Zapier vs Make: True Cost Comparison (2026) — Which Is Actually Cheaper?
Zapier charges per task. Make charges per credit (formerly operation). Both count multi-step workflows differently. We ran the numbers across 3 real usage scenarios to find out which is actually cheaper — and by how much.
ZAPIER (PROFESSIONAL)
$19.99
/month for 750 tasks
MAKE (CORE)
$9.00
/month for 5,000 credits
MAKE IS CHEAPER BY
50-80%
depending on usage
Pricing Tables: Side by Side
Zapier Pricing (April 2026)
| Plan | Annual/mo | Monthly | Tasks/mo | Cost/Task |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 100 | $0 |
| Professional | $19.99 | $29.99 | 750 | $0.027 |
| Team | $69 | $103.50 | 2,000 | $0.035 |
Make.com Pricing (April 2026)
| Plan | Annual/mo | Monthly | Credits/mo | Cost/Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 1,000 | $0 |
| Make (Core) | $9 | ~$10.59 | 5,000 | $0.0018 |
| Make (scaled) | ~$29-60 | varies | 10K-25K | $0.002-0.003 |
The Critical Difference: Tasks vs Credits
In Zapier, each action step in a Zap counts as 1 task. Triggers and filters do NOT count. A 5-action Zap running once = 5 tasks.
In Make, EVERY module (including triggers) counts as 1 credit. A 5-module scenario running once = 5 credits. But credits are 15x cheaper per unit ($0.0018 vs $0.027).
Net effect: Make charges for more steps per execution but at a dramatically lower per-unit cost. Make almost always wins on total spend.
Scenario 1: Solo Founder — Light Automation
Profile: 5 active workflows, avg 3 steps each, ~500 executions/month
Zapier
Tasks: 500 runs x 3 actions = 1,500 tasks
Plan needed: Professional (750 tasks)
Base: $19.99/mo
Overage: 750 x $0.034 = +$25.50
Total: $45.49/mo
Make.com
Credits: 500 runs x 3 modules = 1,500 credits
Plan needed: Core (5,000 credits)
Base: $9/mo
Overage: $0 (3,500 credits unused)
Total: $9/mo
Make saves $36.49/mo = 80% cheaper
Annual savings: $437.88
Scenario 2: Growing Team — Moderate Automation
Profile: 15 active workflows, avg 4 steps each, ~2,000 executions/month, 3 team members need access
Zapier
Tasks: 2,000 runs x 4 actions = 8,000 tasks
Plan needed: Team (shared workspace required)
Base: $69/mo (annual, 2,000 tasks)
Overage: 6,000 x $0.035 = +$210
Total: $279/mo
Make.com
Credits: 2,000 runs x 4 modules = 8,000 credits
Plan needed: Core (scaled to 10K credits)
Base: ~$29/mo
Overage: $0 (2,000 credits unused)
Total: ~$29/mo
Make saves $250/mo = 90% cheaper
Annual savings: $3,000
Scenario 3: Scale-Up — Heavy Automation
Profile: 30+ workflows, avg 5 steps each, ~5,000 executions/month, 5 team members
Zapier
Tasks: 5,000 runs x 5 actions = 25,000 tasks
Plan needed: Team (max 2,000 base tasks)
Must upgrade task tier or pay overage
Estimated: $500-800/mo
(Team base + massive overage or Enterprise custom)
Make.com
Credits: 5,000 runs x 5 modules = 25,000 credits
Plan needed: Core (scaled to 25K credits)
Base: ~$60/mo
Overage: $0
Total: ~$60/mo
Make saves $440-740/mo = 88-92% cheaper
Annual savings: $5,280-8,880
Where Zapier Still Wins
Being cheaper doesn't mean Make is always the right choice. Zapier has real advantages:
- Ease of use: Zapier's interface is simpler. Non-technical team members can build Zaps without training. Make's visual builder has a steeper learning curve.
- App library: Zapier supports 7,000+ apps vs Make's ~1,800+. If you need a niche integration, Zapier is more likely to have it.
- Reliability/uptime: Zapier has a longer track record and generally higher uptime. Make has improved significantly but Zapier is still the safer bet for mission-critical workflows.
- Support & documentation: Zapier has more community resources, templates, and support articles. When something breaks, you're more likely to find the answer for Zapier.
Where Make Wins (Besides Price)
- Complex logic: Make's visual scenario builder supports branching, loops, error handling, and conditional routing that would require multiple separate Zaps in Zapier.
- No premium app paywall: All apps are available on all paid plans. No separate tier required for Salesforce or HubSpot.
- Data transformation: Built-in JSON/XML parsing, array manipulation, and data mapping without add-ons.
- Transparent execution: You can see exactly what each module consumed. Zapier's task counting is less visible during execution.
The Verdict
Choose Zapier if:
- • Your team is non-technical and needs the simplest UI
- • You need a niche app integration Make doesn't support
- • You have very low volume (<100 tasks/mo = free tier)
- • You need enterprise SSO/compliance features
Choose Make if:
- • You want to save 50-90% on automation costs
- • You run moderate-to-high volume automations
- • You need complex branching/error handling logic
- • You use premium apps (included on all Make plans)
Bottom line: Make is 50-90% cheaper for the same workload. The only question is whether Zapier's simplicity and app library are worth a 2-10x premium to your team.
What About n8n? (The Self-Hosted Option)
If you have a developer on your team, n8n is the cheapest option by far
- • Self-hosted cost: ~$5-20/mo for a VPS (DigitalOcean, Railway, etc.)
- • Workflows: Unlimited
- • Executions: Unlimited
- • Tradeoff: Requires Docker/server setup and maintenance. No managed hosting for free.
- • n8n Cloud: $24/mo for managed hosting with 2,500 executions (still cheaper than Zapier)
Calculate Your Exact Cost on Both Platforms
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