Independent head-to-head
Make vs Zapier
Both are on our shortlist, and most people only need one. Here is where each genuinely wins.
Which fits your work better: Make or Zapier?
Make suits workflows with real branching logic — conditional paths, loops, multiple data transformations — that a linear Zapier Zap struggles to express clearly. Zapier suits agencies and businesses that already have tools they like and just need them talking to each other. Make is cheaper to start with ($9/month against $30/month), so price alone favours it.
Make
Marketing Automation ToolsA visual, node-based canvas for automation that outgrows Zapier's linear steps.
Zapier
Marketing Automation ToolsThe default glue for connecting tools — priced by how much you actually run through it.
Decision view
Compare what changes the answer
| Decision factor | Make$9/mo | Zapier$30/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9/mo | $30/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | None | None |
| Best for | Workflows with real branching logic — conditional paths, loops, multiple data transformations — that a linear Zapier Zap struggles to express clearly. | Agencies and businesses that already have tools they like and just need them talking to each other. |
| Not for | Anyone who wants the largest integration library or the simplest possible setup — Zapier still wins on both counts. | Agencies trying to replace their whole client-facing stack with one platform — that's a Go High Level decision, not a Zapier one. |
Shared answers are dimmed so trade-offs stay visible.
Plan comparison
Published plans as recorded on each vendor’s pricing page on its verification date. Limits and add-ons differ between vendors, so compare at your own volume.
Make
| Plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Up to 1,000 operations/month |
| Core | $9 | 10,000 operations/month at this tier; scales via a credit slider |
| Pro | $16 | 10,000 operations/month at this tier; adds custom variables, priority execution |
| Teams | $29 | 10,000 operations/month at this tier; team collaboration features |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom credit allocation and support |
Zapier
| Plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 100 tasks/month, unlimited two-step Zaps |
| Professional | $30 | 750 tasks/month, monthly billing ($19.99/mo if billed annually); scales up to 300,000+ tasks/month at higher tiers |
| Team | $104 | 2,000 tasks/month, monthly billing; 25 users, shared workflows, SAML SSO |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom — unlimited users, technical account manager |
Where Make wins
- Visual canvas makes complex branching logic genuinely easier to build and debug than a linear step list
- Credit-based pricing can work out cheaper than Zapier's task pricing for workflows with many small steps
- Built-in scenario replay makes debugging a failed run far less painful than starting over
Where Zapier wins
- Largest integration library in the category by a wide margin — if a tool has an API, Zapier probably already connects to it
- Multi-step Zaps with conditional paths handle real branching logic without code
- Free tier is genuinely useful for testing a workflow before paying for it
Make or Zapier?
Make suits workflows with real branching logic — conditional paths, loops, multiple data transformations — that a linear Zapier Zap struggles to express clearly. Zapier suits agencies and businesses that already have tools they like and just need them talking to each other. Make is cheaper to start with ($9/month against $30/month), so price alone favours it.
Workflows with real branching logic — conditional paths, loops, multiple data transformations — that a linear Zapier Zap struggles to express clearly.
Agencies and businesses that already have tools they like and just need them talking to each other.
What decides it
- Entry price
- Make starts at $9/month; Zapier at $30/month. Compare the plan that matches your real usage, not the entry tier.
- Trial
- Make offers a free plan; Zapier offers a free plan.
- What each gives up
- Make: smaller integration library than Zapier's — worth checking a specific app is supported before committing. Zapier: task-based pricing punishes any workflow that fires often — a single busy form or webhook can burn through a plan's allowance fast.