Make or Zapier? That's THE question every SME looking to automate is asking. Two tools, two philosophies, two very different pricing models.
This comparison goes beyond feature tables. We cover real costs, learning curve, maintenance, and most importantly: European compliance (AI Act & GDPR) — an angle that 99% of comparisons ignore.
In this article
TL;DR: The verdict
Choose Zapier if: You want maximum simplicity, budget isn't a concern, and you only have basic automations (< 5 steps).
Choose Make if: You want more power for less money, you're willing to learn a more complex interface, and your processes are sophisticated.
Choose neither if: You want to sleep peacefully. Both are still DIY with maintenance on your shoulders and compliance unmanaged.
1. Introducing both tools
Zapier: the no-code pioneer
Founded in 2011, Zapier invented the concept of the "Zap": a simple automation connecting two apps via a trigger and an action. It's the undisputed leader with 7,000+ integrations.
Its strength? Simplicity. Even someone with zero technical skills can create their first Zap in 10 minutes.
Make (formerly Integromat): the European challenger
Created in 2016 in Prague (Czech Republic), Make initially targeted advanced users with a more powerful visual approach. Acquired by Celonis in 2022, it has established itself as the serious alternative with 1,800+ integrations.
Its strength? Flexibility and price. You can do things that are impossible on Zapier, for far less money.
2. Price comparison: the real cost
This is often THE deciding factor. Let's look at the 2026 numbers:
| Plan | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 tasks/month, 5 Zaps | 1,000 ops/month, 2 scenarios |
| Entry-level | 29 EUR/month (750 tasks) | 9 EUR/month (10,000 ops) |
| Pro | 89 EUR/month (2,000 tasks) | 16 EUR/month (10,000 ops) |
| Team | 588 EUR/month (50,000 tasks) | 29 EUR/month (10,000 ops) |
The Zapier trap: A "task" = one step. A 5-step workflow consumes 5 tasks. With Make, only operations that manipulate data count.
Real-world example: 1,000 orders/month
Imagine an e-commerce business with 1,000 orders/month. Each order triggers:
- Slack notification
- CRM customer creation
- Invoice generation
- Confirmation email
- Dashboard update
Zapier
1,000 x 5 steps = 5,000 tasks/month
Plan needed: Team (588 EUR/month)
= 7,056 EUR/year
Make
1,000 x 5 operations = 5,000 ops/month
Plan needed: Core (9 EUR/month)
= 108 EUR/year
Ratio: Make is 65x cheaper for the same result in this example.
3. Features and power
| Feature | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Native integrations | 7,000+ | 1,800+ |
| Loops (iterations) | No | Yes |
| Conditional logic | Paid plans | All plans |
| Routers (branches) | Limited | Unlimited |
| Error handling | Basic | Advanced |
| Webhooks | Paid plans | All plans |
| Custom HTTP/API | Yes | Yes |
| JSON manipulation | Limited | Full |
| Internal database | Tables (paid) | Data stores |
Feature verdict: Make wins by a wide margin. More power, more flexibility, on all plans.
4. Ease of use
This is where Zapier takes back the advantage.
Zapier: 10/10 simplicity
- Intuitive linear interface
- Step-by-step guided assistant
- Ready-to-use templates
- Excellent documentation
- Learning time: 30 minutes
Make: 6/10 simplicity
- Flowchart-style visual interface
- More powerful = more complex
- Concepts to understand (modules, bundles)
- Decent documentation
- Learning time: 2-4 hours
"Zapier is like driving an automatic car. Make is like driving a manual with more control, but you need to learn."
5. AI Act & GDPR compliance
Here's the angle that nobody ever covers in comparisons. And yet it's crucial for European SMEs in 2026.
The GDPR challenge
| GDPR Criteria | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | USA | EU (Prague) |
| EU hosting | Optional (paid) | By default |
| DPA available | Yes | Yes |
| Non-EU transfers | Yes (SCCs required) | Avoidable |
| Processing register | Do it yourself | Do it yourself |
Make's advantage: Being European, Make simplifies GDPR compliance. But in both cases, documentation and the register remain your responsibility.
The new challenge: the AI Act
Since February 2025, the EU AI Act imposes obligations if your automations use AI:
Examples of affected automations:
- A Zap that uses OpenAI/ChatGPT to summarize emails
- A Make scenario that automatically classifies support tickets
- An automation that generates responses to customers
- A workflow that does AI-powered lead scoring
For these cases, the AI Act requires:
- Transparency: inform that AI is being used
- Documentation: trace AI decisions
- Human oversight: provide manual validations for certain decisions
Neither Zapier nor Make handles this for you
Both platforms provide the tool. AI Act compliance? That's 100% your responsibility. And penalties can reach 3% of global turnover.
6. Our recommendation
Choose Zapier if:
- Your automations are very simple (< 5 steps)
- You have no technical skills
- Budget isn't a concern
- You don't use AI in your workflows
- You need a rare app not available on Make
Choose Make if:
- Your automations are complex (loops, conditions)
- You want to save 50-90% on costs
- You have some time to learn
- GDPR compliance is a priority
- You like having control over your workflows
7. The third way: what if you didn't have to choose?
Zapier or Make, both share a fundamental problem: they're DIY.
- You design the architecture
- You maintain things when they break
- You document for compliance
- You handle errors at 3 AM
For an SME that wants critical, reliable, and compliant automations, there's a third way: expert support.
What JAIKIN brings vs Zapier/Make alone:
- Custom architecture: We design your workflows based on your real needs
- Proactive maintenance: We monitor and fix BEFORE things break
- Compliance included: GDPR and AI Act documentation delivered
- Sovereign hosting: n8n on French servers if needed
- Guaranteed ROI: We commit to results
We actually use n8n (open-source) for our clients, which combines the best of both worlds: the power of Make, total flexibility, sovereign hosting, and zero licensing costs.
Need help choosing?
A 30-minute assessment to analyze your needs and recommend the best approach — tool alone or expert support.