Make.com vs Zapier in 2025: Which Automation Tool Is Best for Business Workflows?
Hey—Eli Mercer here. I live and breathe AI tools, and if you’re like me, you hate wasting time on overpriced hype or tools that look great in demos and break under real-world pressure. Today, I’m breaking down one of the most-asked questions in business automation:
Is Make.com better than Zapier in 2025 for automating business workflows?
You’ve probably used—or at least heard of—Zapier. Maybe it’s been your go-to for stringing together spreadsheets and email flows.
But if you’re serious about automation in 2025, you owe it to yourself to check out Make.com. I’ve tested both tools side-by-side in my consulting work with SaaS teams, agencies, and solo founders—and let’s just say the gap is growing.
This isn’t a fluffy comparison. I’m giving you real pros, cons, and a verdict based on actual business use with pricing, use cases, and performance included.
Let’s dive in.
What Is Make.com?
If Zapier is automation 101, Make.com is automation 201—and completely no-code.
Make.com is an advanced visual automation platform that connects over 1,500+ apps (think: Shopify, Slack, CRMs, ads, spreadsheets, databases). It lets you create drag-and-drop workflows—called “Scenarios”—that automate repetitive tasks, manage data, and integrate tools.
Seriously, I’ve used it to clean CRM data, trigger multi-step email campaigns, route purchase orders, and automate social content—without touching a line of code.
Want to see what I mean?
Why Business Owners Are Leaving Zapier in 2025
Zapier is often praised for simplicity, and deservedly so. For basic automation—like sending a Slack message when you get an email—it works.
But in 2025, businesses need more than simple triggers. You need automation that handles logic, routes data, transforms inputs, adapts to your tools, and most importantly—saves time without breaking.
This is where Make absolutely crushes Zapier:
- 🎯 Visual Scenario Builder: In Zapier, you build in a dry list-like UI. In Make, you see your workflow map like a mind map.
- 🔁 : Make lets you add If/Then paths, error handling, loops, scheduling, and fallbacks—all visually.
- ⚙️ Data Transformation: Zapier is limited in manipulating payloads. Make lets you filter, map, split, and enrich data with ease.
- 🔍 Real-Time Testing: Make’s ability to debug in real time is a massive bonus when building complex flows.
Now sprinkle all that into pricing, and the value gets tough to ignore.
Make.com vs Zapier: Pricing in 2025
Both platforms offer free plans. But only Make.com’s Free Plan actually lets you build meaningful workflows, not just toy projects.
Make.com Pricing Overview:
- ✅ Free Plan: Great for getting started
- ✅ Enterprise: Tailored options for large teams or agency stacks
In comparison:
- Zapier limits features behind higher tiers.
- It charges by tasks (Zaps), which adds up fast when you scale.
Bottom line? With Make, you pay for operations, not access. That scaling model alone has saved SaaS clients I support thousands a year.
What Real Users Are Saying in 2025
I’ve dug through G2, Reddit, and personal feedback from clients using both platforms this year.
Here’s what people actually say about Make:
- 🟢 “The visual layout makes it easy to debug over Zapier.”
- 🟢 “Took me a day to switch 15 Zaps into Make scenarios and now I get way more done.”
- 🟡 “There’s a learning curve, but it’s worth it once I got used to the platform.”
- 🟢 “Support is responsive and has helped with custom setups.”
- 🟡 “My team was overwhelmed at first—but now we use it to manage all our ecommerce automation.”
☝️ Real talk: Make.com isn’t as instantly beginner-friendly as Zapier. But if you’re using automation to grow or run your business, ease of use shouldn’t come at the cost of capability.
Which Is Better for Your Business Use Case?
Here’s how I break it down from working with dozens of businesses in 2025:
- Build client workflows with CRM sync, auto-scheduling, smart email segmentation, Facebook ad triggers.
- ⚡ Better on Make with flexible logic and visual automation you can demo to clients.
For Ecommerce:
- Inventory syncing, notification flows, abandoned cart follow-ups, Shopify order routing.
- ⚡ Make wins with multi-step checkout automations and webhook flexibility.
For Solo Founders:
- ⚡ Make supports complex setups without needing devs.
Can you do the basics on Zapier? Sure.
But can you AUTOMATE and SCALE with Zapier in 2025?
That’s where it starts breaking down.
In My Business: Why I Chose Make.com for NextGenAIFinder
Let me get personal for a sec.
At NextGenAIFinder, I run everything lean: newsletters, CRM triggers, AI content workflows, and data imports from affiliate tools I test. I switched from Zapier to Make in early 2024.
Here’s what changed:
- Monthly automation costs dropped by 52%
- Time spent fixing broken Zaps = almost zero
- I built scenarios that would’ve taken a dev in Zapier’s world
Plus, it just feels good knowing I actually understand what’s happening inside my automations, thanks to the visual builder.
Don’t take just my word…
FAQs: Make.com vs Zapier in 2025
Is Make.com better than Zapier in 2025?
Yes—for most modern business needs. Make offers more flexibility, stronger visual UX, and better data handling. Zapier is easier but limited by design simplicity.
Do I need coding skills to use Make.com?
Nope. Make.com is 100% no-code. If you’ve used tools like Airtable or Canva, you’ll be comfortable once you check out the visual builder.
Can I use Make.com for client and agency work?
Absolutely—and it shines here. Agencies use Make to deliver automation services that scale, especially around CRMs, Shopify, forms, and reporting.
Is Make.com free to use?
Yes. The free plan includes essential features and enough runs to test real scenarios. You can scale up if needed, but the free plan is solid out of the gate.
How fast can I migrate from Zapier?
It took me a couple of hours to migrate my workflows. Some took longer due to complexity, but the migration is usually smoother than you’d expect.
Final Verdict: Make.com or Zapier in 2025?
If you’re running a business that depends on workflows, lead data, marketing automations, or seamless ops—Make.com is my clear winner for 2025.
It’s more flexible, more powerful, and grows with your business.
Zapier isn’t dead—it’s just a better fit for basic users or folks just getting started with automation.
But if you want workflows that actually run your growth engine, the real move is Make.
Thanks for reading. I’m Eli—solopreneur, test dummy, automation nerd. I only recommend tools I’ve tested myself (no hype), especially when they genuinely help people run faster, smoother businesses.
Still got questions? Drop a comment or reach out.
Until next test—keep building smarter, not busier.
—Eli Mercer
NextGenAIFinder.com