Done with Make? Find your perfect fit with these great alternatives.
Jacob Bank
Founder/CEO at Relay.app
Ready for an alternative to Make?
Make (formerly known as Integromat) is a longtime leader in the automation space that you probably know as the primary alternative to Zapier. It's a more complex, technical product that is optimized for automation experts and consultants. If you've been using it or considering it, you may be feeling the following:
It's too complex to figure out and the learning curve is very steep.
Errors, performance issues, and failures are a constant source of frustration.
The AI capabilities are lagging behind other tools and are too hard to use.
If you're facing these challenges, or just looking for the landscape of alternatives, you've come to the right place.
TL;DR
First, if you only have 30 seconds, here's what you need to know:
If you're looking for the best all-around experience at a great price, start with Relay.app.
If you're looking for an established tool with the most integrations, go with Zapier.
If you're an enterprise IT team, Workato or Tray are your best options.
If you're an engineer, choose Pipedream, ActivePieces, or n8n.
Now, if you have a bit more time, read on to see what you should consider in an automation tool and get the full list of options.
What should you look for in a Make alternative?
If you’re seeking a Make alternative, you may already have a specific frustration in mind. Perhaps you need an easier-to-use experience, more reliable service, or a more affordable solution. But if you're new to the market, here’s what we think you should consider to make an informed decision—and what we used as criteria for the tools we reviewed:
🖼 Intuitive interface
The whole point of automation platforms is to enable users that don't know how to code to set up automated workflows. So the most important criteria for workflow automation tools is how intuitive they are to use for less technical audiences. Can a novice quickly learn the platform’s features and set up what they need? Does it have a modern drag-and-drop interface? Is it clear how to test complex workflows and fix errors? Do you need to know what an API is or can you work with simpler constructs? Make has a reputation for being very hard for beginners and if that's why you're looking for an alternative, you should make this your most important criteria.
🤖 AI experience
We are all going to be using AI automations much more in the future than we are now, so you should find a platform that makes it easy to integrate different AI tools into your workflows. Can you experiment easily with AI without setting up special accounts with different AI tools? Can you add a human-in-the-loop to double-check the outputs of an AI step? Can you work with all of the leading AI models? Even if you don’t need these AI features yet, these questions can help you evaluate the level of innovation of each automation platform.
🖇 Integrations
The whole point of an automation tool is to connect your apps, so it needs to have pre-built connectors with all of the apps you use! Most automation platforms will have integrations with common tools like Gmail, Google Drive, Slack, Notion, Salesforce, etc. But before choosing a tool, double-check that it supports all of the advanced automation capabilities and pre-built integrations that you need, and within each of those connections, it covers all of the specific triggers and actions required for your workflows.
💰 Price and value
Most workflow automation tools use a combination of pre-set monthly plans and usage-based pricing, which can quickly add up and bust your budget. But don't just look at the price tag; consider the value (i.e. how much the platform charges for each step or operation). Pricing tiers and custom pricing details should match the broad range of integrations and features you need without additional costs. Do you need multi-step workflows? Advanced conditional logic steps? Make sure the platform you choose provides competitive pricing plans that meet the wide range of your needs.
The 10 best Make alternatives in 2026
Relay.app
Relay.app stands out because it is incredibly **easy to use. **Non-technical users that have struggled with tools like Zapier and Make.com can create AI agents in minutes. To create agents in Relay.app, all you need to do is explain what you want in plain language, and Relay.app will create the agentic workflow for you. This model combines the ease-of-use of chat with the predictability and reliability of workflows. Relay.app also has the strongest **human-in-the-loop **features that keep you in control and ensure that you can trust the work of your agents.
✅ Pros
Ease of use for all types of users to create their own AI agents with a simple chat experience.
Visual workflow representation that gives you confidence in how your AI agent will work on tasks.
Human-in-the-loop features for reviewing or approving actions, so you maintain control over what the AI does.
Built-in AI credits and model integration – use OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini and more, without manual API keys.
❌ Cons
Integration library still growing – as a newer platform, it may not yet have every app integration that incumbents like Zapier offer.
💰 Pricing
Free Tier: Yes – includes 200 automation steps and 500 AI credits per month.
Professional: $19/month billed annually (generous for single users or small teams).
Team: $69/month billed annually (higher capacity and collaboration).
Enterprise: Custom pricing for large organizations.
Takeaway
If Relay.app supports the integrations you need, it should be your first choice for building AI agents. Users praise its exceptionally easy UI and smooth experience, which is why Relay is often highlighted as the easiest-to-use AI agent builder for beginners.
