Make: When Zapier Becomes Kindergarten
Zapier users split into two types: those satisfied with “if A, then B,” and those who eventually hit the wall — “Zapier can’t do that.” For the latter, there’s Make (formerly Integromat) — a tool that does for automation what Figma did for design: turns a linear process into a visual constructor.
Official website: make.com
Scenarios Instead of Zaps: Thinking in Graphs
Zapier is built around the “Zap” concept — a linear chain: trigger → action → action. Make operates with “scenarios” — visual graphs where data can branch, merge, pass through conditions and loops.
Practical example: When a new lead comes from Facebook Forms:
- Save to Google Sheets
- If email exists → send welcome email via Mailchimp
- If phone exists → send SMS via Twilio
- If deal value >$1000 → create high-priority CRM task
- Always notify Slack
In Zapier: 3–4 separate Zaps with filters. In Make: one scenario with a router and branch filters. The difference isn’t convenience — it’s fundamental architecture: Make is not a “pipe,” it’s a “decision tree.”
Key Features Zapier Doesn’t Have
- Router: Data flows through multiple parallel branches simultaneously
- Iterator: Process arrays of data — 100 orders from an API? Iterator handles each one
- Error Handling: Per-operation handlers: retry, alert admin, write to log
- Aggregator: Collect data from multiple sources, wait for conditions, then continue
Pricing
- Free: 1,000 ops/month, 2 active scenarios
- Core ($9/mo): 10,000 ops/month, unlimited scenarios
- Pro ($16/mo): 40,000 ops/month
- Teams ($29/mo): 100,000 ops/month, multi-user
Key difference: Make counts operations, Zapier counts tasks. For complex scenarios, Make is 2–5x cheaper.
Make Affiliate Program
Type: RevShare Rate: 25% of referred customer’s payment for 12 months Payouts: Monthly, from $25 (PayPal) Cookie: 90 days
Math: 10 clients on Pro ($16/mo) = $40/mo recurring. Over 12 months: $480. One Teams client ($29/mo) = $87 lifetime.
Pros: High percentage (25% vs Zapier’s 20%), long payout window (12 months), growing automation market. Cons: High payout threshold ($25), competitive niche.
Rating: 4.5/5