Make vs Zapier in 2026: Which Automation Platform Is Right for Your Service Business?

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Quick Comparison: Make vs Zapier

Pricing Breakdown: What You Actually Pay

The pricing difference between Make and Zapier becomes dramatic once you are running real workflows at volume. Here are the current 2026 pricing tiers:

Zapier Pricing (2026)

• Free: 100 tasks/month
• Starter: $19.99/month for 750 tasks
• Professional: $49/month for 2,000 tasks
• Team: $69/month for 2,000 tasks (adds multi-user features)

Make Pricing (2026)

• Free: 1,000 operations/month
• Core: $9/month for 10,000 operations
• Pro: $16/month for 10,000 operations (adds priority support)
• Teams: $29/month for 10,000 operations (adds team features)

The "Operations vs Tasks" Gotcha

This is where most people get confused. Zapier counts one "task" per Zap run. Make counts one "operation" per module executed in a scenario. If your automation has 4 steps, that is 1 task in Zapier but 4 operations in Make.

Despite counting every step, Make still costs less. Here is the real math:

The cost gap widens as volume increases. If you are processing 200+ triggers per month with multi-step workflows, Make will cost 50-90% less than Zapier.

What Service Businesses Actually Need from Automation

Service businesses — plumbing, HVAC, staffing agencies, field service companies — have different automation needs than SaaS startups or e-commerce stores. Here is what matters:

Error Handling and Retry Logic

Make wins. Make scenarios can branch based on conditions, retry failed steps automatically, send error alerts to specific team members, and continue processing even when one step fails. Zapier has basic error handling, but it is linear. If step 3 fails, the entire Zap fails. For mission-critical dispatch or scheduling workflows, that is unacceptable.

Webhook Support

Both work, Make is more reliable at high volume. Both platforms support webhooks for triggering automations. Make handles webhook processing better when you are getting 50+ simultaneous triggers (like during a winter storm freeze when HVAC calls spike). Zapier can drop webhook requests under heavy load unless you are on an enterprise plan.

Airtable Integration

Make has much deeper support. Many field service companies use Airtable as their operations database (technician schedules, part inventory, job routing). Make offers native modules for creating, updating, searching, and deleting Airtable records with full support for linked records and formulas. Zapier covers basic operations but struggles with complex Airtable lookups and linked record updates.

Google Sheets

Both are solid. Google Sheets is a common dispatch board for smaller service companies. Both platforms handle Sheets well. Make gives you more control over row-level operations and batch updates, but for most use cases, the difference is negligible.

SMS and Voice (Twilio)

Same. Both platforms integrate with Twilio for SMS and voice. The integration quality is equivalent. If you are using our voice AI agents, they work equally well with Make or Zapier for triggering outbound calls or processing inbound call data.

CRM Integration (HubSpot, Salesforce)

Zapier slightly easier for setup. Zapier has more pre-built templates for CRM workflows. If you need to sync HubSpot contacts to your job management software, Zapier will get you live faster. Make requires more manual configuration, but gives you finer control over field mapping and conditional logic.

Real Verdict for Service Businesses

If you are running dispatch, ticketing, or job scheduling workflows with conditional routing, error handling, and high volume — Make wins. If you are just syncing new leads from your website form into your CRM, Zapier is faster to set up.

Where Zapier Still Wins

Zapier is not the wrong choice for everyone. Here are the scenarios where I still recommend it:

1. You are non-technical and need something running today

Zapier's UI is more intuitive. The setup wizard walks you through every step. If you have never built an automation before and you just need Gmail to forward certain emails to Slack, Zapier gets you there in 10 minutes. Make requires more upfront learning.

2. Quick Shopify or e-commerce automations

Zapier has a massive library of pre-built Zaps for e-commerce. New Shopify order → email confirmation → add to Google Sheets → notify fulfillment team. These templates work out of the box. Make can do the same thing, but you will be building it from scratch.

3. Marketing stack integrations

If your primary use case is connecting Mailchimp, HubSpot, Salesforce, Facebook Ads, and Google Analytics, Zapier has more pre-built templates and app connections. Their app directory is larger (6,000+ apps vs. Make's 1,500+).

4. You are only running 1-2 simple automations

If you have one automation that runs 50 times per month, the pricing difference is $0 (both platforms have generous free tiers). The complexity overhead of learning Make is not worth it. Stick with Zapier.

Real Use Cases from ResultantAI Clients

Here are two actual scenarios where we moved clients from Zapier to Make and the results:

The pattern: Zapier works until your workflow involves conditional logic, branching, error recovery, or complex data operations. Then Make becomes necessary.

