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Still deciding? Read our full Zapier review before you switch.
The short answer: Make is the best alternative for most people who find Zapier too expensive per task, n8n suits technical teams that want to self-host, and IFTTT covers simple personal automations for a few dollars a month. Prices were checked against each vendor's pricing page on November 9, 2026.
Why Look for Zapier Alternatives?#
Zapier remains one of the easiest automation tools to start with. People usually look elsewhere for one of these reasons:
Every step costs tasks. Each step in a Zap and each external connector call uses tasks, and AI steps draw from the same pool. A five-step Zap uses far more of your allowance than a one-step Zap, so volume grows faster than you expect.
The free plan is small. It includes 100 tasks a month. Professional starts from $19.99 a month and Team from $69 a month, and both rise with your task tier.
No self-hosting. Zapier runs only in its own cloud. Companies with strict data rules or high volumes often want to run automation on their own infrastructure.
Zapier's strengths are real, and it stays a sensible choice if ease of use matters more to you than cost per task. Read our Zapier guide for the full picture.
Top Zapier Alternatives#
1. Make#
The most popular step up from Zapier for people who want more control. Scenarios are built on a visual canvas, and each module action consumes credits. The free plan includes 1,000 credits a month, ten times Zapier's free task allowance, though credits and tasks are not directly equivalent.
- Price: Free (1,000 credits/mo) / Core, Pro and Teams on Make's pricing page
- Best for: Business users who need branching logic without code
- Trade-off: A steeper learning curve than Zapier and no self-hosting
2. n8n#
The strongest option for technical teams. n8n charges per complete workflow execution, not per step, which makes long workflows much cheaper. Without a license key it runs as a free Community Edition on your own infrastructure. The hosted Starter plan costs 20 euros a month on annual billing and Pro costs 50 euros a month on annual billing.
- Price: Free self-hosted / from 20 euros/mo Starter (annual) / 50 euros/mo Pro (annual)
- Best for: Developers and technical teams with complex or high-volume workflows
- Trade-off: You maintain the server yourself when self-hosting, and the interface assumes technical knowledge
- Read our full n8n guide
3. Activepieces#
A simpler self-hostable tool with flat hosted pricing. The free plan includes 1,000 credits a month, Plus costs $20 a month with 10,000 credits, and Team costs $200 a month with 50,000 credits. Its catalog lists more than 770 integrations, and anything with an API can be reached through an HTTP step.
- Price: Free (1,000 credits/mo) / $20/mo Plus / $200/mo Team
- Best for: Teams that want self-hosting without n8n's complexity
- Trade-off: A smaller integration catalog than Zapier
4. IFTTT#
The cheapest option for personal and smart-home automations. Free includes 1,000 credits a month. Starter costs $2.09 a month ($25.08 billed annually), Pro $5.49 a month ($65.88 billed annually), and the top individual plan $13.99 a month ($167.88 billed annually).
- Price: Free (1,000 credits/mo) / from $2.09/mo billed annually
- Best for: Personal use, smart home devices and simple single-action automations
- Trade-off: Not built for multi-step business processes
5. Microsoft Power Automate#
A fit for companies already on Microsoft 365, with connectors for SharePoint, Outlook and Teams. The Premium plan is $15 per user per month and the Process plan $150 per bot per month, both on yearly billing.
- Price: $15/user/mo Premium (yearly) / $150/bot/mo Process (yearly)
- Best for: Microsoft-centric companies with central IT governance
- Trade-off: Clunkier outside the Microsoft ecosystem and billed per user or bot
6. Lindy#
If you use Zapier mainly to glue AI steps together, Lindy approaches the problem as an AI assistant you instruct in plain language. New accounts get $50 in credits valid for seven days, and paid plans are credit-based. See Lindy's pricing page for current tiers.
- Price: $50 free trial credits (7 days) / credit-based paid plans
- Best for: Email, meeting and inbox tasks handled by an AI assistant
- Trade-off: Results are less deterministic than a fixed Zap
- Read our full Lindy guide
7. Pipedream#
For developers who prefer writing code to configuring forms, particularly when embedding integrations in their own product through Connect. Development use is free. The Startup plan is $99 a month on annual billing or $150 a month billed monthly.
- Price: Free in development / $99/mo Startup (annual) or $150/mo (monthly)
- Best for: Developer teams building integrations into a product
- Trade-off: Not a tool for non-technical users
Comparison Table#
| Tool | Starting Price | Free Plan | Self-Hosting | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make | See pricing page | 1,000 credits/mo | No | Visual logic, no code |
| n8n | 20 euros/mo (annual) | Self-hosted Community Edition | Yes | Technical teams, long workflows |
| Activepieces | $20/mo | 1,000 credits/mo | Yes | Simple self-hosting |
| IFTTT | $2.09/mo (annual) | 1,000 credits/mo | No | Personal automations |
| Power Automate | $15/user/mo (yearly) | 30-day trial | No | Microsoft 365 companies |
| Lindy | See pricing page | $50 trial credits | No | AI assistants |
| Pipedream | $99/mo (annual) | Development only | No | Embedded integrations |
How to Choose the Right Zapier Alternative#
To cut costs on multi-step workflows: compare your real monthly step count. Make and n8n are usually the first two to price out.
To self-host: n8n has more depth, and Activepieces is simpler to learn.
For personal automations: IFTTT costs little and covers most single-trigger jobs.
For a Microsoft company: Power Automate fits your existing tooling and security setup.
For a broader view, see our Best AI Tools 2026 overview, or read how self-hosting compares in our n8n guide.
FAQ#
What is the best free alternative to Zapier?#
Make is the best free alternative for most business users, with 1,000 credits a month on its free plan. Activepieces and IFTTT also include 1,000 credits a month, and n8n's Community Edition is free if you can host it yourself.
Is Make better than Zapier?#
Make is better if you need branching logic and want more control over how a workflow runs. Zapier is better if you want the quickest setup and do not mind paying more per step. Neither is better for every team.
What is cheaper than Zapier?#
For most multi-step workflows, Make and n8n cost less per run. IFTTT is the lowest paid option for simple personal automations, starting at $2.09 a month on annual billing.
Can I self-host a Zapier alternative?#
Yes. n8n and Activepieces can both run on your own servers. Self-hosting removes per-task fees, but you take on server costs, updates and backups yourself.
