Guide · compare
Make vs Zapier for small teams (2026)
Totals are not published yet. Self-hosted is a separate lane. See the live scorecard. When to pick each is also on Make vs n8n vs Zapier — when to pick each. This page does not add new scores.
Pick Make or Zapier
Make Not scored yet
Pick Make if…
You will draw the flow on a canvas — routers, branching, a sheet row then Slack — and you want to count credits per module. Or you already run Make scenarios that write the right rows.
Zapier Not scored yet
Pick Zapier if…
You need a working Zap this week without mapping a canvas, the app only Zapier lists, or the people who will own it will not map modules. Or you already run Zaps that write the right rows.
A pick for a small-team job.
- You are choosing between Make’s canvas and Zapier’s catalog for a small team.
- You want a clear pick for a concrete job.
- You need dated list prices and how each bills a run.
Read more
What this page tells you. When Make or Zapier fits a concrete small-team job, plus dated list prices from the official pages. Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams.
Not ranked yetSome scores not shown yetVendor pages accessed 2026-09-16Live scorecard
List prices (dated)
Official list pages only: Make pricing · Zapier pricing, accessed 2026-09-16. Zapier dollars below are the published entry task tiers. Make’s page lists Free, Core, Pro, Teams, and Enterprise with monthly and annual billing and a credit slider — it does not publish a single fixed monthly or annual dollar on the page we could read, so those $ figures are omitted.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Seat / ops model | Free-plan limits | Meter | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make Free | Free | Free | Credits. Not a published per-seat price. | 1,000 credits / month; 2 active scenarios; 15-minute minimum interval | Credits | 2026-09-16 |
| Make Core | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Unlimited active scenarios. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-16 |
| Make Pro | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Priority execution. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-16 |
| Make Teams | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Not a fixed $ on the list page (credit slider) | Credits. Team roles. Not a published per-seat price. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-16 |
| Make Enterprise | Custom — talk to sales | Custom — talk to sales | Credits. Custom enterprise features. | See Make Free | Credits | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Free | Free | Free | 1 seat. Tasks reset monthly. | 100 tasks / month; two-step Zaps; 1 seat | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Professional | $29.99 / month at 750 tasks | $19.99 / month billed annually at 750 tasks | 1 seat. Tasks reset monthly. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Team | $103.50 / month at 2,000 tasks | $69.00 / month billed annually at 2,000 tasks | 25 seats. Tasks reset monthly. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
| Zapier Enterprise | Custom — contact sales | Custom — contact sales | Unlimited seats on the list page. Annual task limits. | See Zapier Free | Tasks | 2026-09-16 |
Zapier Professional and Team figures are the entry task tiers on zapier.com/pricing (750 tasks and 2,000 tasks). Higher task tiers exist on that page and are not copied here. Extra-credit and pay-per-task overage dollars are not listed as fixed figures on those primary pages.
Which tool for which job
When each is the better pick for a small-team job. Totals are not published yet. Four questions first: Which automation tool for small teams.
Swipe sideways on a narrow screen.
| Small-team job | Make | Zapier | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| A working automation this week, without mapping a canvas | Possible — first scenario is a walkthrough | Usually wins | A Zap is a trigger plus actions. Zapier’s quick start is “without code.” |
| A visual scenario with routers or branching | Usually wins | Paths exist; each successful action is still a task | Make modules sit on a canvas. Compare credits vs tasks on Same job, three meters. |
| An app only Zapier lists in this pair | Custom HTTP if the app is missing | Usually wins | Zapier help publishes 9,000+ apps. Make’s integrations page publishes 3,000+ apps. |
| Volume is the constraint | Usually wins | Task meter can hold or bill extras | Compare the same job in credits vs tasks. Do not treat one task as one credit. |
| You already run Make scenarios that write the right rows | Usually wins — keep until you parallel-run | Rebuild; no one-click import | Make export is a blueprint JSON. Zapier JSON is not interchangeable with it. |
| You already run Zaps that write the right rows | Rebuild; no one-click import | Usually wins — keep until you parallel-run | Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Make blueprints are not interchangeable with it. |
| Operators are not developers and volume is still low | Fits if they will map modules | Usually wins | Free and Professional are individual plans. Team is the first multi-user plan (25 seats on the pricing page). |
“Usually wins” means the better pick for that job, not a crown. Units for one 5-step job live on Same job, three meters.
When Make is the better pick
Honest cases: When Make is the right pick.
Make
You want a visual scenario canvas
In Make, everything you build is a scenario. Modules are the building blocks. A standard scenario is a series of non-AI modules that follow fixed rules — watch a sheet, write a row, notify Slack.
Make
The job fits Make credits
Credits are Make’s billing unit. For most non-AI apps, one module action uses one credit. Triggers run once per check. Action modules run once per bundle.