Migration: Moving from Zapier to Make

If you are already running Zapier and considering a move to Make, here is the process:

Step 1: Export your Zap configurations

Zapier does not have a direct export function, but you can screenshot your Zap steps or manually document the trigger, actions, and field mappings. This becomes your blueprint.

Step 2: Rebuild as Make scenarios

You will recreate each Zap as a Make scenario. The logic is the same — trigger, actions, data mapping — but the interface is visual (flowchart-style) instead of linear. Expect this to take 2-3x longer than the original Zapier setup the first time you do it.

Step 3: Test with low-volume first

Run both Zapier and Make in parallel for 1-2 weeks. Let Zapier handle your production load while Make processes test triggers. Verify data accuracy, error handling, and edge cases.

Step 4: Watch for these gotchas

• Date formatting: Zapier and Make handle date/time fields differently. Test any date-based logic carefully.
• Array handling: If your workflow processes lists (multiple line items, multiple contacts), Make's array functions are more powerful but require different syntax.
• Webhook URLs: You will need to update any external systems that send webhooks to point to Make's webhook URL instead of Zapier's.

Step 5: Cutover and monitor

Once testing is clean, turn off the Zapier workflow and make Make your production system. Monitor closely for the first week. Check error logs daily. Make's error notifications are excellent — configure them to alert you immediately if anything fails.

Our Recommendation: When to Use Each Platform

Here is the decision framework I use with every client:

Use Zapier if:

• You are new to automation and need something running in under 30 minutes
• Your workflow is simple: one trigger, 1-3 linear actions, no branching logic
• You are running under 200 triggers per month
• You need a specific app integration that only Zapier supports

Use Make if:

• You are running a field service business with dispatch, scheduling, or ticketing workflows
• Your workflow has conditional logic, branching, or error recovery requirements
• You are processing 500+ triggers per month (the cost savings alone justify the learning curve)
• You use Airtable as your operations database
• You need to handle high-volume simultaneous triggers (seasonal spikes, emergency call floods)

Use both if:

Many of our clients run Zapier for simple marketing automations (new lead → CRM, form submission → email) and Make for operational workflows (dispatch, scheduling, job routing). There is no rule that says you can only use one. Use the right tool for each job.

Integration with Other Tools: What Works with What

Both platforms integrate with the tools service businesses actually use. Here is the compatibility breakdown:

ServiceTitan

Both platforms support it via API. Neither has a native pre-built module, so you will be using webhooks or HTTP requests. Make's HTTP module is more flexible for complex ServiceTitan workflows (multi-step job creation, custom field mapping, conditional updates).

Housecall Pro, Jobber, FieldPulse

Both platforms support these via Zapier's pre-built integrations or Make's API modules. Zapier has native Housecall Pro and Jobber integrations that are easier to configure. Make requires API setup but gives you more control.

Airtable

Make is significantly better. If Airtable is your source of truth for job data, technician schedules, or inventory, Make's native Airtable modules handle linked records, lookups, rollups, and batch operations cleanly. Zapier's Airtable integration is basic.

Google Workspace (Sheets, Calendar, Gmail)

Both are excellent. No meaningful difference for most use cases.

Twilio (SMS, Voice)

Both work equally well. If you are using our voice AI agents, they integrate with both platforms for triggering calls, logging call data, or processing transcripts.

Slack, Microsoft Teams

Both are solid. Notifications, alerts, and team updates work seamlessly on both platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Make harder to learn than Zapier?

Yes. Make's visual flowchart interface is more powerful but has a steeper learning curve. Expect to spend 2-4 hours learning Make vs. 30 minutes for Zapier. The investment pays off once you are building workflows with more than 3 steps or any conditional logic.

Can I use both Make and Zapier at the same time?

Absolutely. Many of our clients use Zapier for simple marketing automations and Make for complex operational workflows. There is no conflict. Use the right tool for each job.

Does Make integrate with ServiceTitan?

Yes, via API and webhooks. ServiceTitan does not have a native Make module, so you will be using Make's HTTP/API request modules. This requires more technical setup than a pre-built integration, but it works reliably once configured. We have built multiple ServiceTitan + Make integrations for HVAC and plumbing companies.

Which platform has better support?

Zapier's documentation is more beginner-friendly and their support team responds faster. Make's documentation is more technical but comprehensive. Make's community forum is larger and more active — you will find answers to complex questions there. For mission-critical workflows, both platforms offer paid priority support tiers.

Related Resources

• Automation Services for Service Businesses - How we build dispatch, scheduling, and operations workflows
• Voice AI for Field Service - Automated call handling and dispatch for HVAC, plumbing, and home services
• Integration Hub - Connect your CRM, scheduling software, and communication tools