Why look beyond Make (formerly Integromat)

Make, originally Integromat, offers a visual workflow builder designed to connect various applications and automate business processes. Its appeal lies in its flexibility and the depth of control it provides over data manipulation within scenarios. However, organizations may seek alternatives for several reasons. One common factor is complexity: while powerful, Make's interface and extensive configuration options can present a steeper learning curve for users new to workflow automation or those accustomed to simpler, more opinionated platforms. For instance, debugging intricate scenarios with multiple branching paths and error handlers can require a detailed understanding of the platform's execution model.

Another consideration is pricing structure. Make's pricing is based on operations and data transfer, which can become unpredictable for high-volume or bursty workloads, potentially leading to unexpected costs. Some businesses might prefer alternatives with simpler, more predictable subscription models or unlimited operation allowances. Furthermore, while Make offers a broad range of integrations, specific niche applications or legacy systems might be better served by platforms with a different set of pre-built connectors or more robust custom API integration capabilities. Finally, deployment preferences, such as a desire for on-premise hosting or open-source solutions for greater control and data residency requirements, also drive users to explore other iPaaS options.

Top alternatives ranked

  1. 1. Zapier — Web-based automation for business users

    Zapier is a web-based automation tool that connects over 6,000 applications, enabling users to create automated workflows (called Zaps) without writing code. It excels in its user-friendliness and extensive app directory, making it accessible for non-technical users to build integrations quickly. Zapier's primary strength lies in its simplicity and the breadth of its pre-built integrations, which often include popular business applications and SaaS tools. Its interface is designed for rapid deployment of common automation tasks, such as syncing data between CRM and marketing platforms or automating social media posts. While it offers less granular control over data transformation compared to Make, its ease of use often outweighs this for users focused on straightforward task automation. Developers can leverage Zapier's Webhooks by Zapier feature to connect to custom APIs or integrate with applications not natively supported.

    Best for: Marketing teams, small businesses, and users prioritizing ease of use and a vast library of pre-built integrations for common business tasks.

    Learn more: Zapier Profile

    Official site: zapier.com

  2. 2. n8n — Open-source workflow automation for developers

    n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that can be self-hosted, offering greater control over data and infrastructure, or used as a cloud service. It provides a visual node-based editor similar to Make but with a strong emphasis on flexibility and customizability, appealing to developers and technical users. n8n supports a wide range of integrations and allows for custom JavaScript code execution within workflows, providing advanced data manipulation capabilities. Its open-source nature means users can inspect, modify, and extend its functionality, making it suitable for organizations with specific security, compliance, or integration requirements that benefit from on-premise deployment or bespoke modifications. The community around n8n actively contributes new integrations and features, enhancing its versatility.

    Best for: Developers, technical teams, and organizations requiring self-hosted solutions, extensive customization, or advanced data processing within workflows.

    Learn more: n8n Profile

    Official site: n8n.io

  3. 3. Microsoft Power Automate — Enterprise-grade automation within the Microsoft ecosystem

    Microsoft Power Automate, part of the Microsoft Power Platform, is an enterprise-grade service for creating automated workflows between various applications and services. It deeply integrates with Microsoft products such as Office 365, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Azure, making it a strong contender for organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Power Automate supports a wide array of connectors and offers advanced features like robotic process automation (RPA) for automating desktop-based tasks, AI Builder for integrating AI capabilities into workflows, and process mining. Its capabilities scale from simple cloud flows to complex business process automation, including approvals and data synchronization. The platform offers robust governance and security features, aligning with enterprise requirements.

    Best for: Enterprises and organizations primarily using Microsoft products, requiring deep integration across the Microsoft ecosystem, or needing RPA capabilities.

    Learn more: Microsoft Power Automate Profile

    Official site: powerautomate.microsoft.com

  4. 4. Contentful — Headless CMS with strong integration capabilities

    Contentful is a headless content management system (CMS) that focuses on providing structured content for various digital channels through APIs. While not a direct workflow automation platform like Make, it serves as a critical component in content-driven automation workflows. Contentful's API-first approach means content can be programmatically accessed and manipulated, making it highly compatible with iPaaS solutions for tasks like content publishing, localization workflows, and data synchronization with other systems. Developers can use Contentful's webhooks to trigger external automation platforms when content changes, facilitating complex content delivery pipelines. Its extensibility and focus on structured content make it an excellent choice for organizations building modern digital experiences that require flexible content management integrated into broader automation strategies.

    Best for: Developers and teams building modern digital experiences with structured content, requiring API-driven content management integrated into broader automation workflows.

    Learn more: Contentful Profile

    Official site: contentful.com

  5. 5. Firebase — Backend services with function-based automation

    Firebase, a Google-owned platform, provides a suite of backend services for building web and mobile applications, including databases, authentication, hosting, and cloud functions. While not a traditional iPaaS, Firebase Cloud Functions enable serverless execution of custom backend code in response to events, effectively serving as an automation engine. Developers can write functions in Node.js, Python, Go, or Java to automate tasks like sending notifications after a database write, processing images on upload, or integrating with third-party APIs. This function-based approach provides extreme flexibility and scalability for event-driven automation within a development context. Firebase's integration with other Google Cloud services further extends its capabilities, making it suitable for developers building custom, scalable backend automations.

    Best for: Developers building custom web and mobile applications, needing serverless backend automation, and seeking deep integration with Google Cloud services.

