When planning the automation of business processes and researching suitable solutions, Zapier is almost always the first company you come across. The market leader has been established for over a decade and has grown steadily since its launch in 2012.
With more than 8,000 integrations, a very catchy user interface, and a simple yet effective no-code operating principle based around Zaps (processes) with straightforward triggers and actions, it's no surprise that around 3.4 million companies are convinced.
In this post, we'll demonstrate the capabilities of some excellent Zapier alternatives. That's all for now. No programming skills are required for our alternative programmes.
That makes a good alternative to Zapier
Today's market actually offers numerous tools that work according to principles very similar to those of Zapier. In particular, it should be easy to use and sufficiently flexible for more complex business processes. With Zapier, you connect your apps using pre-programmed integrations, set triggers, and then define actions that are executed automatically. The key questions are: how reliable is the competition's approach, how intuitive is the user interface, and how effective is the support team in an emergency?
Particularly important is the Range of (appropriate) integrations. Although no other tool currently comes close to Zapier's enormous variety, some providers also list four-digit figures. The more apps and services you can connect, the better each solution adapts to your existing and developed tech stack over the long term. Of course, it is important to make sure that the right programs are actually included. The price also plays a role: Some tools are significantly cheaper and yet offer features that are completely sufficient for most companies.
To help you quickly identify what you need to pay attention to, we have summarised the most important points.
Short checklist for a good Zapier alternative
1. Lots of integrations: Make sure that the target platform supports the apps you're already using. Some alternatives to Zapier 2026 also offer over 1,000 integrations. It's best to think long-term and consider which additional tools or services might be required in the future.
2. Intuitive user interface: The operation should be easy to understand, ideally via drag and drop — no-code, can be used without programming knowledge as with Zapier.
Flexible triggers and actions: A good alternative to Zapier allows you to flexibly automate workflows, which you can also easily expand if necessary.
3. Reliable Support: Projects such as the marketing automation or a automated bookkeeping are a challenge even with the simplest tool. That's why it makes sense to choose a provider that provides a fast, reliable service similar to Zapier (chat and email).
4. Fair pricing model: Many alternative solutions start cheaper than Zapier and yet offer strong basic functions. Perhaps these are already sufficient for your project.
5. Free testing options: Free plans help you try out the platform of your choice risk-free and understand how it works in practice. If possible, book a demo beforehand to show you exactly how to use everything optimally.
Comparing the Zapier competition — 5 similar automation tools presented
The 2026 Zapier alternatives described below are of course not built exactly as the market leader, but its functional structures and features come close. This is especially important if you may already be using or have tested Zapier and are looking for a more dynamic, more AI-supported or simply cheaper alternative.
Nevertheless — and this is very important — you should definitely try it out for yourself to see whether the solution really meets your requirements. After all, every tool for automating processes is different, and will remain so..
1. Make — visual, flexible and good for complex processes
Make is great for anyone who wants to automate more deeply branched workflows without code. The visual interface uses similar mechanisms to Zapier and can display every stage of a process in real time. As a result, you always have a clear overview of how your processes are structured. Even technical teams with highly detailed requirements can quickly plan and expand processes.
Benefits
• Graphical workflows: The illustrative presentation makes even long process chains easy to understand.
• High adaptability: You can precisely control processes, which is ideal for larger amounts of data or multi-stage automation.
• Large app catalog: More than 1,000 integrations, including for Gmail, Dropbox, Slack, or project management tools.
Drawbacks
The visual interface can overwhelm beginners at first, as more complex scenarios quickly contain many elements and can be adjusted accordingly.
Rates
• Free plan: Up to 1,000 transactions and two connections per month.
• Payment plans: Starting at $9 per month for more transactions and further integrations.
2. Integrately — easy to use, lots of templates and direct support
For us, Integrately's one-click automations are among the most intuitive Zapier alternatives for 2026. Here, you receive suggestions for completed workflows that you can activate immediately. This makes the tool particularly suitable for users who want to get started without undergoing lengthy training. The excellent live chat support is another strong advantage that can make getting started even more pleasant
Benefits
• Quick support: The live chat support responds quickly and is often highlighted in user reviews.
• Broad app support: Over 1,100 integrations, including Mailchimp, Trello, Slack, ClickUp, and Microsoft services, offer plenty of flexibility.
• Strong templates: You can start typical automations with just one click without having to build a workflow yourself.
Drawbacks
Unfortunately, the platform only provides fairly thin documentation on error messages. When a workflow isn't running, you can't always immediately find the cause without contacting customer service.
Rates
• Free plan for initial automations
• Starter: $29.99
• Professional: $49
• Growth: 124 US dollars
• Business: $299 per month
3. Microsoft Power Automate — ideal for companies in the Microsoft ecosystem
Power Automate is an obvious choice for companies that work intensively with Microsoft products. The platform integrates natively with Outlook, SharePoint, Teams and other Microsoft 365 applications. It also supports numerous third-party apps, significantly expanding the range of applications.
Benefits
• Seamless Microsoft integration: Microsoft software automations are particularly stable because the solution comes from the same ecosystem.
• Automation depth: From simple routine tasks to complex business workflows, everything is possible.
• Lots of safety: Complementary compliance features are well suited for larger companies and heavily regulated industries.
Drawbacks
For companies without a Microsoft environment, there are often more suitable alternatives. In addition, the learning curve is quite high if you've only worked with simple drag-and-drop tools before.
Rates
• Free use of many basic automations within Microsoft 365 packages.
• Advanced plans starting at 14 euros per month.
