Make vs Zapier 2026: Pricing, Features and Best Choice
Choose Make if you want visual control, branching workflows and a lower entry price. Choose Zapier if its much larger app catalogue contains a connection you cannot get elsewhere or you prefer a simpler trigger-and-action setup.
Mike Says is a Make affiliate, not a Zapier affiliate. If you sign up to Make through a labelled affiliate link and later make a qualifying purchase, I may earn commission at no extra cost to you. That relationship does not change the areas where Zapier is stronger.
Concept graphic showing the different workflow styles. It is not a screenshot of either platform.
Updated: 26 September 2026. Prices and product details were checked against the official Make and Zapier pages. I have not run a controlled side-by-side test of both platforms, so this comparison is based on their current published features, limits and billing rules.
Quick verdict
Make is my recommendation for most individuals, creators and small businesses. Its visual scenario builder is better suited to workflows with several branches, and the Free plan gives you 1,000 credits each month. Make Core is $12 a month for 10,000 credits when billed annually.
Zapier wins for integration breadth. It lists more than 9,000 apps, compared with Make's 3,000+. Its simple trigger-and-action approach can also be easier for a first basic automation.
Affiliate link · I may earn commission from a qualifying purchase at no extra cost to you.
Make vs Zapier at a glance
| Category | Make | Zapier | Best choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free allowance | 1,000 credits per month | 100 tasks per month | Make |
| Entry paid price | Core $12 a month, billed annually | Professional from $19.99 per month | Make |
| Listed apps | 3,000+ | 9,000+ | Zapier |
| Free workflow structure | Routers and filters included | Two-step Zaps | Make |
| Workflow view | Visual node-based canvas | Step-by-step Zap editor | Depends on preference |
| Paid team plan | Teams $38 a month, billed annually | Team from $69 per month | Make on price |
| Best reason to choose | Visual control and value | Integration breadth and simple setup | Depends on your apps |
Make credits and Zapier tasks are not directly equal. A useful comparison starts with the steps and monthly runs in your own workflow.
The biggest difference
Make presents an automation as a visual scenario. Modules sit on a canvas, with visible routes, filters and connections between them. This helps when a workflow branches or sends data to several places.
Zapier presents a Zap as a sequence of triggers and actions. That can feel more direct when the job is simple, such as adding a new form response to a spreadsheet and sending one message.
Make is best for
Visual builders, multi-step processes, branching logic, bulk data handling and users who want more control over how data moves.
Zapier is best for
Simple automations, quick setup and businesses that need one of Zapier's thousands of additional app integrations.
Pricing and free plans
Make pricing
Make's Free plan includes 1,000 credits each month, its visual workflow builder, routers and filters, and a minimum scheduled interval of 15 minutes. The plan has no time limit.
At 10,000 credits a month, billed annually, Core is $12 a month, Pro is $21 and Teams is $38. These prices were checked on Make's pricing page on 20 October 2026. Core adds unlimited active scenarios, scheduling down to one minute and access to the Make API.
Zapier pricing
Zapier Free includes 100 tasks per month, unlimited Zaps, Tables and Forms, but each Zap is limited to one trigger and one action. Multi-step Zaps, premium apps and webhooks need Professional, which starts at $19.99 per month. Team starts at $69 per month and includes 25 users, shared connections and team controls.
Zapier states that yearly payment can save 33%. Check the billing period and task tier before comparing a displayed price with Make.
A normal Make module action usually consumes a credit, while a successful Zapier action uses a task. Some AI and code steps can cost more than one unit. Count the steps in one run, then multiply by the number of runs you expect each month.
Which gives better free usage?
Make wins for experimenting. Its 1,000-credit monthly allowance gives a beginner more room to build and test than Zapier's 100-task allowance. Routers and filters are also present on Make Free.
Zapier Free remains useful for a small two-step automation that runs infrequently. It can be the faster route when your only need is one trigger followed by one action.
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Ease of use
Zapier has the easier first hour for many beginners. Pick a trigger, choose an action, map the information and test the Zap. Its editor guides you through the sequence.
Make has more concepts to learn. Modules, bundles, routes, filters and mapping can look busy at first. The benefit appears as the workflow grows because the whole structure stays visible on the canvas.
Winner: Zapier for the simplest first automation. Make for understanding and managing a larger workflow.
Integrations
Zapier's clearest advantage is its catalogue of more than 9,000 apps. Make currently lists more than 3,000. If your business depends on a smaller or specialist app, Zapier has a better chance of supporting it directly.
Do not choose using the headline number alone. Open the integration page for each must-have app and check the exact triggers, actions and data fields you need. A listed connection is not useful if the required action is missing.
