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Automate processes, outsource redundant work or design customer journeys brilliantly, both can be done with Zapier and Make. But which of the two cloud process automation tools is better? And why not compare Zapier to Automate.io?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILJaJlINnM0
Zapier vs. Make - The Comparison
Zapier vs. Make : Comparison. We don't want to compare two almost identical tools, we want to point out specific differences and for this purpose Zapier and Make are a good choice. Why it also makes a huge difference that Zapier is a US-American and Make a Czech software provider, you can read in the conclusion. Finally, we will introduce a special new tool that takes cloud process automation to a new level.
Zapier
3.9/5
Make
4.2/5
Zapier and Make save you money, time and costs. Automate employee tasks.
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What are you gonna read in this blog post?
Why Zapier is easier and why Make can be better for you. We will present price, technical and content comparisons and help to automate your processes in the cloud.
The first difference between the two platforms is immediately apparent on first use: the user interface is structured very differently. If a workflow is created in Zapier, the required apps and functions are added bit by bit. This results in a linear represented process.
The disadvantage of this view: if you want to replace a single action, you have to delete and recreate all subsequent actions.
Make on the other hand uses a visual representation that represents all tools used and can be edited by drag-and-drop. Individual modules can be moved and edited as desired. This looks like this:
The big advantage here is that individual modules can be exchanged at will without affecting the other steps. For us, Make is clearly the winner. The flexible, clear view allows better troubleshooting and is more intuitive in our eyes.
Another difference that immediately catches the eye are the different terms that actually mean the same thing. Here a short comparison of the most important terms plus explanation:
ZapierMakeExplanationZapScenarioActivity to be performed (e.g. data from Google to Excel and from Excel to CRM system and then contact)Triggers and ActionsModules (Actions, Triggers, Iterators)Triggers and functions in the process (e.g.: 10 e-mail addresses should be split up and written to individually)TaskOperationA single process stepPathsRoutesBranching in the process
Zapiers pricing:
Zapier is basically "free", but you can't really automate anything with a free subscription. A maximum of two "zaps" (= process steps) is possible here. What are these zaps? Imagine you want to post your e-mail as an image on WordPress and want to format the name or you want to post a message from Gmail in Slack and Trello - then you'll already reach your limit here. You can connect a maximum of 2 apps with each other.
At Make, for comparison, you can combine an infinite number of apps in the free model. Even with only 5 zaps, most of our customers usually don't get there. E.g. website, chat, CRM, forms, and project management, each tool can be automated with 10-20 processes, so your company saves time and money through cloud process automation. However, you only get 5 zaps:
Our experience shows that most customers need at least the Professional Plan. This provides the necessary functions. In Zapier's Professional Plan you get so-called Paths. What are Zapier Paths? If-then functions. So without Paths it gets complicated quickly. Imagine Excel without an if-then function - it's no fun and makes little sense.
In the Professional Plan you get 2,000 zaps, we calculate a time saving (found out by our customers through projects) of about 16 cents per minute. This means that the Professional Plan saves you about 520€ in employee costs and time, which corresponds to an hourly wage of about 20€ gross from the employer's point of view. But that'S only the beginning: above all you can invest your time better.
With 2,000 Zaps you won't uproot any trees. Many customers exceed the limit quite quickly and need more Zaps. Sure, you can now say that it is still more cost efficient to use Zaps than to hire employees, but these costs are also to pay and add up quite quickly. So let's have a look at the pricing model of Make.
At first glance, Zapier and Make hardly differ in price. However, on closer inspection we can see big differences. Make is much cheaper than Zapier, with Zapier you get 100 process steps (Zaps) for 0€, with Make 1,000 for 0€ and even better, you have no limitation of applications, so for example your 28-step process can be automated directly for testing. Chapeau: Here Make is much more cost efficient than Zapier.
Furthermore you can get the team package from Zapier instead of 276€ here at Make for 29$ plus 9$. How plus? Yes, at Make you can update your limit by another 10,000 process steps, if you exceed the limit. This is not possible with Zapier, here you pay Flat 2 Cent per Zap. With us you even get 10,000 operations in the first month for free. Just use our affiliate link for Make.
For Zapier we recommend the annual subscription, for Make the monthly subscription. This is because the costs for Zapier can be reduced by up to 25% with an annual subscription. What is the best way to proceed - in order not to pay 600€ directly at one go? You build your Zaps with a monthly subscription, test them and then, after 1-2 months, you change. You will notice over the duration of the subscription, some Zaps are non-sense, that is normal. Delete them, create new ones and test them, so we recommend a monthly subscription first and change it afterwards.
At Make you can only take the monthly plan (Make is cheaper than Zapier anyway) - but if you are a large company that wants to automate a lot in the cloud without having to maintain and update all the APIs, please contact us. We have the direct line and have already obtained special conditions for some customers at Make.
When it comes to costs, MAKEclearly and completely wins. Now on to the technical view, Zapier or Make?
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Where do we start? Let's compare the marketing slogans and the packages themselves before we reveal our insider knowledge as Zapier Expert and Make partner for Germany. Which plans do we compare? Zapier Professional Plan vs. Make vStandard, just what we recommend for our customers.
Generally speaking, we find it easier to add new zaps in Zapier. You will be assisted pleasantly and the layout is very clear. Examples for searches and suggestions are given directly. Here is an example of how you can create a zap with Gmail. This is very easy. But we find the account management in Make better.
