Zapier vs Make for Automation: Breadth, Price, and the Units That Are Not the Same
Zapier and Make are the only two automation tools in this directory, and they are genuine rivals. The honest comparison starts with a warning: Zapier's free plan offers 100 tasks a month and Make's offers 1,000 operations a month, and those are not the same unit. One automation run can use several operations in Make, so do not crown a winner from the headline numbers alone.
| Zapier | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry paid price | $19.99/mo (annual) | $9/mo (annual) |
| Free plan | 100 tasks/mo | 1,000 ops/mo |
| App breadth | 7,000+ apps | Wide, visual catalogue |
| Builder style | Step-by-step, linear | Visual drag-and-drop scenarios |
| AI steps | Included in the platform | Available in scenarios |
| Watch out for | Costs climb as task count grows | One run can use several operations |
The verdict: Zapier vs Make
Choose Zapier if breadth and simplicity matter most: the biggest app catalogue and the most linear setup, for businesses that want an automation running today with the least learning. Choose Make if price and visibility matter most: less than half the entry price, a generous free plan, and a visual scenario you can actually see and debug. Either way, build the same first automation in both free tiers — the one you understand is the one you will maintain.
Check before buying: confirm the exact apps you need are supported, and how your automation's runs are counted, on each tool's official pricing and docs pages. Prices and allowances on this page were checked in October 2026 and can change.