Make.com vs. Zapier Pricing 2026: The Honest Cost Comparison

You're deciding between Make.com and Zapier? Both tools automate your business processes -- but the pricing differences are enormous. What looks affordable at first glance can become expensive under closer inspection. In this article, we compare Make.com pricing and Zapier pricing 2026 in detail, calculate real-world scenarios, and show you which tool is right for which budget.

For a comprehensive feature comparison including n8n, check our article Zapier vs. Make.com vs. n8n. This article focuses exclusively on costs.

Pricing Models Explained: How Make.com and Zapier Charge You

Before we compare concrete numbers, you need to understand how both tools bill -- because this is where the biggest difference lies.

Zapier: Tasks as the Billing Unit

Zapier charges by Tasks. A Task is every individual action that a Zap (workflow) executes -- excluding the trigger. If your workflow has 5 steps (1 trigger + 4 actions), each execution consumes 4 Tasks.

This means: A seemingly simple workflow running 100 times per day can quickly burn through 12,000 Tasks per month.

Make.com: Operations as the Billing Unit

Make.com charges by Operations. Every action -- including the trigger -- counts as 1 Operation. This sounds similar at first, but is fairer in practice because Make.com offers significantly more Operations per pricing tier and the cost per Operation is substantially lower.

Why This Difference Matters

The result: Make.com's entry plan includes over 13x more units than Zapier -- at a lower price. But numbers alone don't tell the whole story.

All Pricing Plans in Detail (as of 2026)

Zapier Pricing 2026

Additional Tasks: From the Professional plan, you can purchase extra Tasks. Costs are approximately $0.01-0.03 per additional Task, depending on volume.

Make.com Pricing 2026

Additional Operations: Can be purchased in bundles. 10,000 extra Operations cost approximately $4-8, depending on the plan.

Direct Price Comparison by Plan Level

Hidden Costs: What the Pricing Pages Don't Tell You

List prices only tell half the story. Both tools have cost traps that only become visible in production.

Hidden Costs with Zapier

1. Premium Apps

Many popular integrations are classified as "Premium." These are only available from the Starter plan. They include Salesforce, HubSpot (Marketing), Microsoft Dynamics, and various database connectors.

2. Task Explosion with Multi-Step Zaps

A 10-step workflow consumes 9 Tasks per execution. At 50 executions/day, that's 13,500 Tasks per month -- the Professional plan isn't enough anymore.

3. Overage Costs

When you exceed your Task limit, additional Tasks are automatically charged. Prices are often above the regular pro-rata rate.

4. No Pause Option

Paused Zaps don't consume Tasks, but the monthly fee keeps running.

Hidden Costs with Make.com

1. Operations Consumed on Errors

Failed Operations also count toward your quota. A poorly configured workflow can "burn" Operations.

2. Data Transfer Limits

Each plan has a data transfer limit (e.g., 1 GB on the Core plan). If you process large files, you'll need a higher plan quickly.

3. Execution Time Limits

Workflows that run longer than the time limit (depending on plan) are terminated. Complex processes may require an upgrade.

4. Webhooks and Advanced Features

Certain features like Custom Webhooks, full-text log search, and Priority Execution are only available from the Pro plan onward.

Total Cost of Ownership Comparison

The learning curve with Make.com is steeper. Factor this in, because your time has a price too. If you need support, our article about Make.com agencies provides helpful information.

Real-World Cost Scenarios: What Do You Actually Pay?

Enough theory. Here are three realistic scenarios with fully calculated costs.

Scenario 1: Small Business (5-10 Employees)

Requirement: 3 simple workflows (CRM sync, email notifications, form processing). Approximately 500 workflow executions per month with an average of 4 steps. Result: Make.com is 82% cheaper here. For simple requirements, there's no rational reason to choose Zapier -- unless the easier interface saves you more time than the price difference.

Scenario 2: Mid-Market (50-200 Employees)

Requirement: 10-15 workflows (lead management, invoice processing, HR onboarding, reporting). Approximately 5,000 workflow executions per month with an average of 6 steps. 3 team members use the tool. Result: Make.com saves mid-market companies over $4,000 per year in tool costs alone. For context on total automation project costs, read our article on process automation costs.

Scenario 3: Growing Enterprise (200+ Employees)

Requirement: 30+ workflows, multiple teams, 20,000 workflow executions per month with an average of 8 steps. 10 team members. Result: At enterprise scale, the savings with Make.com can exceed $20,000 per year. However, at this level, enterprise features like SSO, audit logs, and dedicated support matter more than raw price.

When Is Zapier Still the Better Choice?

