Zapier is the household name. Make (formerly Integromat) is the challenger that costs less and does more, but has a steeper learning curve. Here's the honest answer for small business owners who just want their tools to talk to each other.
Both tools do the same fundamental thing: they watch for something to happen in one app (like a new form submission or a new booking) and trigger an action in another app (like sending an email or creating a record). The difference is in how they do it, how much they cost, and how hard they are to learn.
Linear step-by-step builder. Very similar to filling out a form. Each automation is "when X happens, do Y." Extremely beginner-friendly. Help articles are excellent.
Visual canvas with modules connected by lines. Looks impressive but can feel overwhelming at first. Much more like a flowchart. Takes 2–3 hours to feel comfortable.
Free: 100 tasks/month, 2-step Zaps only. Starter ($29/mo): 750 tasks, multi-step, delays. Gets expensive fast for high-volume businesses.
Free: 1,000 operations/month, 10× more than Zapier free. Core ($9/mo): 10,000 ops. Pro ($16/mo): 10,000 ops + advanced features. Far cheaper for the same capability.
7,000+ integrations. Almost every tool you've heard of (and many you haven't) is supported. If your app is niche or new, Zapier likely has it.
1,500+ integrations. All the major apps are there: Google, Slack, Stripe, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Calendly. But more obscure tools may be missing. Make also supports webhooks and APIs to fill the gaps.
Good for simple "if-then" flows. Paths (branching logic) available on paid plans. Data transformation is limited without add-ons. Multi-step Zaps are straightforward.
Handles loops, routers, filters, aggregators, and iterators natively. Excellent for complex data manipulation, transforming JSON, handling arrays, conditional branching. Significantly more powerful.
Good error notifications. Failed Zaps visible in history. Limited ability to set custom error handling within a Zap itself.
Built-in error handling routes, define exactly what happens when something fails. Retry logic, fallback scenarios, and detailed execution history baked in.
| Feature | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan operations/month | 100 tasks | 1,000 ops |
| Entry paid plan | $29/mo | $9/mo |
| App integrations | 7,000+ | 1,500+ |
| Beginner-friendly | ✓✓ Very | ✓ Moderate |
| Multi-step automations | Paid plan | ✓ Free |
| Conditional branching | Paid plan | ✓ Free |
| Built-in delays | Paid plan | ✓ Free |
| Data transformation | Limited | Powerful |
| Error handling | Basic | Advanced |
| Pre-built templates | Thousands | Hundreds |
Zapier counts each step in an automation as a "task." A 3-step Zap uses 3 tasks per run. Make counts each "operation" per module. The key difference: Make's free plan gives you 10× more runway, which matters a lot when you're testing and building automations.
Best for beginners. 7,000+ integrations. Build your first automation in minutes.
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