Zapier
Zapier is a very well-known automation tool (the "OG" of no-code workflows) that has significantly expanded its AI capabilities. Traditionally, Zapier connects your apps: "When X happens in app A, do Y in app B." Now, Zapier offers dedicated AI Agents, AI Chatbots, Canvas (for visually designing automation systems), and MCP (Model Context Protocol) for connecting AI tools to its ecosystem. Zapier isn't an AI-specialized platform like some others here, but its strength is the 8,000+ app integrations it supports. This means you can trigger AI agents based on almost any event (new email, form submission, CRM update—you name it) and then have the AI perform an action or generate content as part of the workflow. Use cases: e.g., automatically summarize every new support ticket with GPT and post it to Slack, or generate a draft email reply when a lead comes in, etc., all using Zapier's workflow editor.
✅ Pros
Massive integration ecosystem: Zapier connects with over 8,000 apps, so your AI agent can interact with nearly any tool your business uses — unmatched in the industry.
Mature product and platform: Zapier has a reputation for dependable execution of workflows and extensive documentation + community support.
Extensive template library: Thousands of pre-built Zap templates (including many with AI) to get you started quickly.
Expanding AI toolkit: Now offers dedicated AI Agents, Chatbots, Canvas, and MCP support alongside its core automation platform.
❌ Cons
AI agent capabilities not as advanced: Zapier's AI features are still maturing compared to specialized AI agent builders.
More difficult to evolve an older product: Zapier's legacy as an if-this-then-that tool can make it harder to match the ease of use that cutting-edge AI demands.
Fragmented pricing for AI features: AI Agents and Chatbots are separate paid add-ons on top of the base platform, which adds complexity and cost.
💰 Pricing
Free Tier: Yes – 100 tasks/month with two-step Zaps, plus Tables and Forms included.
Professional: Starting from $19.99/month (billed annually) – multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps.
Team: Starting from $69/month (billed annually) – 25 users, shared Zaps, SAML SSO.
Enterprise: Custom pricing – unlimited users, advanced admin controls, observability.
AI Agents add-on: Free (400 activities/mo) or Pro ($33.33/mo for 1,500 activities).
Chatbots add-on: Free (2 chatbots) or Pro ($13.33/mo for 5 chatbots).
Takeaway
If you already use Zapier for automation, it's a natural step to experiment with its AI features. It's best for scenarios where connecting different apps is the priority, and AI just plays one part in the workflow. It's a safe choice if you use niche tools that aren't covered by other platforms in this category.
Workato
Workato is an enterprise-grade iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) that has expanded into agentic AI with its Enterprise MCP (Model Context Protocol). It connects 1,200+ apps and enables organizations to build workflows, automate business processes, and deploy AI agents across departments like IT, Sales, HR, and Support. Recognized as a 7x Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for iPaaS, Workato is trusted by large enterprises like Adobe, Cisco, Vodafone, and Atlassian. The platform includes Agent Studio for building AI agents with a low-code visual editor, embedded integration capabilities for SaaS products, and deep enterprise governance features including SSO, RBAC, and audit trails. Workato is purpose-built for mid-to-large organizations with complex, cross-departmental integration and automation needs.
✅ Pros
Deep enterprise connector library with 1,200+ pre-built integrations and support for on-premises apps and databases.
7x Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader with built-in governance, authentication, and audit trails at every layer.
Enterprise MCP connects AI agents like Claude, OpenAI, and Copilot to business systems with transactional integrity and rollback.
Agent Studio enables building and deploying AI agents across departments with low-code visual design.
❌ Cons
No transparent pricing — all plans require contacting sales for a custom quote, making it hard to evaluate upfront.
Enterprise-first design can feel heavyweight and complex for small teams or simple automation use cases.
Steep onboarding curve compared to lighter-weight automation and AI agent tools.
No free tier available for individual users or small teams to experiment before committing.
💰 Pricing
No public pricing — all plans require contacting sales for a custom quote.
Platform editions: Standard, Business, Enterprise, and Workato One (full platform with Agentic Orchestration).
Consumption-based usage billed by capability (Workflows, APIM, Event Streams) — forecasted and tracked for predictability.
All editions include: Unlimited connections, unlimited collaborators, unlimited workflows, security & data protection, RBAC, and in-product support.
