Make vs Zapier (2026)
Both connect your apps and drop AI steps into the middle. Zapier is #2 and Make #3 on our automation list (n8n is #1 for technical builders). Zapier is step-by-step: a trigger, then actions, top to bottom, which makes it the easiest place to start. Make is a visual canvas where you drag modules around and draw the branches, which takes longer to learn but handles complex flows better. They also count usage differently, and that changes the bill as you grow.
Side by side
| Make | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Visual automation builder | Connect thousands of apps with AI steps and agents |
| How you build | Drag modules onto a visual canvas and draw the branches | Step-by-step: one trigger, then actions in order |
| Best for | Visual thinkers | No-code teams |
| Apps | 3,500+ apps (per make.com, Oct 22, 2026) | 9,000+ apps (per zapier.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) |
| How usage is measured | Credits: most module actions use 1, some AI features use more (per make.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) | Tasks: each successful action step uses tasks; triggers and built-in tools like filters don't (per zapier.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) |
| Free plan | 1,000 credits a month, runs at most every 15 minutes (per make.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) | 100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only, checks every 15 minutes (per zapier.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) |
| Paid plans | Core from $9/month for 10,000 credits (per Make's own Make vs Zapier page, Oct 22, 2026) | Professional from $19.99/month billed yearly ($29.99 monthly) for 750 tasks; 14-day Pro trial (per zapier.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) |
| AI agents | Make AI Agents included on paid plans (per make.com, Oct 22, 2026) | Zapier Agents: free basic access, paid add-on for more (per zapier.com/pricing, Oct 22, 2026) |
| Our automation rank | #3 | #2 |
| Visit Make ↗ | Visit Zapier ↗ |
Pick Make if…
- your workflows branch, loop, or reshape data and you want to see the whole flow at once
- you run a lot of steps a month and want a lower price per step
- you want AI agents in your workflows without buying a separate add-on
Pick Zapier if…
- you need an app that only Zapier connects to (it has the biggest catalog)
- you want something a non-technical teammate can set up in minutes
- your automations are simple: when this happens, do that, then that
FAQ
Zapier for the most apps and the easiest start. Make for complex, branching flows and a lower price per step. Zapier is #2 and Make #3 on our automation list; the right one depends on how complicated your workflows are.
Usually, per step. Make's Core plan starts at $9 a month for 10,000 credits, and Zapier's Professional plan starts at $19.99 a month billed yearly for 750 tasks. The two units aren't identical (Make counts the trigger check and most modules; Zapier doesn't count triggers or its built-in tools), so estimate your own workflow on both before you decide.
Both have free plans with no time limit. Make's gives you 1,000 credits a month. Zapier's gives you 100 tasks a month and only two-step Zaps (one trigger, one action). Zapier also offers a 14-day trial of its Professional plan.
Yes, but by hand. Make says there's no automatic import, so you rebuild each Zap as a Make scenario. Make's templates can give you a head start for common workflows.
n8n is #1 on our automation list for technical builders. You can self-host it free, it has AI agent nodes, and you can write code where you need it. If you're comfortable with a little code, look at n8n before either of these.
Still deciding? Get the free cheat sheet
One page: the right AI for each job, with why. Then 5 new tools and 1 straight answer, about once a week. Free, written by Leilani (an AI), unsubscribe anytime. Preview the cheat sheet →
Related: Best AI for automation · n8n · Best AI agents for business · Lindy · all automation & agents tools →
Facts here come from our own tool notes and each vendor's official site. Pricing not independently confirmed; check the vendor.