Zapier vs Make — the honest breakdown
Zapier vs Make.com: task pricing vs operations pricing, integrations, branching, error handling. The honest side-by-side from a working automation consultancy.
TL;DR
- Pick Zapier if you need the widest integration catalog (6000+), fastest 1-step setup, and stay under 5K tasks/mo.
- Pick Make if you build multi-step workflows with branching, need better visual debugging, or want more automation per dollar past ~2K tasks/mo.
- Pick either Neither wins on AI or self-hosting — for that, look at n8n.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per task | Per operation (each step = 1 op) |
| Cost at 10K runs/mo (3-step workflow) | $73/mo (Professional) | $16/mo (Core, 30K ops) |
| Cost at 50K runs/mo (3-step) | $500+/mo | ~$60/mo |
| Native integrations | 6000+ | 1700+ |
| Branching / conditional paths | Paths add-on, limited | First-class routers |
| Visual debugger | Good | Excellent — replay any op |
| 1-step automation speed | 10 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
| Error retries | Manual replay | Built-in retry + break/rollback |
| Data residency | US-hosted only | EU-hosted only |
| AI / LLM nodes | OpenAI, Anthropic (shallow) | OpenAI, Anthropic (shallow) |
FAQs
Is Make actually cheaper than Zapier?
For anything past a 2-step workflow at real volume, yes — often 5-10x cheaper. A 5-step Zap running 20K times/mo on Zapier costs $500+; the same on Make Core costs $30-50.
Can I migrate Zaps to Make?
Most 1-1. Multi-step Zaps with Paths need rebuilding as router modules. A typical SMB library of 20-40 Zaps takes 1-2 weeks including parallel testing.
Which is easier to learn?
Zapier's step-by-step editor is friendlier for absolute beginners. Make's canvas is more powerful but takes an afternoon to click. Anyone building > 5 workflows will prefer Make.
Should I use either instead of n8n?
Under 20K ops/mo with no data-residency or AI requirements, Make is a great cloud option. Past that, or if you need AI agents or Canadian hosting, n8n wins clearly.
Related comparisons
Same questions, adjacent trade-offs. These usually come up next.
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