Takeaway
Workato is a powerhouse for large enterprises that need deep integrations, governance, and AI agent orchestration at scale. Its Enterprise MCP and Gartner-leading iPaaS engine make it a serious choice for complex, cross-departmental automation across thousands of employees. However, the lack of transparent pricing, enterprise-only sales process, and heavyweight onboarding mean it's overkill for small teams or individuals who just want to get started quickly. If you're looking for a more accessible way to build AI agents without a sales call — with transparent pricing and a free tier — Relay.app offers a dramatically simpler experience that lets you go from idea to working agent in minutes.
Tray
Tray.ai is an AI orchestration platform that combines a traditional iPaaS with AI agent building capabilities. Its Merlin Agent Builder lets teams create agents that can reason, act, and learn across connected systems — deployable to Slack, web apps, or APIs. The platform offers 600+ connectors, pre-built agent accelerators for IT, HR, knowledge, and support use cases, and enterprise-grade governance features like audit trails, guardrails, and role-based access control. Tray positions itself as a low-code builder for business technologists and development teams, with a focus on scaling AI agents across the enterprise stack. Pricing is entirely custom and sales-driven, with no self-serve plans available.
✅ Pros
Enterprise-grade governance: Includes guardrails, audit trails, RBAC, and Merlin Guardian for sensitive data protection.
Pre-built agent accelerators: Ready-to-use agents for ITSM, HR, knowledge, and support speed up time-to-value.
600+ connectors: Broad integration library for connecting across complex enterprise stacks.
Flexible LLM support: Choose the best model for each use case with no vendor lock-in.
❌ Cons
No public pricing or free tier: Every plan requires talking to sales, making it hard to evaluate costs upfront.
Enterprise-oriented complexity: Designed for large IT teams — likely overkill for small businesses or simple automations.
Steeper learning curve: The platform's power comes with more setup overhead compared to simpler AI agent builders.
Merlin Agent Builder sold separately: AI agent capabilities are an additional purchase on top of core iPaaS plans.
💰 Pricing
Pro: Custom pricing – 3 workspaces, 7-day log retention, pairs with Merlin Agent Builder
Team: Custom pricing – 20 workspaces, all add-ons available, pairs with Merlin Agent Builder
Enterprise: Custom pricing – unlimited workspaces, all add-ons included, Embedded Bundle access
Merlin Agent Builder: Purchased separately – includes pre-built accelerators, guardrails, multi-LLM support
No free tier — all plans require contacting sales.
Takeaway
Tray.ai is built for enterprise IT teams that need to orchestrate AI agents across a complex tech stack with strong governance and compliance controls. Its Merlin Agent Builder and pre-built accelerators can speed up deployment for use cases like ITSM and HR. However, the lack of public pricing, no free tier, and sales-driven onboarding make it a poor fit for smaller teams or anyone who wants to get started quickly. If you're looking for an easier, more accessible way to build AI agents without an enterprise sales cycle, Relay.app is a much faster path from idea to live agent.
Microsoft Power Automate
✅ Pros
✅ Great for Office 365 integrations: If your workflows involve Microsoft products (Excel, SharePoint, Outlook, SQL Server, etc.), Power Automate is seamlessly integrated. For example, automating an Office document process or connecting Outlook to Planner is very straightforward. It’s likely already available in your Office app menus.
✅ Advanced capabilities for IT: Power Automate allows more technical users to create custom connectors, and it ties into Azure for advanced identity and access management. There’s also Power Automate Desktop for RPA, which lets you automate on your Windows desktop (e.g., legacy software tasks) – something Zapier and others don’t do.
✅ Security and administration: Since it’s Microsoft, it complies with enterprise security standards. Admins can manage Power Automate flows across an organization, set data loss prevention policies, etc. This governance is important for larger companies that might not allow an external tool like Zapier but trust Microsoft’s in-house solution.
❌ Cons
❌ Unintuitive design: Users often find Power Automate’s interface less intuitive and more sluggish compared to others. It has that “Microsoft enterprise software” feel, which can be clunky. If you’re not a fan of Microsoft’s UI style, you might find it frustrating.
❌ Could be more reliable: Some have reported flows that crash with large numbers of tasks or that are difficult to debug when something goes wrong. It may not handle high-volume automations as gracefully as some specialized platforms do. Also, certain connectors can be finicky unless you stay within the Microsoft universe.
💰 Pricing
Free tier: No standalone free plan (though Power Automate may be included with certain Microsoft 365 subscriptions in a limited form). A 30-day free trial of premium features is available.
