Make vs Zapier (2026): pricing, ease of use and which to choose

The short version

	Make	Zapier
How usage is counted	Credits: roughly one per module that runs, including the trigger	Tasks: one per successful action step; triggers and utility steps are free
Free plan	1,000 credits a month, 2 active scenarios (checked Oct 8, 2026)	100 tasks a month, two-step Zaps only (checked Oct 15, 2026)
Entry paid plan	Core $10.59/month, or $9 billed yearly, 10,000 credits (checked Oct 8, 2026)	Professional $29.99/month, or $19.99 billed yearly, 750 tasks (checked Oct 15, 2026)
Editor	Visual canvas with branches, loops and data mapping	Step-by-step list, simplest to learn
Best for	Multi-step workflows, higher volume, complex logic	Beginners, quick app-to-app automations, niche apps

How each tool counts usage

Zapier counts tasks. A task is one action step that completes successfully: creating a record, sending a message, adding a row. Triggers do not count, and neither do built-in utility steps such as Filter, Formatter, Paths and Delay. A Zap with one trigger and three actions uses three tasks per run.

Make counts credits. Nearly every module that runs uses one credit, including the trigger module. Routers and error handlers are free, and AI features from Make’s own AI provider can use more than one credit. A scenario with a trigger and three action modules uses about four credits per run, more if it loops over several items.

So per run, Make often uses slightly more units than Zapier. The difference is the price of each unit: 10,000 Make credits cost less than 750 Zapier tasks on the entry plans.

What the same workflow costs

We priced a common workflow, a trigger plus three actions such as “new form submission, add to CRM, add to sheet, notify Slack”, at four volumes using each vendor’s monthly-billed list prices:

Runs per month	Zapier tasks	Zapier plan needed	Make credits	Make plan needed
500	1,500	1,500 tasks: $58.50 (checked Oct 15, 2026)	about 2,000	Core 10,000: $10.59 (checked Oct 8, 2026)
2,000	6,000	10,000 tasks: $193.50 (checked Oct 15, 2026)	about 8,000	Core 10,000: $10.59 (checked Oct 8, 2026)
5,000	15,000	20,000 tasks: $283.50 (checked Oct 15, 2026)	about 20,000	Core 20,000: $18.82 (checked Oct 8, 2026)
10,000	30,000	50,000 tasks: $433.50 (checked Oct 15, 2026)	about 40,000	Core 40,000: $34.12 (checked Oct 8, 2026)

At every volume, Make costs a fraction of Zapier for this kind of workflow, and the gap widens as volume grows. Yearly billing lowers both. You can test your own numbers in our automation cost calculator.

Two details change the comparison for some workflows:

• Very short Zaps favour Zapier’s model. A Zap with one action plus a filter uses one task per run, and filters are free. If most of your automations look like that and volume is low, Zapier’s free plan or entry tier may be enough.
• Loops favour neither. A Make scenario that processes 50 rows uses credits for each row in each module, and the same is true of Zapier’s Looping steps for actions. Count the items your workflows handle, not just the runs.

What happens at the limit. When Make runs out of credits, scenarios stop until the next cycle unless you buy more or turn on auto-purchase. On newer Zapier accounts, pay-per-task billing is on by default, so going over your tasks adds charges at a higher per-task rate instead of pausing your Zaps.

Ease of use

Zapier is the easiest automation tool to learn. A Zap is a vertical list of steps: choose a trigger app, choose an action app, map a few fields, and it runs. Copilot can draft a Zap from a plain-English description. A non-technical person can build something useful in minutes.

Make uses a visual canvas where modules connect with lines. Branches (routers), loops (iterators) and aggregators are drawn on the canvas, so complex logic is easier to see and build than in Zapier’s list. The trade-off is a steeper first hour: you need to understand how data bundles move between modules and how mapping works. Most people are comfortable within a day or two.

Integrations

Zapier has the largest library of ready-made app integrations, and many software vendors build and maintain their own Zapier apps. If you depend on a niche tool, Zapier is the most likely to support it.

Make covers the popular apps well, and its HTTP module can call any API that its ready-made modules do not cover. For mainstream tools such as Google Workspace, Slack, HubSpot, Airtable and Shopify, both are fine. For a niche app, check both libraries before choosing.

AI and agents

Both tools have added AI steps and AI agents. Zapier sells Agents as a separate product with its own pricing, alongside AI steps inside Zaps. Make offers AI modules and its own AI agents; AI actions through Make’s built-in AI provider can use extra credits, while connecting your own OpenAI or Anthropic account bills you directly. For one AI step in an otherwise simple automation, both work well. For agents with tools and memory at volume, a per-run tool such as n8n is usually cheaper; see our n8n vs Make comparison.

Strengths and weaknesses

Make

Zapier

Which should you choose?

Your situation	Pick
First automation, non-technical, low volume	Zapier
A key app only Zapier supports	Zapier
Workflows with several steps, branches or loops	Make
Hundreds or thousands of runs a month on a budget	Make
Technical team, very high volume, AI agents or data control	n8n (see why)

Many teams start on Zapier for its simplicity, then move their busiest workflows to Make once the Zapier bill grows. If you are comparing all three, read our guide to the best Zapier alternatives for agencies.

Try Make free

Frequently asked questions

Is Make cheaper than Zapier?

For most multi-step workflows, yes, by a wide margin: 10,000 Make credits cost $10.59 a month on Core, while 750 Zapier tasks cost $29.99 on Professional (monthly billing, prices checked October 2026). For one-action Zaps at low volume, the difference is small.

Is Make harder to use than Zapier?

Yes, at first. Zapier’s step list is quicker to learn. Make’s canvas takes a little longer but makes complex workflows easier to build and debug.

Can I move my Zaps to Make?

There is no automatic import. You rebuild each Zap as a Make scenario. Start with the Zaps that use the most tasks, since they save the most money.

Does Make have a free plan?

Yes. It includes 1,000 credits a month and two active scenarios, which is enough to test real workflows.

What about n8n?

n8n charges per full workflow run instead of per step, and you can self-host it for free. It suits technical teams and high volumes. See n8n vs Make and n8n vs Zapier.

Sources: Zapier pricing, Zapier task tier prices (SuperDupr, Oct 2026), Make pricing, Make credit tier prices (DEV Community, Oct 2026), Make plan features (Jetadmin, Sept 2026).