Zapier vs Make: Which Automation Tool Should You Actually Use?

The question I get asked more than any other

"Should I be on Zapier or Make?"

I've been asked this on discovery calls, in DMs, at events. And the honest answer is: it depends — but not in a wishy-washy way. There are clear signals that point you toward one or the other, and most of the comparison articles online bury those signals under feature tables.

So here's the Zapier vs Make breakdown you actually need, from a Zapier Silver Solutions Partner who has built in both.

Not sure which is right for your business? Book a free 30-minute call.

What are Zapier and Make?

Both Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat) are no-code automation platforms. They let you connect apps and build automated workflows without writing code. A trigger happens in one app — say, a form is submitted — and one or more actions happen in other apps as a result.

The difference is in their philosophy. Zapier is linear and conversational. Make is visual and more like a flowchart. Both can connect thousands of apps. Both have a free tier. They diverge significantly in pricing, complexity ceiling, and who they're actually built for.

Where Zapier wins

Speed to build

Zapier's step-by-step interface means most people can build a working automation in under 20 minutes. Make's canvas is more powerful but there's genuine setup overhead. If you need something running today, Zapier gets you there faster.

App integrations

Zapier connects to over 6,000 apps. Make connects to around 1,500+. For most businesses this doesn't matter — you're only using 8 to 12 apps regularly. But if you need a niche CRM, a specific accounting tool, or a UK-specific service, Zapier is more likely to have a native connector.

Simplicity at scale

For businesses running 10 to 40 straightforward automations — form to CRM, email to task, calendar to Slack — Zapier is cleaner to manage. Each Zap is self-contained, easy to audit, and easy to hand to someone else to maintain.

Support and documentation

Zapier's help centre is genuinely excellent. Their community is active. If you're building without a consultant, Zapier is significantly easier to self-serve.

Where Make wins

Complex multi-path logic

Make's visual canvas is purpose-built for workflows with branches, loops, and multiple conditional paths. Building the equivalent in Zapier requires Paths (a paid feature) and multiple nested Zaps. Make handles it more cleanly in a single scenario.

Data manipulation

If your automation needs to transform, aggregate, or restructure data before passing it on — parse a CSV, build an array, merge records from two sources — Make's built-in tools are significantly more powerful than Zapier's Formatter.

Pricing at volume

Zapier charges per task (each action in a multi-step Zap counts as a task). At scale, this gets expensive fast. Make charges per operation, and their pricing model is considerably more efficient for high-volume workflows. If you're running thousands of automations per month, Make can cost 60 to 80% less.

The honest choosing guide

Choose Zapier if:

• You're new to automation and want to get started quickly
• Your workflows are mostly linear: trigger → one or two actions
• You need integrations with less common apps
• You want something a non-technical team member can maintain
• You're also using ClickUp (the native ClickUp + Zapier integration is excellent)

Choose Make if:

• You're comfortable with visual tools and logic diagrams
• You need complex branching, loops, or data transformation
• You're running high-volume automations and cost is a concern
• You have technical resource in house to maintain scenarios
• You've outgrown Zapier's per-task pricing model

Can you use both?

Yes, and plenty of businesses do. Some workflows are simple Zapier jobs. Others warrant a Make scenario. I've built stacks for UK businesses where Zapier handles the simple day-to-day connectors and Make handles a specific high-volume data processing workflow. They don't conflict — they complement.

What about the cost of getting it wrong?

Here's the thing that doesn't appear in any feature comparison: the real cost isn't which tool you pick. It's what happens when you build the wrong thing in the wrong tool, and then have to rebuild it twelve months later when it breaks at scale.

I've seen businesses spend £3,000 to £5,000 in consultant time fixing Make scenarios that were too complex for the team to maintain, and Zapier stacks that were costing £400/month in tasks that could be rebuilt in Make for £30/month. The tool choice matters less than the build quality.

If you're choosing between them for a significant automation project, a one-hour strategy session with an automation consultant pays for itself in avoided mistakes.

Frequently asked questions

Is Make better than Zapier?

For complex workflows and high volume, Make is often better value. For simplicity, speed, and breadth of integrations, Zapier leads. The right answer depends on your specific workflows.

Can I switch from Zapier to Make?

Yes. The concepts translate but the build doesn't copy across automatically. You'll rebuild your workflows in Make's canvas format. For businesses with 20+ Zaps, a phased migration is usually more sensible than a switch all at once.

Does Toki work with Make as well as Zapier?

Yes. As an automation consultant working across the UK and internationally from Norwich, I work in both platforms and will recommend whichever is genuinely better for your situation — not whichever I'm partnered with.

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