Pricing: Starts at $15 per user/month for cloud flows. (Microsoft offers various plans, e.g. per-user and per-flow plans; $15/user is a common entry point for unlimited flows for that user, while a $100/month per-flow plan allows 5 flows that can be shared.)
Takeaway
If you’re already paying for Microsoft 365 and all your data lives in Microsoft apps, Power Automate could be the path of least resistance – it’s right there and supported by Microsoft. It will never be the most feature-rich or cost-effective automation tool for general purposes, but it offers convenience for Microsoft-centric workflows and keeps your automation “in-house” with Microsoft. If you aren’t a Microsoft-heavy shop, then Power Automate likely isn’t worth looking at (and its value drops significantly).
Activepieces
🏆 Best for: Engineers that want an open source product they can extend.
🔬 Free tier: Cloud version includes 1000 tasks, self-hosted is free.
Activepieces is another newcomer to the automation space, and the main reason it stands out is its open source. This means that engineers can host it themselves and extend it as needed, which can help technical users get a more customized experience and save money. It also provides a white-labeled option if you want to embed automation into your product.
Pros
✅ Open source project with self-hosted option.
Cons
❌ Only ~200 integrations, which is fewer than most of the products on this list.
Pricing
Pipedream
🏆 Best for: Developers looking for a code-centric automation platform.
🔬 Free tier: Yes; includes 300 credits per month.
Pipedream has only been around since 2021, so like us, it’s also a relatively new player.
It’s a workflow automation tool designed for developers—which makes it a powerful Zapier alternative for the crowd that isn’t frightened of integrating their automated workflows into production code.
If you’re a developer keen to get more granular control over your automations (or willing to hire someone who is!) Pipedream may just be the right tool.
Pros
✅ Developer-centric platform that allows for intricate workflow customization using custom code.
✅ Large community of developers and open source license.
Cons
❌ Explicitly designed for engineers.
Pricing
Pipedream's pricing page also shows off their advanced features for engineers.
Takeaway
If you're a developer or engineer that wants to build automations in a true coding environment, Pipedream is a powerful and economical option to consider.
n8n
n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform built for technical teams. It combines a visual workflow editor with the ability to write custom JavaScript or Python code, giving users flexibility to build automations their way. With 500+ integrations, 1,700+ templates, and self-hosting options (via Docker or from GitHub), n8n supports use cases across IT Ops, DevOps, SecOps, and Sales. The platform features an AI Workflow Builder, debugging tools with single-step re-runs, and enterprise capabilities including SSO/SAML/LDAP, version control via Git, RBAC, and audit logging. Trusted by companies like Delivery Hero, StepStone, Vodafone, Microsoft, and Meta, n8n boasts 177k+ GitHub stars and a 200k+ member community.
✅ Pros
Code + no-code flexibility: Write JavaScript or Python alongside a visual UI editor — no need to choose one or the other.
Self-hosting available: Deploy with Docker and access the full source code on GitHub for complete data control.
Execution-based pricing: Pay per full workflow run, not per step or task, making costs more predictable.
Large open-source community: 177k+ GitHub stars and 200k+ community members providing templates and support.
❌ Cons
Steeper learning curve: Best suited for technical users — non-technical team members may struggle with the code-oriented approach.
Limited support on lower tiers: Dedicated support with SLA is only available on the Enterprise plan.
Self-hosted complexity: Self-hosting requires managing your own infrastructure, updates, and scaling.
Big pricing jump to Business: Significant leap from $50/mo (Pro) to $800/mo (Business), which may be steep for growing teams.
💰 Pricing
Community Edition: Free — self-hosted via GitHub, standard features
Starter: $20/mo (billed annually) — 2.5K executions, 5 concurrent executions, unlimited users, 1 shared project, 50 AI Builder credits, forum support
Pro: $50/mo (billed annually) — Custom executions, 20 concurrent executions, 3 shared projects, 150 AI Builder credits, admin roles, global variables, workflow history, 7-day insights
Business: $800/mo (billed annually) — 40K executions (self-hosted), 6 shared projects, SSO/SAML/LDAP, Git version control, environments, 30-day insights, scaling options
Enterprise: Contact Sales — Custom executions, 200+ concurrent, unlimited shared projects, 1,000 AI Builder credits, external secret store, log streaming, extended data retention, 365 days of insights, dedicated support with SLA, invoice billing
Startup Plan: 50% off Business for companies with fewer than 20 employees
Takeaway
n8n is a top choice for technical teams that want the power of code with the convenience of a visual workflow builder. Its open-source DNA, self-hosting option, and execution-based pricing model set it apart from competitors like Zapier and Make. The platform shines for IT Ops, DevOps, and SecOps automation where data control and customization matter most. Teams should be comfortable with a more technical setup, and smaller teams should note the significant price jump to access enterprise-grade features like SSO and Git version control on the Business plan.