    Learn more: Firebase Profile

    Official site: firebase.google.com

  6. 6. Botify — SEO analytics and workflow integration

    Botify is an enterprise SEO platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools for technical SEO, content optimization, and performance monitoring. While primarily an SEO analytics tool, Botify's API and data export capabilities allow for integration into broader automation workflows, particularly for large-scale websites. It can be used to automate data collection for SEO audits, integrate SEO metrics into business intelligence dashboards, or trigger alerts based on changes in crawl data or search performance. For instance, data from Botify can be fed into an iPaaS like Make or n8n to automate reports, update internal systems, or notify teams of critical SEO issues. Its focus on deep technical SEO insights makes it a specialized tool for enhancing the performance of complex websites, where SEO data needs to be integrated into operational workflows.

    Best for: Enterprise SEO teams and webmasters needing deep technical SEO insights and the ability to integrate SEO data into custom reporting and automation workflows.

    Learn more: Botify Profile

    Official site: botify.com

  7. 7. WordPress — CMS with plugin-based automation

    WordPress is a widely used open-source content management system (CMS) that powers a significant portion of the web. While primarily a platform for website creation and content publishing, its extensive plugin ecosystem allows for various forms of automation. Plugins like WP Fusion, Uncanny Automator, or even e-commerce solutions like WooCommerce, enable WordPress to integrate with CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and other business tools to automate tasks like user registration, e-commerce order processing, or content distribution. Developers can also leverage WordPress's API and action/filter hooks to build custom automations and integrations. Its flexibility and vast community support make it a viable option for businesses looking to automate processes centered around their website and content.

    Best for: Small to large businesses and content publishers who use WordPress as their primary website platform and want to automate tasks within or connected to their site.

    Learn more: WordPress Profile

    Official site: wordpress.org

Side-by-side

Feature Make (formerly Integromat) Zapier n8n Microsoft Power Automate Contentful Firebase Botify WordPress
Core Function Visual Workflow Automation (iPaaS) Web-based Task Automation Open-source Workflow Automation Enterprise Workflow & RPA Headless CMS Backend as a Service (BaaS) Enterprise SEO Platform Content Management System (CMS)
Deployment Options Cloud Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, On-premise Gateway Cloud Cloud (Google Cloud) Cloud Self-hosted, Managed Hosting
Target Audience Technical users, citizen integrators Business users, non-technical Developers, technical users Enterprise users, IT pros Developers, content teams Developers Enterprise SEOs Website owners, bloggers
Ease of Use (Automation) Moderate to High High Moderate Moderate to High N/A (API-driven) N/A (Code-driven) N/A (API-driven) N/A (Plugin-driven)
Custom Code Support Limited (HTTP, JS modules) Limited (Code by Zapier) Extensive (JavaScript) Extensive (.NET, JS, Python) Extensive (API-first) Extensive (Node.js, Python, Go, Java) Extensive (API) Extensive (PHP, JS)
Pre-built Integrations ~1600+ ~6000+ ~300+ ~1000+ API-first, various SDKs Google Cloud, 3rd party APIs API-driven Plugins (~60,000+)
Pricing Model Operations, data transfer Tasks, Zaps Workflow executions (cloud), free (self-hosted) Per user/flow, RPA capacity Content models, API calls Usage-based (free tier) Subscription (enterprise) Free (open-source), hosting costs
Compliance SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001 SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA GDPR (self-hosted control) HIPAA, GDPR, ISO, SOC SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001 SOC, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO GDPR, CCPA Various (hosting dependent)

How to pick

Selecting the right workflow automation or integration platform depends on several factors, including technical skill set, integration requirements, deployment preferences, and budget. Consider the following decision-tree style guidance:

  1. Assess your technical expertise and team capabilities:

    • If your team consists primarily of non-technical business users who need to automate common tasks quickly with minimal setup, Zapier is often the most suitable choice due to its intuitive interface and vast array of pre-built integrations.
    • If you have developers or technical users who require granular control, custom code execution, and potentially self-hosted deployment for data sovereignty or specific infrastructure needs, n8n stands out with its open-source nature and extensibility.
    • For organizations with a strong developer focus building custom applications and needing serverless backend automation, Firebase offers a robust, event-driven functions-as-a-service model.
  2. Evaluate your existing technology stack and integration ecosystem:

    • If your organization is heavily invested in Microsoft products (e.g., Office 365, SharePoint, Dynamics 365), Microsoft Power Automate provides deep, native integrations and enterprise-grade features, including RPA.
    • If your primary need is to manage and deliver structured content across multiple digital channels, and you require API-driven content management that can integrate with other automation tools, Contentful serves as an excellent headless CMS.
    • For businesses running their website on WordPress and seeking to automate tasks directly related to their content or user management, leveraging WordPress plugins and its API offers a flexible solution.
  3. Consider specific automation types and complexity:

    • For straightforward, trigger-action automations between popular SaaS applications, Zapier's simplicity is advantageous.
    • If you require complex data transformations, multi-step workflows with conditional logic, error handling, and webhooks for custom API interactions, Make (formerly Integromat) or n8n provide the necessary depth.
    • For automating desktop-based tasks or processes that involve legacy systems without APIs, Microsoft Power Automate's RPA capabilities become critical.
    • For automating actions based on SEO data and integrating technical SEO insights into reporting or operational workflows, Botify offers specialized functionalities.
  4. Review deployment and compliance requirements:

    • If data residency, strict security protocols, or complete control over the automation infrastructure are paramount, self-hosted options like n8n are preferable.
    • For cloud-based solutions, assess each platform's compliance certifications (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001) against your organizational standards. Make, Zapier, and Microsoft Power Automate all offer robust compliance frameworks, as do Contentful and Firebase.
  5. Factor in pricing and scalability:

    • Understand the pricing model (e.g., operations, tasks, users) and estimate your expected usage to avoid unexpected costs. Platforms like Make can become costly with high operation volumes, while Zapier prices by tasks.
    • Consider the scalability of the solution. Cloud-native platforms generally offer high scalability, but self-hosted options like n8n depend on your infrastructure. Firebase is designed for highly scalable, event-driven applications.