vs
Make.com vs Zapier
Make.com and Zapier are both Workflow Automation & Marketing Ops tools. Here is how they compare on pricing, free plans, AI integrations and platforms, and when each is the better fit.
Side by side
| Feature | Make.com | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Workflow Automation & Marketing Ops | Workflow Automation & Marketing Ops |
| Pricing | Free option available | — |
| Free option | Yes | Not listed |
| AI integrations | MCP server, Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini | — |
| Best for | — | Enterprise teams, Marketing ops, Developers |
| Links | Make.com listingVisit website (opens in a new tab) | Zapier listingVisit website (opens in a new tab) |
Which to choose
Choose Make.com if
- want a free plan with a monthly credit allowance to get started
- prefer a real-time visual builder with drag-and-drop and prompt-based design
- need MCP server connections for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or Gemini
- want an AI assistant to co-create, update, and debug workflows through natural language
Choose Zapier if
- need access to an ecosystem of over 9,000 connected applications
- want to run deterministic, hybrid, or fully agentic workflows
- require enterprise identity and security features like SAML SSO, SCIM, and SOC 3 compliance
- need AI guardrails, bring your own model options, and automated AI model opt-out on enterprise plans
Verdict
Make.com suits marketing, sales, operations, and IT teams that want a visual scenario builder to map multi-step workflows and conditional logic. It offers a free plan with a monthly credit allowance, a natural language assistant for debugging, and MCP integrations for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Cursor. The main trade-off is a learning curve for complex data parsing and the need to monitor credit consumption as workflow complexity grows.
Zapier suits teams from first-time founders to enterprise organisations that need a larger directory of over 9,000 apps and flexible operational models, from fixed rules to fully agentic workflows. It stands out for governance controls, including SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, Okta Workforce Identity integration, and AI guardrails. However, its listing does not specify pricing or a free option.
FAQ
- Do Make.com and Zapier offer free plans?
Make.com offers a free plan with a monthly credit allowance and uses a usage-based pricing model. The listing for Zapier does not state its pricing or whether a free option is available.
- Which platform connects to more applications?
Zapier connects to over 9,000 applications, including Okta Workforce Identity. Make.com connects to over 3,500 software applications and AI model providers, and also supports custom HTTP and REST API endpoints.
- How do Make.com and Zapier handle AI workflows?
Make.com includes the Maia AI assistant to build and debug scenarios via natural language prompts, plus an MCP server so assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Cursor can execute scenarios. Zapier supports hybrid and fully agentic workflows, bring your own model capabilities, AI guardrails, and automated AI model opt-out options on enterprise plans.
- What security and governance features do both tools provide?
Make.com provides role-based access controls, audit logs, data encryption, and SOC 2 Type II compliance, though advanced controls are restricted to higher enterprise tiers. Zapier offers SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, GDPR, and CCPA compliance, alongside SAML SSO, SCIM user provisioning, action restrictions, and log streaming.