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Zapier alternatives

Compare Make, n8n, Activepieces, Microsoft Power Automate, and Gumloop as Zapier alternatives by billing unit, hosting, and who will build the automations.

What do you need to change?

The usual trigger for leaving Zapier is the task bill: every successful action step counts, so long or busy Zaps add up. Other reasons are wanting to self-host, or already paying for Microsoft 365. Decide which applies before comparing editors. Make and n8n change the billing unit, n8n and Activepieces can run on your own servers, Power Automate fits Microsoft-centred teams, and Gumloop suits work that is turning into AI agents.

A focused editorial selection based on the linked official documentation. Fit notes are our judgment, rather than firsthand benchmark results or a universal ranking. How we select and verify information.

Zapier alternatives at a glance

Zapier and its alternatives: main focus and free option
ToolBest forFree option
Zapier (current)Connecting common business apps quickly, without managing servers or writing code.Free plan, 100 tasks a month
MakeVisual, branching scenarios with data mapping, routers, and error handling, run in Make's cloud.Free plan, 1,000 credits a month
n8nMulti-step automations and AI agents you can inspect step by step, on n8n Cloud or your own servers.Free to self-host; Cloud trial
ActivepiecesA visual flow builder for technical and non-technical teams, with the option to run it on your own servers.Free plan; free to self-host
Microsoft Power AutomateAutomating work across Microsoft 365 and other services, plus legacy desktop applications that have no API.Free licence for work accounts; trial
GumloopAI agents that research, write, and update records across your tools, rather than fixed step-by-step workflows.14-day free trial

Five alternatives to consider

Automation tools

Make

Consider Make when you want a visual canvas with routers and data mapping, and a credit model that may suit short, branching scenarios.

A visual automation platform where you build scenarios that move and transform data between apps on a canvas.

Pricing model
A free plan includes 1,000 credits a month. Most module actions use one credit, so one scenario run can use anywhere from two to thousands of credits.
Before choosing
Credits are counted per module action, not per run; model a realistic run, including loops over many items, before choosing a tier.
Make profile
Automation tools

n8n

Consider n8n when your workflows have many steps, since n8n Cloud counts a complete run as one execution, or when you want to self-host.

Workflow automation for technical teams, with a node-based editor, AI agent nodes, and a choice of n8n Cloud or self-hosting.

Pricing model
Cloud plans are billed by monthly workflow executions, counting a complete run once however many steps it has, with unlimited users and workflows. The self-hosted Community Edition is free; Business and Enterprise licences add paid features.
Before choosing
Count executions for your busiest workflows, and decide who will update, monitor, and back up a self-hosted instance.
n8n alternativesn8n profile
Automation tools

Activepieces

Consider Activepieces when you want a no-code builder similar in spirit to Zapier but with an MIT-licensed core you can self-host.

Automation with flows, AI agents, tables, and MCP servers, built on an MIT-licensed core and available in the cloud or self-hosted.

Pricing model
A free cloud plan with a credit allowance for up to five users, flat-priced paid plans with larger allowances and pay-as-you-go overage, and custom enterprise pricing.
Before choosing
Enterprise features such as SSO, audit logs, and Git sync sit outside the MIT-licensed core; confirm which ones you need before self-hosting.
Automation tools

Microsoft Power Automate

Consider Power Automate when your team already works in Microsoft 365 and most automations touch Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, or Excel.

Microsoft's automation service for cloud flows between apps and desktop flows (RPA) that operate Windows applications, part of Power Platform.

Pricing model
A free licence for work or school accounts covers cloud flows with standard connectors and attended desktop flows on your own machine. Premium is licensed per user and adds premium connectors and process mining; Process licences are per bot for unattended automation. A trial is available.
Before choosing
Premium and custom connectors, sharing flows, and unattended desktop flows need paid licences; check which connectors your flows use before building on the free licence.
Automation tools

Gumloop

Consider Gumloop when the automations you want are AI agents that research and update records across tools, rather than fixed Zaps.

A platform for building AI agents that work across connected business tools, with a choice of models and team controls.

Pricing model
A paid plan with a 14-day free trial and a monthly credit allowance for AI usage, plus custom enterprise pricing.
Before choosing
Its pricing page lists step-by-step workflows as legacy; if you mainly need deterministic automations, test that path first.

When Zapier may still fit

Keep Zapier on the shortlist when non-technical teammates build their own automations, your apps are mainstream, and most Zaps are short. Trimming unnecessary steps or filters can lower task usage without a migration.

Every successful action step counts as a task, so a long Zap on a busy trigger uses its allowance quickly; estimate tasks per run.

Before you switch

  1. Export your Zap list with task usage per Zap, and identify the few Zaps that drive most of the bill.
  2. Check each candidate for the triggers and actions those Zaps use, including premium apps and webhooks.
  3. Rebuild your most expensive Zap, compare its usage under the new billing unit for a week of real volume, then decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a cheaper alternative to Zapier?

It depends on the shape of your Zaps. Zapier uses a task for every successful action step; n8n Cloud counts a whole workflow run as one execution, and Make uses credits per module action. Long workflows often cost less on n8n, while self-hosting n8n or Activepieces removes usage fees but adds server upkeep.

Is there a free alternative to Zapier?

Make has a free plan with 1,000 credits a month, Activepieces has a free cloud plan, and both n8n's Community Edition and Activepieces can be self-hosted for free. Zapier's own free plan covers two-step Zaps with 100 tasks a month.

Which Zapier alternative is easiest to switch to?

In our judgment, Make or Activepieces, because both keep a visual, app-and-action way of building. n8n is more technical but more flexible for long workflows and AI agents.

n8n vs Zapier

n8n vs Zapier: compare self-hosting, ease of use, and billing by executions or tasks, using each provider's official pricing and documentation.

Read the guide

Zapier vs Make

Zapier vs Make: compare a guided app-and-action builder with a visual scenario canvas, and billing by tasks or credits.

Read the guide

Sources and check dates

Provider documentation supports the product and billing descriptions. Confirm current limits and terms before choosing a plan.

Zapier

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Make

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n8n

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Activepieces

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Microsoft Power Automate

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Gumloop

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ShowMeYourSaaS also offers commercial product coverage. These guides follow our editorial selection criteria; placement is not a purchased ranking. Send a correction with the page and a supporting source.