apps
Enterprise	Custom	Custom	Custom	SSO, dedicated CSM, custom SLA

Annual billing saves approximately 15-25% compared to monthly billing on all paid plans.

Prices verified July 2026. Some sources show slight variations – always check the official Make pricing page for current rates.

Understanding Operations-Based Pricing

Operations-based pricing is Make’s most distinctive feature – and the most common source of confusion. Here is exactly how it works:

What Counts as One Operation

Action	Operations Consumed
1 module execution in a scenario	1 operation
1 filter condition processed	0 operations (free)
1 webhook trigger received	1 operation
Make Code app (per second of runtime)	2 operations
AI action execution	Varies (typically 1-5 operations)

Example: A Typical Workflow

A scenario with:

1 trigger module (webhook)
5 action modules (create contact in CRM, add to email list, send Slack notification, update Google Sheet, log to data store)
Running 100 times per month

Calculation: (1 trigger + 5 actions) x 100 executions = 600 operations/month

Example: A Heavy Workflow

A scenario with:

1 polling trigger (checks every 15 minutes)
8 action modules
Running 2,880 times per month (15-min polling)

Calculation: (1 trigger + 8 actions) x 2,880 executions = 25,920 operations/month

This example alone would exceed the 10,000 operation limit on Core or Pro plans, requiring a credit pack upgrade.

Free Plan: What You Actually Get

Feature	Free Plan Limit
Operations/month	1,000
Active scenarios	2
Minimum scheduling interval	15 minutes
Access to apps	Basic apps only
Data transfer	Limited
Execution history	1 day

Who the free plan is for:

Testing Make’s interface and workflow builder
Running 1-2 simple automations with low volume
Learning the platform before committing to a paid plan

When to upgrade: When you need more than 2 active scenarios, more than 1,000 operations per month, or access to premium apps (Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP).

Paid Plans: Detailed Pricing

Core Plan ($9/mo annual, $12/mo monthly)

Feature	Limit
Operations/month	10,000
Active scenarios	Unlimited
Min scheduling interval	1 minute
Premium apps	Not included
Data transfer	5 GB per 10k ops
Execution history	30 days

Pro Plan ($16/mo annual, $21/mo monthly)

Feature	Limit
Operations/month	10,000
Active scenarios	Unlimited
Min scheduling interval	1 minute
Premium apps	Included
Data transfer	5 GB per 10k ops
Execution history	60 days
Custom variables	Yes
Priority execution	Yes

Teams Plan ($29/user/mo annual, $38/user/mo monthly)

Feature	Limit
Operations/month	10,000 per user
Active scenarios	Unlimited
Team collaboration	Shared workspaces
User roles	Admin, Editor, Operator
Premium apps	Included
Execution history	90 days

Credit Packs: Scaling Beyond 10,000 Operations

When you exceed the base 10,000 operations, you purchase credit packs at higher volumes rather than paying overage per operation.

Operation Volume	Core (annual)	Pro (annual)	Teams (annual per user)
10,000 (base)	$9/mo	$16/mo	$29/mo
20,000	~$18/mo	~$32/mo	~$58/mo
40,000	~$30/mo	~$53/mo	~$96/mo
80,000	~$50/mo	~$88/mo	~$160/mo
150,000	~$83/mo	~$146/mo	~$265/mo

Credit packs represent better per-operation pricing at higher volumes. At 150,000 operations/month on Core, you pay approximately $0.00055 per operation versus $0.0009 at 10,000 operations.

Annual vs Monthly: Real Savings

Plan	Monthly	Annual (per month)	Annual Total	You Save Per Year
Core	$12/mo	$9/mo	$108	$36
Pro	$21/mo	$16/mo	$192	$60
Teams (1 user)	$38/mo	$29/mo	$348	$108
Teams (5 users)	$190/mo	$145/mo	$1,740	$540

Hidden Costs & Things to Watch

1. Operations Burn Fast

A 15-minute polling trigger alone consumes ~2,880 operations/month. If you have multiple scenarios with frequent polling, you can reach 10,000 operations quickly. Choose webhook triggers over polling when possible to reduce consumption.

2. Premium Apps Are Gated

On the Core plan, premium app connectors (Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP, HubSpot, etc.) are not included. You need the Pro plan or higher to access these.

