Make: Build Automated Workflows Like Lego

What It Is

Make (formerly called Integromat) does the same basic thing as Zapier — it connects your apps so they can work together automatically. But where Zapier gives you a simple list of steps, Make gives you a visual canvas where you build workflows like Lego blocks.

You drag circles on a screen, connect them with lines, and each circle represents something happening: "Check for new emails," "Filter by subject line," "Send a Slack message." You can see the whole flow of your automation laid out in front of you, and watch it run step by step.

It's a bit more hands-on than Zapier. The tradeoff is that you can build much more complex automations — things that would be impossible or really clunky in Zapier. Think of it as the difference between a microwave (Zapier: quick, simple, does the basics) and a full kitchen (Make: more setup, but you can cook a real meal).

What Can It Do For Me?

• Handle multi-step processes — like: receive a form, check if the person is already in your system, send different emails based on their answer, log it in a spreadsheet, and notify your team
• Process data in batches — take a whole spreadsheet of contacts and send personalized emails to each one
• Create conditional logic — "If the order is over $100, do X. If it's under, do Y." Branches and decisions, not just a straight line
• Schedule recurring tasks — every Monday at 9 AM, pull last week's data and email yourself a summary
• Connect to almost anything — supports 1,800+ apps, plus you can connect to tools that aren't officially supported if you're slightly technical
• Visual debugging — when something breaks, you can see exactly which step failed and why

Pricing

• Free plan: 1,000 operations per month, two active workflows. Pretty generous for trying it out.
• Core ($9/mo): 10,000 operations, 15 workflows.
• Pro ($16/mo): 10,000 operations with more advanced features.
• Teams ($29/mo): 10,000 operations per user, shared workflows.

Make counts "operations" — each step in your workflow that actually runs counts as one. A workflow with 5 steps that runs 10 times uses 50 operations.

The Good and The Bad

Pros:

• Much more powerful than Zapier for complex workflows
• The visual builder makes it easier to understand what's happening (once you learn it)
• Free plan is more generous than Zapier's
• Great for people who think visually — seeing the flow makes it click
• Can handle branching, loops, and complex logic

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve — you'll spend a couple hours learning how it works before you build anything useful
• Fewer app connections than Zapier (1,800 vs 6,000+)
• The visual interface can feel overwhelming at first
• Error messages can be confusing if you're not technical
• Customer support is slower than Zapier's

Should You Try It?

If you tried Zapier and thought "this is nice but I need something more powerful" — Make is your next step. It rewards you for investing time in learning it, because once you understand the system, you can build automations that genuinely save you hours every week.

If you're brand new to automation, start with Zapier instead. It's simpler. But if you have a process that involves multiple steps, conditions, or working with data in ways that go beyond "when X happens, do Y" — Make is the better choice. The free plan gives you plenty of room to figure it out, and the visual approach really does make complex automations easier to wrap your head around once it clicks.