Despite the higher prices, there are situations where Zapier justifies its cost:

1. Maximum Simplicity Required

When non-technical employees need to create workflows themselves, Zapier is unmatched in intuitiveness. The learning curve is 3-5x shorter than Make.com.

2. Rare Integrations Needed

With over 7,000 apps, Zapier has the largest integration library. If you need to connect niche tools that Make.com (1,500+ apps) doesn't support, there's no alternative.

3. Minimal Volume

At under 100 Tasks per month, Zapier's Free plan is sufficient and costs nothing.

4. Fastest Time to Value

For a quick proof of concept or a time-critical automation, Zapier is often faster to set up.

5. US-Based Companies Without EU Requirements

If GDPR isn't a concern, Zapier's US infrastructure isn't a disadvantage.

When Is Make.com the Clear Choice?

1. Budget Is Limited

At any volume above the free tier, Make.com is significantly cheaper. Savings range from 50-90%.

2. Complex Workflows

Make.com's visual builder is better suited for branching, complex scenarios than Zapier's linear structure.

3. EU Data Residency Desired

Make.com offers EU servers. For GDPR-sensitive data, this is a major advantage. More details in our article about GDPR-compliant Zapier alternatives.

4. Scaling Planned

If you know your automation volume will grow, Make.com is dramatically more cost-effective long-term.

5. Agency Collaboration

Make.com's Teams feature at $29/month is significantly cheaper than Zapier's Team plan ($69/user/month). A Make.com agency can work directly in your workspace.

Migration Costs: What Does Switching Cost?

If you're already on Zapier and want to switch to Make.com, factor in migration costs:

Rule of thumb: Migration costs pay for themselves within 6-12 months through lower ongoing costs for most companies.

FAQ: Common Questions About Make.com vs. Zapier Pricing

Is Make.com really that much cheaper than Zapier?

Yes, in most scenarios Make.com is 50-90% cheaper than Zapier. The main reason is the significantly lower cost per Operation compared to Zapier's Task pricing. At 10,000 monthly executions, you'll pay from $16 with Make.com versus at least $49-149 with Zapier. The gap widens with volume.

Does Make.com have a free plan?

Yes. Make.com offers a Free plan with 1,000 Operations per month and 2 active scenarios. This is sufficient for initial testing and very simple automations. Zapier also offers a Free plan, but only with 100 Tasks and no multi-step workflows.

Can I migrate from Zapier to Make.com?

Yes, migration is possible but requires rebuilding workflows from scratch. There's no automatic import tool. Depending on complexity and number of workflows, budget $2,000-5,000 for a professional migration. The investment typically pays for itself within a year through lower ongoing costs.

What happens when I exceed my Operations or Task limit?

With Zapier, additional Tasks are automatically charged (overage). You can also upgrade before hitting the limit. With Make.com, you can purchase additional Operations bundles or upgrade your plan. Make.com is significantly cheaper for overages than Zapier.

Which tool is better for e-commerce?

Make.com is the better choice for e-commerce. The lower costs make a significant difference at the typically high volumes (orders, inventory updates, customer notifications). Additionally, Make.com offers powerful integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and other e-commerce platforms with advanced data manipulation capabilities.

Is Zapier's Team plan worth it?

Zapier's Team plan costs $69 per user per month. With 5 team members, that's $345/month. Make.com's Teams plan costs $29/month for the entire team. If collaboration is important and budget matters, Make.com's Teams plan is the more economical option.

Do these prices include implementation costs?

No, the prices compared here are pure tool costs (software licenses). Implementation -- setting up and configuring workflows -- is additional. Make.com has a steeper learning curve, which can mean more implementation time initially. Long-term, this evens out through lower ongoing costs. For a complete cost overview including implementation, see our article Process Automation Costs.

Should I consider n8n instead of Make.com and Zapier?

If you have technical expertise or are automating high volumes, n8n Self-Hosted is the cheapest option (server costs only, from approximately $10-20/month). For most businesses without a dedicated IT department, Make.com offers the best balance of price, usability, and functionality. Find the full three-way comparison in Zapier vs. Make.com vs. n8n.

Our Verdict: Make.com Wins on Price -- Zapier Wins on Simplicity

The numbers speak clearly: Make.com is significantly cheaper than Zapier in almost every scenario. At medium volumes, you save 80-90% on tool costs. For cost-conscious businesses, Make.com is the rational choice.

Zapier justifies its higher price only in specific cases: maximum simplicity, the largest app selection, or when an established Zapier infrastructure already exists.

Our recommendation by budget:

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