Zapier vs Make: Which Free Plan Goes Further?
Zapier Free gives you 100 tasks a month. Make Free gives you 1,000 credits a month. Those units aren't counted the same way, so here's what each vendor's pricing page says, side by side, and which one we'd start on.
Prices checked Sept 24, 2026 on each vendor's own pricing page. Software pricing changes — verify current pricing on the vendor's site before you buy.
| Free plan | Zapier Free | Make Free Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0/month, free forever | $0/month, no time limit |
| Monthly allowance | 100 tasks/month | 1,000 credits/month |
| What counts | A task is charged only when a Zap completes an action (checking for new data is free) | Each module action in a scenario counts as one credit |
| Workflow size | Two-step Zaps | Routers & filters included |
| Active workflows | Unlimited Zaps | 2 active scenarios |
| Run timing | 15-minute polling time | 15-minute minimum interval between runs |
| First paid plan | Professional from $19.99/month, billed yearly; paying monthly costs more | Core: $12/month for 10,000 credits/month, as Make's pricing page shows it by default (the page doesn't state the billing term next to the price). Make says 'prices are cheaper with the annual payment in advance compared to monthly payments.' |
Verdict
Our pick: Make Free
Our reason: if your automations run often, the monthly allowance is the limit you'll hit first, and Make Free's is 1,000 credits against Zapier Free's 100 tasks (Zapier Free lists a 15-minute polling time; Make Free a 15-minute minimum interval between runs). Zapier Free is the better fit if you need more than 2 automations switched on at once: it allows unlimited Zaps, where Make Free caps you at 2 active scenarios.
Caveat
The honest caveat
Credits and tasks are not the same unit. Make counts each module action in a scenario as one credit, so a scenario with several modules uses several credits every time it runs. Zapier charges a task only when a Zap completes an action, and never for checking for new data. Map out one real workflow on both before you decide. Zapier Free is also limited to two-step Zaps; multi-step Zaps start on Professional.
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