Make Review 2025: The Architect’s Choice
Make (formerly Integromat) is the visual automation platform for those who have outgrown simple linear triggers. If you visualize your workflows as complex maps with branches, loops, and logic, Make is your canvas. It is more affordable than Zapier and offers a level of granularity that technical users and developers adore.
Pricing: Free / $9 mo
Quick Verdict: Is Make Worth It in 2025?
If you are cost-conscious or need complex logic, Make is superior to Zapier. Its “Operations” pricing model is generally 30-50% cheaper for high-volume tasks. The visual drag-and-drop builder allows for infinite branching and error handling, which is restricted or impossible on Zapier’s lower tiers. It is the tool of choice for “AI Automation Agencies” building complex agents.
Pros
- Visual Canvas: You see your workflow as a bubble chart. You can drag, drop, and rearrange modules freely, making complex logic easier to understand.
- Cost Efficiency: The Core plan starts at just $9/month, and you get significantly more “runs” for your money than competitors.
- Make AI Assistant: New for 2025, you can type “Create a scenario that saves Gmail attachments to Drive” and it builds the bubbles for you.
- Error Handling: Advanced tools to “ignore,” “retry,” or “rollback” errors, preventing one bad data point from breaking your whole system.
Cons
- Learning Curve: It is not as “plug-and-play” as Zapier. Understanding concepts like “Iterators” and “Aggregators” takes time.
- Technical Jargon: It feels more like a developer tool. You often need to understand JSON or API keys to get the most out of it.
- Integrations: While it has 1,800+ apps, it still trails Zapier’s massive library of 7,000+.
Key Features & Real-World Workflows
1. The Scenario Editor
Unlike linear lists, Make uses a flexible canvas. You can have one trigger (e.g., “New Order”) branch into five different paths based on the order value, customer location, or inventory status.
- Strength: Allows for true “If/Else” logic without needing expensive plan upgrades.
2. Iterators & Aggregators
This is where Make shines. You can take a list of 10 items (like an order with 10 products), process each one individually (Iterator), and then bundle the results back into a single email summary (Aggregator).
- Strength: Essential for e-commerce and bulk data processing.
3. AI Integration
Make has native modules for OpenAI, Anthropic, and Midjourney. You can easily build a workflow that reads an RSS feed, summarizes it with GPT-4, generates an image with DALL-E, and posts it to WordPress.
- Strength: The backbone of modern “AI Agencies.”
How Make Scores on Our Rankings
| Criteria | Score | Why it scored this way |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | 10.0 | You can manipulate data (parse JSON, format dates, math functions) far better than any other no-code tool. |
| Pricing | 9.5 | It is incredibly affordable. The free plan allows 1,000 operations, which is enough to run a small business. |
| Visuals | 9.0 | The bubble interface is beautiful and functional, though it can get cluttered with massive workflows. |
| Ease of Use | 7.5 | This is its weak point. Non-technical users often find “webhooks” and “arrays” intimidating. |
| Reliability | 9.0 | Very stable, but if you set up a loop incorrectly, you can burn through your operations quickly. |
Make Pricing in 2025
| Plan | Key Limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 Ops/mo / 2 Active Scenarios | $0 |
| Core | 10,000 Ops/mo / Unlimited Scenarios | $9/mo |
| Pro | Priority Execution / Custom Variables | $16/mo |
Alternatives to Make
- Zapier: Best if you want Simplicity. If you just need “Typeform to Slack” without complex logic, Zapier is faster to set up.
- n8n: Best for Self-Hosting. If you want to run automations on your own server for privacy and zero cost, n8n is the winner.
- Relay.app: Best for Human-in-the-Loop. A newer tool that blends automated steps with manual approvals very elegantly.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Make?
If you are building complex AI agents or business systems, Make is the best choice. The learning curve pays off in massive cost savings and capability. However, if you just want to connect two apps quickly and never look at it again, stick with Zapier.