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Side-by-Side Verdict
Zapier vs Make: Our Quick Verdict
Both tools are excellent. Here's who each one is for, then we'll dig into the details below.
⭐ Best for Beginners
Zapier
Easiest setup, most app integrations, best for small teams getting started
Free then $19.99/mo
★★★★★
- 7,000+ app integrations, most of any tool
- Free plan: 5 automations, 100 tasks/month
- Set up your first automation in 15 minutes
- Plain English interface, no technical skills needed
- AI-powered automation suggestions
vs
Best Value at Scale
Make
More powerful, better pricing as you scale, steeper learning curve
Free then $9/mo
★★★★☆
- Free plan: 1,000 operations/month (10× Zapier free)
- Visual flow builder, like a flowchart for your automation
- More flexible data manipulation
- Better for complex multi-step workflows
- Significantly cheaper than Zapier at scale
Full Feature Comparison
Every Feature That Matters, Compared
| Feature | Zapier Beginners | Make | n8n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | 5 Zaps, 100 tasks/mo | 1,000 ops/mo | ✓ Self-hosted (free) |
| Starting Paid Price | $19.99/mo | $9/mo | $20/mo (cloud) |
| App Integrations | ✓ 7,000+ | ✓ 1,500+ | ✓ 400+ |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Visual Flow Builder | ⚡ Linear only | ✓ Full visual | ✓ Full visual |
| Multi-step Automations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Conditional Logic (if/then) | ✓ | ✓ More flexible | ✓ |
| AI Features | ✓ Built-in AI steps | ⚡ Limited | ⚡ Growing |
| Best For | Beginners, speed | Power users, value | Developers, self-hosting |
Real-World Examples
Automations Small Businesses Actually Use
Here are the most popular Zaps (automations) among Main Street AI readers. Any of these can be set up in 15–30 minutes.
🔔 New Lead
Website Form → Email List + CRM
When someone fills out your contact form → automatically add them to Mailchimp AND create a contact in your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.). No copy-pasting ever again.
⏱ Setup time: 15 minutes
📅 New Booking
Calendly Booking → Automated Welcome Text
When a new appointment is booked in Calendly → automatically send a welcome text message via Twilio with directions, what to bring, and your cancellation policy.
⏱ Setup time: 20 minutes
⭐ New Review
Google Review → Slack Notification
When a new Google review comes in → send a message to your Slack or email so you can respond within the hour. Fast responses improve your local search ranking.
⏱ Setup time: 10 minutes
💳 New Invoice Paid
Invoice Paid → Thank You Email
When a payment is received in FreshBooks or QuickBooks → automatically send a personalized thank you email asking for a Google review. Turns happy customers into 5-star reviewers.
⏱ Setup time: 20 minutes
📱 New Social Mention
Instagram Post Published → Facebook Cross-Post
Every time you post to Instagram → automatically share the same post to your Facebook Business Page. Doubles your content output with zero extra effort.
⏱ Setup time: 10 minutes
📋 New Job Complete
Job Marked Complete → Request Review
When you mark a job complete in your field service software → automatically text the customer a Google review link 2 hours later, when they're still happy from the great work.
⏱ Setup time: 25 minutes
Common Questions
Workflow Automation FAQs
Zapier is an automation tool that connects your apps together. Think of it as a digital assistant who watches one app for something to happen (like a new contact form submission), then automatically does something in another app (like adding that person to your email list or texting them a welcome message). No coding required, if you can follow a recipe, you can build a Zap.
Yes, Zapier's free plan allows up to 5 automations (called Zaps) with 100 tasks per month. That's enough to automate several key workflows for free and get a feel for how powerful it is. Make's free plan is even more generous: 1,000 operations per month, which handles far more activity before you need to upgrade.
Zapier is easier to set up and has more app integrations, perfect for beginners. Make (formerly Integromat) has a more visual, flowchart-style builder that's better for complex automations, and it's significantly cheaper per task. The typical advice: start with Zapier, consider switching to Make when you hit Zapier's pricing limits or need more flexibility.
No coding needed at all. Zapier walks you through a step-by-step setup for each automation. You choose the trigger (the thing that starts the automation) and the action (what Zapier does next), and it handles the connection. Most small business owners set up their first automation in 15–20 minutes with no prior experience.
Zapier integrates with over 7,000 apps, including Mailchimp, HubSpot, Google Sheets, Slack, Calendly, QuickBooks, Gmail, Facebook Lead Ads, and basically every major tool small businesses use. If you're wondering whether your specific tools work with Zapier, search the Zapier app directory, the answer is almost always yes.
Both Zapier and Make show a log of every time an automation ran, including whether it succeeded or failed. Zapier calls these "Task History" and they're easy to find. You'll also get email alerts if a Zap fails. Most users check their task history once a week for the first month, then stop worrying about it once they trust it's running smoothly.
What to Automate Next →
Keep Building Your Automation Stack
Connect With
Set Up Your Email Automation
Zapier works best when it's feeding contacts into a great email platform. Pick your email tool first, then use Zapier to connect everything else to it.
Compare email tools →
Automate With Zapier
Connect Your Booking System
Calendly + Zapier is one of the most powerful combos for small businesses. New booking = automatic text, email, and CRM entry, all in seconds.
Compare booking tools →
High Impact Move
Automate Google Review Requests
Use Zapier to trigger review requests automatically after completed jobs or paid invoices. One of the highest-ROI automations you can set up.
Compare review tools →