Bottom line up front: Make is the better value in 2026 by a wide margin — $9/month buys 10,000 credits, while Zapier’s entry paid plan costs $19.99/month for 750 tasks. Zapier is still the right pick when you need its much larger app catalog (8,000+ integrations), the simplest possible editor, or a tool a non-technical team can run without training.
Zapier vs Make at a glance
| Factor | Zapier | Make | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0 — 100 tasks/mo, simple two-step Zaps | $0 — 1,000 credits/mo, 2 active scenarios | Make |
| Entry paid plan | Professional $19.99/mo on annual billing — 750 tasks | Core $9/mo on annual billing — 10,000 credits | Make |
| Team tier | Team $69/mo annual — 2,000 tasks, shared workspace | Teams $29/mo — 10,000 credits, team roles | Make on price |
| Billing unit | One task per successful action step | One credit per module action (routers and error handlers free) | Make — cheaper per unit |
| App catalog | 8,000+ apps | 3,000+ apps | Zapier |
| Workflow builder | Linear step editor; very easy to learn | Visual canvas with branching, iterators and error handling | Depends on you |
Prices checked October 11, 2026. Both platforms use volume sliders, so confirm your exact tier before you buy.
Why is the price gap so big?
The two platforms bill for roughly similar work — each step or module that runs — but price it very differently. A five-step automation that fires 1,000 times a month consumes about 5,000 Zapier tasks, nearly seven times the base Professional allowance, while the same workload uses about half of Make’s $9 Core plan. That math is why Make wins almost every cost comparison at volume, and why Zapier bills climb steeply as workflows get longer or busier.
Which is easier to use?
Zapier, for most people. Its linear editor reads like a checklist, its app connections are polished, and a new teammate can usually build a simple Zap on day one. Make’s canvas is more powerful — branching logic, data transformation and per-step error handling are visual and explicit — but that power has a learning curve. Teams often describe Make as the tool they graduate to when Zapier workflows get complicated or expensive.
What about apps and AI features?
Zapier’s catalog of 8,000+ apps is its moat: obscure SaaS tools are far more likely to have a ready-made Zapier integration than a Make module, though Make’s 3,000+ apps plus a flexible HTTP module cover most mainstream stacks. Both platforms now layer AI on top — Zapier sells agents as an add-on, while Make includes its AI agent features in paid plans metered in the same credits — so heavy AI automation strengthens Make’s value case further.
Which should you pick?
Pick Make if cost matters, your workflows branch or transform data, and you are willing to spend an afternoon learning the canvas.
Pick Zapier if you need a niche app integration Make lacks, your team is non-technical, and your automation volume is modest enough that the task bill stays small.
Frequently asked questions
Is Make really cheaper than Zapier?
Yes, substantially. Make Core is $9/month for 10,000 credits; Zapier Professional starts at $19.99/month for 750 tasks on annual billing.
What is the difference between a task and a credit?
A Zapier task is one successful action step in a Zap. A Make credit is one module action in a scenario. Long workflows multiply both, but Make’s units cost far less.
Which has more integrations?
Zapier, with 8,000+ apps versus Make’s 3,000+. Check both catalogs for your specific tools before deciding.
Can I migrate from Zapier to Make?
There is no one-click importer; workflows are rebuilt manually in Make’s canvas, which is usually a few hours of work for a typical small-business setup.
This comparison is research-based on published pricing and product documentation as of October 2026; we do not claim hands-on testing.