Make
Zapier’s task meter is the constraint
A Zapier task is a successful action step. The same lead → sheet → Slack job is not one task and one credit. Compare units on Same job, three meters — that is unit math, not a score.
Source: Make — what’s a scenario · Make — credits · Make — operations · Zapier — how task usage is measured · accessed 2026-09-16
When Zapier is the better pick
Honest cases: When Zapier is still the right pick.
Zapier
You need a working Zap this week
A Zap is a trigger plus one or more actions. Zapier’s editor is three phases: build, test, then publish. You can start from a blank Zap, a pre-built template, or Copilot (open beta).
Zapier
The app you need is in Zapier’s directory
Zapier’s help center publishes 9,000+ apps. If the connector is listed there and missing on Make, staying is often simpler than a custom HTTP module.
Zapier
The operators are not developers
Zapier’s quick start is “without code.” Free and Professional are one-user plans. Team is the first multi-user plan (25 seats on the pricing page). If the people who will own the Zaps will not map modules, Zapier can still be the right tool.
Source: Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · Zapier — introduction to apps · Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
Same job, two meters
Do not treat one Zapier task as one Make credit. The 5-step worked example — form lead → sheet or CRM row → confirmation email → Slack → follow-up task — is on Same job, three meters. Per successful run that page counts 4 Zapier tasks and 5 Make credits. Units only at 50 / 500 / 5,000 runs.
Deeper unit definitions: Tasks vs credits vs executions.
Switching tools
Make export is a blueprint JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click Make ↔ Zapier import. Imports on Make must stay below 2 MB, and you recreate connections after import. Keep the source job on, rebuild one critical job, compare outcomes, then cut over.
What does not travel: What does not migrate. If the book is already Zapier and the question is whether to rebuild it on Make, use Switching from Zapier to Make — when the rebuild is worth it. If the book is already Make and the question is whether to rebuild it on Zapier, use Switching from Make to Zapier — when the rebuild is worth it. Cutover checklist: Parallel-run one job before you switch. Pass or defer first: What’s worth automating. If it already fails, name the class: When automations fail.
Scoring status
Scoring status
The live card is Make vs n8n vs Zapier. Totals are not published yet. It is not a third-tool comparison. If the job is actually n8n Cloud or n8n Self-host, use the when-to-pick guide or Which automation tool for small teams.
Criterion scores are not published yet. The /500 total is not published yet. This page does not add new scores. Rules: How scoring works.
Sibling compares: Make vs n8n for small teams (2026) · n8n vs Zapier for small teams (2026).
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Zapier
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Sources
Primary vendor pages. Access date for every citation on this page: 2026-09-16. List prices stay as published.
- Make — what’s a scenario · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make — credits · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make — operations · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make — extra credits · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make App Integrations · accessed 2026-09-16
- Make — blueprints · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — how task usage is measured · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier pricing · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — introduction to apps · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — Zap workflows quick start guide · accessed 2026-09-16
- Zapier — import and export Zap workflows · accessed 2026-09-16
FAQ
Make vs Zapier — which should a small team pick?
It depends on the job. Pick Make if you will map a visual scenario and count credits. Pick Zapier if you need a first Zap this week, a wider catalog, or an existing Zapier estate. Four questions: Which automation tool for small teams.
Is this a new Make vs Zapier scorecard?
No. Totals are not published yet. The live scorecard stays the source. This page does not add new scores and is not a third-tool comparison. Rules live on Methodology.
When does Make win vs Zapier for a small team?
When the job is a visual scenario canvas, volume that fits Make credits, or a Zapier task meter that is the constraint. Honest cases: When Make is the right pick. Compare units on Same job, three meters.
When does Zapier still win vs Make?
When the job is a first Zap this week, an app that only Zapier lists here, a non-technical operator at low volume, or an existing Zapier estate you would have to rebuild. Honest cases: When Zapier is still the right pick.
How do Make and Zapier bill the same job?
A Zapier task is a successful action step. Triggers, Filters, Paths, and Formatter do not count. A Make credit is usually one module action; a trigger check still uses a credit. See Same job, three meters and Tasks vs credits vs executions. Do not treat one task as one credit.
Can I import a Zap into Make, or a Make blueprint into Zapier?
No. Make export is a blueprint JSON. Zapier export is Zapier JSON. Those formats are not interchangeable. There is no one-click Make ↔ Zapier import. Rebuild one critical job, compare outcomes, then cut over. See What does not migrate and Parallel-run one job before you switch.
Affiliate disclosure
Make is a live partner signup (pc=stackscorecard) and is marked affiliate; we may earn a commission. Zapier stays an official-site URL with UTM only — no affiliate ID. Rankings are not sold. Policy: Affiliate disclosure · Disclosures. Contact editor@stackscorecard.com.