Integrately
🏆 Best for: Straightforward single-step automations.
🔬 Free tier. 100 tasks across 5 single-step automations.
Integrately is a workflow automation platform that's competing with Zapier primarily on price. Founded in 2016, it’s been around longer than some of the other options on this list but has failed to build a massive following, which comes down to the limited value prop compared to alternatives.
Pros
✅ Simple UI for single-step workflows.
✅ Helpful support that will troubleshoot your issues and even get on a live call with you to help you build your automations.
Cons
❌ Shallower integrations with missing features.
❌ Less reliable product experiences are often reported on review sites.
Pricing
Takeaway
Integrately is similar to Zapier for basic, single-step automations, but it comes at a lower price, so it can be a good option for users that love Zapier but hate the bill.
Albato
Albato is an AI-driven no-code integration platform (iPaaS) that connects 1,000+ apps and offers 20+ built-in automation tools including routers, webhooks, filters, and JSON parsing. The platform emphasizes affordability, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to Zapier and Make — claiming 60% lower automation costs. Albato includes AI integrations with ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other models directly within workflows, plus a custom App Integrator that lets users connect any API without code. It also offers a white-label embedded integration product for SaaS companies. Trusted by over 200,000 users, Albato has won Product Hunt Golden Kitty recognition and G2 High Performer badges.
✅ Pros
Very affordable pricing: Plans start at $15/mo (annual), significantly cheaper than Zapier or Make for similar transaction volumes.
Clean, beginner-friendly UI: Users consistently praise the intuitive interface and visual workflow builder as easy to pick up.
Custom App Integrator: Connect any API without code — helpful for niche tools not in the native library.
Responsive human support: Live chat with fast response times and a team that actively incorporates user feedback.
❌ Cons
Smaller integration library: 1,000+ apps is solid but trails Zapier (8,000+) and Make (3,000+) significantly.
Transaction-based billing adds up: Each automation step counts as a transaction, which can deplete allowances faster than expected.
Documentation gaps: Help resources and advanced feature docs could be more comprehensive.
Teams plan still "coming soon": Collaboration features like roles, invites, and shared workspaces aren't fully available yet.
💰 Pricing
Free: $0/month – 100 transactions, 5 active automations, 2 steps per automation, 7-day log storage.
Pro: $15/month (billed annually) / $22/month (billed monthly) – 1K+ transactions (scalable up to 2M), unlimited automations & steps, Albato AI, 5-min update interval.
Teams (Coming soon): $65/month (billed annually) / $93/month (billed monthly) – 5 team seats, priority support, roles & shared workspaces, 3-min update interval.
Custom: Contact sales – dedicated CSM, custom integrations, SLA support, 1-min update interval.
Takeaway
Albato is a budget-friendly Zapier alternative that punches above its weight with a clean UI, custom API support, and AI-powered workflow tools. It's a solid option for cost-conscious individuals and small teams running straightforward automations. However, its smaller app library and still-developing team features mean it may not scale as smoothly for collaborative or complex use cases. If you want an equally easy-to-use platform with stronger AI agent capabilities and built-in human-in-the-loop controls, Relay.app offers a more future-ready experience.
The bottom line
Making workflows simpler and boosting productivity doesn't have to be hard for teams looking to improve.
Whether you want to develop custom workflows for complex tasks or just need a single platform with a few of the right readymade automations, with the right tool, automating your repetitive tasks can become an easy part of your day, letting you focus more on important work—or play.
If you want a simple, smart platform that combines automation with human touch, why not try Relay today? See how it can change your team's work for the better.
Jacob Bank
Founder/CEO at Relay.app
Jacob is the Founder and CEO of Relay.app. Prior to founding Relay.app, Jacob was a Director of Product Management at Google, where he led the product teams for Gmail, Google Calendar, and several other Google Workspace products. Before that, Jacob was the Co-founder and CEO of Timeful (acquired by Google in 2015), a smart calendar that leveraged insights from behavioral psychology and AI to help people spend time on their most important priorities. He has a BA in Computer Science from Cornell University and was pursuing a PhD in the AI Lab at Stanford before dropping out to found Timeful.