3. Data Transfer Limits

Make imposes data transfer caps (~5 GB per 10,000 operations). If you process large files (images, CSVs, videos), you may exceed these limits and face throttling or additional charges.

4. Code Execution Is Double-Cost

The Make Code app costs 2 operations per second of runtime. If you write custom JavaScript in your scenarios, budget for higher operation consumption.

5. AI Actions Are More Expensive

AI-powered modules (GPT, Claude, AI image generation) typically cost 1-5 operations per execution depending on the action type and model used.

6. Teams Pricing Is Per User

The Teams plan charges per user, not per workspace. If you have 5 team members, you pay 5x the per-user rate. This can add up quickly for larger teams.

Make vs Competitors: Pricing Comparison

Platform	Entry Price	10k Volume	150k Volume	Pricing Model
Make (Core)	$9/mo	$9/mo	$83/mo	Per operation
Zapier (Starter)	$20/mo	$20/mo (750 tasks)	N/A	Per task
n8n (self-hosted)	~$5/mo (VPS)	~$5/mo	~$15/mo	Free (pay for infra)
Pabbly Connect	$16/mo	$16/mo (10k tasks)	$67/mo	Per task

Make is typically 2-5x cheaper than Zapier for complex, multi-step workflows because one operation = one module execution, while one Zapier task = one action step. A 10-step workflow on Make costs 10 operations per run. The same workflow on Zapier costs 10 tasks per run.

How to Get the Lowest Price

Strategy 1: Optimize Your Operations

Use webhook triggers instead of polling triggers to reduce operation count
Remove unnecessary modules from your scenarios
Use filters early in your scenario to stop irrelevant executions before they consume operations
Combine multiple actions into a single HTTP module when possible

Strategy 2: Start on Core, Upgrade Only When Needed

The Core plan ($9/mo annual) covers 10,000 operations with unlimited scenarios. Most indie hackers never need Pro features unless they require premium app connectors or priority execution.

Strategy 3: Go Annual

Annual billing saves 15-25% across all plans. For Pro at $16/mo annual vs $21/mo monthly, that is $60/year saved.

Strategy 4: Right-Size Your Credit Pack

Monitor your monthly operation consumption in the Make dashboard. If you consistently use 12,000-15,000 operations per month, the 20,000 credit pack is cheaper than paying for 2x the base 10,000 pack.

Strategy 5: Consider Teams Only for Collaboration

The Teams plan is useful for shared workspaces and user roles, but expensive for solo users. Most solopreneurs should use the Pro plan.

FAQ

What is the difference between operations and tasks? Make charges per operation (each module step in a scenario). Zapier charges per task (each completed action step). Both measure similar things but the naming differs. A 10-step automation running 100 times = 1,000 operations on Make or 1,000 tasks on Zapier.

Can I set a hard limit on operations to avoid surprise charges? Yes. Make allows you to set a monthly operation limit in your account settings. Once reached, active scenarios will stop executing until the next billing cycle or until you increase the limit.

What happens if I exceed my operation limit? On the Free plan, scenarios stop executing when you hit 1,000 operations. On paid plans, you can either purchase a credit pack (which increases your limit) or let scenarios pause until the next month.

Does Make offer a student or nonprofit discount? Make does not widely advertise educational or nonprofit discounts. Enterprise plans may have custom pricing for qualifying organizations.

Can I export my scenarios from Make? Yes. Scenarios can be exported as JSON files (.blueprint files). These can be imported into any other Make account and serve as a backup or migration method.

Bottom Line

The best Make price in 2026 is:

$0 – Free plan for testing (1,000 operations/month, 2 scenarios)
$9/mo (annual) – Core plan for most solopreneurs (10,000 operations/month)
$16/mo (annual) – Pro plan if you need premium app connectors
$29/user/mo (annual) – Teams plan for collaborative teams

Make offers the best visual workflow builder in the automation space at a competitive price. Understanding operation consumption is key to controlling costs – optimize your scenarios to use webhooks, reduce polling frequency, and monitor your monthly usage.

👉 Check Current Make Pricing – start free, no credit card required.

Prices verified July 2026. This page contains affiliate links. Always check the official Make pricing page for the most current information.