Zapier vs Make: Which Automation Tool Is Actually Worth It for Small Businesses in 2025
The Problem Every Small Business Owner Knows
You’re doing the same tasks every day. Copying data from one app to another. Sending follow-up emails manually. Updating spreadsheets by hand.
Automation tools like Zapier and Make promise to fix this — but which one is actually worth your money?
This guide breaks it down honestly, without the fluff.
What Are These Tools, Actually?
Zapier connects your apps and automates tasks between them. You set up a “Zap” — a trigger and an action. When X happens in App A, do Y in App B. Simple.
Make (formerly Integromat) does the same thing, but gives you more control over complex workflows. It’s more visual, more flexible — and has a steeper learning curve.
Pricing Breakdown
| Zapier | Make | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 100 tasks/month | 1,000 operations/month |
| Starter paid | $19.99/month | $9/month |
| What you get | 750 tasks, 5 Zaps | 10,000 ops, unlimited scenarios |
| Best for | Beginners | Cost-conscious users |
Bottom line on price: Make is significantly cheaper for the same volume of automation. If budget is tight, Make wins on paper.
Ease of Use
Zapier is the clear winner here. The interface is clean, setup takes minutes, and there’s no learning curve. If you’ve never automated anything before, Zapier gets you running in an afternoon.
Make requires more setup time. The visual canvas is powerful but unfamiliar at first. Plan for a few hours to get comfortable.
Integrations
- Zapier: 6,000+ app integrations
- Make: 1,800+ app integrations
If you use niche or industry-specific tools, Zapier is more likely to support them. For the major apps — Gmail, Slack, HubSpot, Notion, Shopify — both cover you.
Real-World Use Cases for Small Businesses
New lead comes in from your website form
→ Zapier/Make automatically adds them to your CRM, sends a welcome email, and notifies your Slack
Client fills out an intake form
→ Auto-create a project in your project management tool, send a confirmation email, log it in a spreadsheet
New invoice paid
→ Update your accounting software, notify your team, send a thank-you to the client
All of this runs while you sleep.
Where Each Tool Wins
Choose Zapier if:
- You’re new to automation
- You need to connect many different apps quickly
- Time matters more than cost
- You want reliable support and documentation
Choose Make if:
- You’re comfortable with a learning curve
- You need complex, multi-step workflows
- Budget is a priority
- You want more control over data handling
The Honest Verdict
For most small business owners starting with automation, Zapier is the better first step. You’ll get results faster, waste less time troubleshooting, and actually use the tool.
Once you’ve automated your core workflows and want to go deeper — or if cost becomes a factor — switching to or adding Make makes sense.
Both offer free plans. The smartest move: start with Make’s free tier this week and see which tasks you can automate in the next 30 minutes.