Zapier vs Make

Zapier starts ~$20/mo (per-task); Make starts ~$9/mo (per-operation). Pick Zapier for widest app coverage; pick Make for cheapest cloud entry. Pricing verified against each vendor's live page (2026-06-01).

Pick Zapier if you want widest app coverage; pick Make if you want cheapest cloud entry. They bill on different models (per-task vs per-operation), so the cheaper one flips depending on how you run agents. The math is below.

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Head to head

Every attribute, both tools, side by side.

Zapier

widest app coverage
pricing modelper-task
entry price~$20/mo
free tier100 tasks/mo
self-hostNo
mcpBoth
the gotchaYou pay per task, meaning per successful action step, not per Zap run, so one multi-step Zap multiplies task usage fast. The headline ~$20/mo only buys 750 tasks and the bill scales steeply with volume. AI features (Zapier Agents at ~$33/mo, Chatbots at ~$13/mo) are separate paid add-ons.
Visit Zapier →
VS

Make

cheapest cloud entry
pricing modelper-operation
entry price~$9/mo
free tier1,000 ops/mo
self-hostNo
mcpBoth
the gotchaOperations are counted per module, not per scenario, and AI/code modules cost several ops each. A 10-module flow burns 10+ ops every trigger.
Visit Make →

The real pricing math

One workflow, 6 steps, run hourly (about 720 runs a month). Same job, two billing shapes.

Zapierper-task
billable unit1 task per run
720 runs720 billed units
entry plan~$20/mo
free tier100 tasks/mo

Free covers 100 tasks/mo (two-step Zaps only). Professional starts at ~$19.99/mo billed annually, but that entry only includes 750 tasks/mo and the price climbs as you pick higher task tiers (up to 2M/mo). Team is ~$69/mo billed annually for 25 users. A task is billed per successful action, so a 5-step Zap burns 5 tasks every run.

Makeper-operation
billable unit1 operation per step
6 steps × 720 runs~4,320 billed units
entry plan~$9/mo
free tier1,000 ops/mo

Core is ~$9–12/mo for 10,000 operations. A scenario running hourly through 5 modules is ~3,600 ops/mo, so the base bucket covers only 2–3 of them.

// worked estimate from each pricing model · run your own numbers in the real-cost calculator →

Choose Zapier if

  • You want the broadest library of pre-built app integrations and a mature no-code builder, and you accept paying per task as volume grows.
  • You prefer a fully managed cloud tool with no infra.
  • You're comfortable with its per-task billing.
  • Best for widest app coverage.

Choose Make if

  • You want the lowest-cost way to start automating and prefer a simple visual builder.
  • You prefer a fully managed cloud tool with no infra.
  • You're comfortable with its per-operation billing.
  • Best for cheapest cloud entry.

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Questions

Zapier vs Make: which is cheaper?

Zapier starts from ~$20/mo; Make starts from ~$9/mo. But they bill differently (per-task vs per-operation), so the real winner depends on your usage shape, not the sticker price.

Can you self-host Zapier or Make?

Zapier: No. Make: No.

Zapier vs Make: which should I pick?

Pick Zapier for widest app coverage; pick Make for cheapest cloud entry.