So what is easier? Zapier scores here. Zapier Experts Europe - Wemakefuture.
Let's have a look on the downsides:
In our opinion, Make is better for users who want to map real and complex business processes. Knowledge of computer science or data processing definitely helps here. Zapier is definitely more user-friendly and scores points for the creation of new processes. It is difficult to say who is generally ahead of the pack. We can say this much: it is easier to create processes in Zapier and if you have little IT knowledge, use Zapier. If it is a complex process and for a company with numerous roles and rights, use Make .
We are happy to help you to find out what makes sense for you and what is better suited for your company: Zapier or Make? Contact
Find out now what suits your company better
Let us now come to the comparison of content: What does content mean? General factors, general features and miscellaneous.
In general, we find the community support of Make more professional and better. Here we notice that there are professionals at work and not just any users asking questions that Google could have answered. However, Zapier is much better known and has built more content and examples in their blog postings. Make has much more features compared to Zapier, where we would work with code instead.
Sure, for the average user, Make is recommended if you don't want to write Python or JavaScript. We come to the conclusion that it is a matter of taste: cut a .Json in Zapier with Python or using a Json formater in Make . You're asking: "WTF Json?" Yes, such a data thingy. It does not matter. If Json doesn't mean anything to you, our tip is go-with-the-flow and take a look at Zapier.
Other features that we would like to highlight are roles and rights management. Often we have the feeling that we have to exchange passwords at Zapier and it is all a bit "insecure". At Make you notice, someone has thought about how developers can help companies with integration without us seeing/knowing all data and passwords.
Wemakefuture is your partner in Europe for Zapier and Make . Cloud process automation successfully implemented.
As Make partner in Germany and Zapier Expert Germany we develop process automation with both tools. It clearly depends on your needs and the scope of your automation. We can warmly recommend both automation providers and stand behind both platforms. If you are particularly interested in the topic of data protection of both providers, we have written a blog post for Make and Zapier each after the judgement on the Privacy Shield of the ECJ.
Update: There is a small point deduction for Make, because the promised version 2 is still not live and therefore delayed. Zapier on the other hand recently scored points with the JavaScript & Python modules, which are extremely performant and powerful.
We are happy to help you with the development of your process automation, so you can implement the digital machine age 2.0 correctly!
Zapier
3.9/5
Make
4.2/5
Zapier and Make Save time, money and costs.
Automate employer tasks easily.
Get a free Automation consultation now
Our newest tool, Wayscript! Since we work a lot with Airtable for our customers to provide a "port" for processes and Wayscript combines the advantages of Zapier and Make (modularity, SQL/data storage and Python), this is a hot tip from us. We remain curious to see how Wayscript develops further. Currently we do not recommend the operational use yet.
Cloud Integration, iPaaS, SaaS, BPA… Ough, hard to keep track of all these terms. They are currently used frequently (and increasingly) in the context of automation, and it is sometimes difficult to make a clear distinction and distinction. We have already written blog posts on the terms iPaaS, SaaS and BPA, but we’ll take them up again here to make the difference.
But let’s start with cloud integration, because that’s the central umbrella term in which we embed all the other technologies in this blog post.
Arrange a free cloud integration consultation now
Arrange a free cloud integration consultation now
To illustrate these advantages, an example is suitable that we know well from our everyday work as an automation agency:
The central data to be used here is the data of a major customer. This can be the simplest information, such as the address. This address is required in numerous but completely different processes in the company: on the one hand, for correct invoicing in accounting. On the other hand, in the CRM system, where all the data of the large customer is also stored. But the address is also important in sales, for example, when employees go to the sales meeting on site.
Now the customer announces that the address of the company has changed after a move. This information will reach you by e-mail. There are now two options:
01. The e-mail is forwarded to all affected departments, accounting, sales, customer service, marketing… All persons open their corresponding program, CRM, accounting software, marketing tools (such as newsletter marketing) and change the data already stored there of the customer. This means that in multiple applications, different people do exactly the same thing: change one address.
02. But there is also an alternative: By connecting your applications, thus by integrizing them, the customer’s e-mail, or rather the information it contains about the address change, is automatically passed on to all affected applications: CRM, accounting, marketing, ERP. This does not require any clicks, because the cloud integration detects a trigger, i.e. address change, and thus automatically starts the process.
What sounds unimpressive in a single process becomes more effective when such a process occurs several times a day or weekly. Because there is a lot of data that is available in different applications and should always be correct. If these applications are cloud applications they are suitable for cloud integration.
But cloud integration doesn’t just happen. There are now a variety of applications that enable and implement this. Such tools usually allow us to link the relevant cloud applications on a central platform and define clear rules on when, how, where, how much data should be passed on and what happens to them.
To realize cloud integration, there are various applications and technologies that are sometimes used interchangeably.
We have made a first distinction between iPaaS and BPA here.
We explain the term SaaS in more detail here.
Cloud integration is rather an umbrella term that includes numerous technologies, such as SaaS, iPaaS and BPA, and this is also absolutely necessary. Cloud integration is a concept that is made possible by appropriate technologies.
However, all terms share the commonality that they are cloud-based and thus offer enormous potential for growth and scaling. In addition, they are often cheaper to implement and maintain because changed requirements are easy to implement.
As an independent automation agency, we implement cloud integration according to your requirements. We use a variety of SaaS tools and iPaas (strictly speaking BPA) software. Together we find individual solutions that are flexible and scalable.