4. Pipedream — Code flexibility and AI-powered workflows
Pipedream is one of more versatile Zapier alternatives, because you can work here completely without programming knowledge and use your own code if necessary. This makes the solution attractive for teams that extend automations step by step or want to program fine adjustments yourself, or maximum scalability wish. In addition, there is a pretty powerful AI automation, which helps you create new workflows and can do a lot of manual work for you.
Benefits
• A mix of no-code and code: You can create workflows graphically and AI-supported and integrate Node.js, Python or other languages as required.
• AI assistant: The platform suggests process steps or automatically generates new automations.
• Over 1,400 API integrations: Large selection for a wide range of application scenarios.
Drawbacks
The interface is not as simple as with pure no-code tools, which is why the learning curve can be a bit steeper once again.
rates
• Free plan
• Basic: $29
• Advanced: 149 US dollars
• Business: 749 US dollars
• Enterprise: price on request
5. IFTTT — very easy to understand, quick to set up and ideal for simple processes
Simple “If-then” processes can be automated very quickly and efficiently with IFTTT. For smaller companies, this is sometimes enough. For example, it is possible to automatically publish blog posts on multiple social media channels with just a few clicks. You can also furnish individual notifications for Customer service automation, for example when new contact requests are received.
Benefits
• Very easy to use: You set up automations quickly, without any previous technical knowledge.
• Can be used free of charge: The basic plan is sufficient for many everyday processes.
• Broad device and app support: Ideal for applications in private environments or for small, lean business processes.
Drawbacks
The platform is less suitable for complex business workflows. In addition, the response time can drop massively due to frequent automations.
Rates
• Free plan
• Pro version starting at just $2.92 per month
6. n8n — open source, highly flexible and more for tech-savvy teams
Similar to Pipedream, n8n is aimed at users who want deeper technical influence on their automations. The platform enables you to create workflows involving many intermediate steps, allowing you to build conditional logic and connect complex API processes with each other. You can achieve much more here than with simple no-code templates. You can configure processes from scratch. At the same time, a library of over 420 templates is growing, including AI workflows, integrations and standard processes, which make it easy to get started.
n8n can be fully self-hosted if desired. As a result, all data remains on your own server, providing maximum control and a high level of security. Alternatively, you can use the cloud version. The user interface is more sophisticated than that of pure no-code tools. You will probably need a bit longer to familiarise yourself with it.n need.
Benefits
• Open source and self-hosting: Full data control and maximum freedom of hosting.
• Lots of flexibility: Automations via templates plus code.
• Good support: Support from a large community, email contact, and optional SLA-based priority service.
Drawbacks
Due to the wide range of options, the software is more difficult to use, especially for automation beginners.
Rates
• Starter for 20 euros per month (hosted by n8n; one project)
• Pro costs 50 euros per month (also cloud version, but for three projects)
• Self-hosted business package for six projects and with AI workflow builder: 667 euros per month
Conclusion
The right automation tool for you will always depend heavily on your requirements, your tech stack and, of course, your budget. The main point of this post is that not every platform has to offer the same scope as Zapier to be the best solution for you. Many Zapier alternatives can easily cover the majority of everyday tasks without offering 8,000+ integrations.
Make is a good choice, for example, if you want to visually create and control workflows, but also map complex processes in a clearly structured way. Integrately impresses with a quick start with many one-click templates. Power Automate shows its strengths wherever Microsoft 365 applications are already in use. On the other hand, if you need maximum control, you could Pipedream and N8n road. With their combination of no-code and optional code, they are the right programs for you. And IFTTT It's particularly suitable if you're looking for simple “if-then” automations that work without much configuration.
In the end, it is important that you test tools by yourself. Most providers provide free plans or the option of a demo ready to give you a practical impression. This will help you quickly identify which functions you need and how easy they are to operate. It's perfect for you. Zapier may well still be the right solution for you. However, it is worth considering extending the sensors further, both in terms of functionality and price.
FAQ
What is Zapier?
Zapier is a no-code platform that automates tasks and data transfers within companies. Its simple visual user interface allows you to connect various software and services, such as Google Workspace, Slack, Trello, Shopify and Salesforce. These connections can be used to design flexible automated actions, known as 'zaps'. Thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop system, no programming experience or other special technical knowledge is required.
Why switch to a Zapier alternative?
For many users, monthly costs play a big role, as Zapier is quite expensive compared to other tools. Some teams may need even simpler workflow automation or deeper AI support. And still others want to scale in more detail — possibly even through individual code. The number of integrations required is also an important reason for the switch: If you only need standards anyway, a narrower solution can be completely sufficient.
What are the best Zapier alternatives 2026?
For us, Make, Integrately, Microsoft Power Automate, Pipedream and IFTTT are clearly among the top alternatives to Zapier 2026. Depending on the use case and requirements, they can be significantly more flexible, cheaper or easier to use than the market leader.
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Jens ist Mitgründer von bakedwith, einer Boutique-Beratung für smarte Automatisierung und KI. Er unterstützt mittelständische Unternehmen und Konzerne dabei, Prozesse zu optimieren, manuelle Arbeit zu reduzieren und durch effiziente Workflows Wachstum zu erzielen. Zuvor war Jens Growth Lead bei OMR und begleitete als Freelancer zahlreiche Unternehmen bei der Optimierung ihrer CRM- und Automationssysteme. Seine Leidenschaft gilt der Verbindung von Wachstum und Effizienz – damit Teams sich auf das Wesentliche konzentrieren können.