Winner: Zapier.
Complex workflows and control
Make includes routers and filters on Free, then adds unlimited active scenarios and faster scheduling on Core. A branching process is easy to inspect because each route is shown on the canvas.
Zapier supports multi-step Zaps and Paths on paid plans. It can run sophisticated processes, but its step-by-step format gives you a different view of the logic. For a workflow with several conditions and destinations, I find Make's visual structure easier to reason about from the published product design.
Winner: Make.
AI automation and usage costs
Make includes AI tools across its plans. Its current pricing page lists Maia, Make AI Agents, the AI Toolkit, AI Web Search and connections to more than 350 AI apps. Some AI features can consume more than one credit, depending on the action and processing used.
Zapier brings Zap workflows, Tables, Forms and MCP into the same platform, while Agents and Chatbots are presented as add-ons. AI by Zapier changed to model-based task rates in June 2026. Its Standard tier uses a 1x base rate, Advanced 3x and Premium 5x, with tool calls adding tasks at the selected rate.
The practical lesson is the same on both services: an AI step may cost more usage than a normal app action. Test one realistic run and inspect the usage before scaling it.
What happens if you exceed your allowance?
Make lets eligible paid users buy extra credits or enable automatic purchases. Make says additional credits carry a 25% increase compared with credits included in the plan, and unused credits expire at the end of the relevant term.
Zapier's pay-per-task billing is available on paid plans and is enabled by default for many newer accounts. When the normal task allowance is reached, Zapier can charge extra tasks so workflows continue. The maximum allowance is three times the selected plan limit. You can turn pay-per-task billing off on supported accounts if you would rather pause workflows.
Winner: neither. Both need a usage alert and a spending decision before a busy workflow reaches its limit.
Make pros and limitations
- Pros: lower entry price, larger free allowance, visual canvas, routers and filters on Free, and strong control over branching workflows.
- Limitations: steeper learning curve, credits can vary for advanced or AI actions, and the app catalogue is smaller than Zapier's.
Zapier pros and limitations
- Pros: more than 9,000 integrations, straightforward setup for simple jobs, mature app ecosystem and built-in Tables and Forms.
- Limitations: smaller free allowance, multi-step Zaps need a paid plan, higher entry price and pay-per-task billing can increase the bill after the allowance is used.
Which should you choose?
Choose Make if:
- You want to see an entire workflow on one canvas.
- Your process branches, filters data or sends it to several apps.
- You want more free usage while learning.
- You want the lower current entry price.
- All your required apps and actions are supported.
Choose Zapier if:
- A required app or action is missing from Make.
- You are building a simple trigger-and-action workflow.
- You prefer a guided step-by-step editor.
- You want Zapier Tables, Forms or MCP in the same platform.
- Integration breadth matters more than the entry price.
Try Make free with one real workflow
Build the automation you actually need and record its credit use. That gives you a better answer than comparing plan numbers alone.
Try Make free →Affiliate link. I may earn commission from a qualifying purchase at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Make cheaper than Zapier?
At the current entry prices, yes. Make Core is $12 a month for 10,000 credits when billed annually, while Zapier Professional starts at $19.99 per month. The units differ, so compare the cost of your actual workflow rather than the headline quantities.
Is Make or Zapier better for beginners?
Zapier can be easier for a basic trigger and action. Make takes longer to learn but gives you a better visual view as the automation becomes more involved.
Which has more integrations?
Zapier lists more than 9,000 apps. Make lists more than 3,000. Check the exact actions available for your key apps before deciding.
Can I use both?
Yes, but running two platforms adds cost and maintenance. Start with the one that covers your main workflows, then add the other only if a missing integration or feature justifies it.
Final verdict
Make is the better starting choice for most individuals and small businesses that want visual control and room to build. It has the lower entry price, a larger free allowance and a canvas that suits branching workflows.
Zapier is the right choice when integration breadth decides the result. Its 9,000+ app catalogue is a real advantage, and its guided editor suits straightforward automations.
Start by listing your required apps, actions and monthly runs. If both platforms cover them, try the same small workflow on each Free plan and choose the one you can understand and maintain.
Official sources checked
- Make plans Affiliate link · I may earn commission from a qualifying purchase at no extra cost to you.
- Make comparison and billing explanation
- Zapier pricing and plan features
- Zapier pay-per-task billing
- AI by Zapier model-based task rates
Related Mike Says guides
Read the full Make review, compare Make's current plans, or see Make vs n8n and Make vs Power Automate.
The Zapier alternatives guide puts Make next to n8n, IFTTT and Power Automate, with prices checked on 27 October 2026.