Hey everyone! We have tried different workflow automation platforms and finally found the right tool that we think will work for you, too. That’s why we are sharing our IT developer experience using the three platforms and what the best tool we think is the best.
Hey everyone! We have tried different workflow automation platforms and finally found the right tool that we think will work for you, too. That’s why we are sharing our IT developer experience using the three platforms Zapier, Workato, and Make. We will also explore which workflow automation software is best for you to manage your task.
We will compare workflow automation software’s distinct features, price structures, and integration capabilities to assist you in making an informed decision.
What is Workflow Automation?
For those who still need help understanding the concept of workflow automation, this is our most comprehensive explanation and definition. Think of the simplicity and speed you could achieve using technology to assist you with your everyday tasks. Automating business processes eliminates repetitive, tedious tasks and streamlines and optimizes business operations. As a result of using this approach, you can connect different applications, systems, and people seamlessly. This will be done by following rules and conditions as they interact.
The Top 3 Best Workflow Automation Software
Make, Zapier, and Workato have emerged as top software automation players. They offer robust automation solutions that are easy to use. If you want to automate repetitive tasks, integrate many apps and tools, or customize workflows for your business, these three platforms are worth exploring.
1. Make (formerly Integromat)
A user-friendly automation platform for automating business processes without coding was introduced by Integromat in 2016 by Ondrej Gazda, Pavel Dvoaka, and Tomá Prokop in Prague, Czech Republic. The platform has become increasingly popular with its visually appealing interface, robust functionality, and various app integrations. Its ability to handle complex workflows and data transformations earned it a reputation for excellence. By 2021, Integromat rebranded as Make, emphasizing simplicity, creativity, and empowerment to empower users to “make” things happen through automation. Make successfully caters to various users and use cases throughout its expansion, refinement, and integration with more applications. The tool attracted many users, from freelancers to small and large companies.
This low-code workflow automation tool is designed to streamline processes and integrate multiple apps and services. Without programming knowledge, you can create customized integrations called “scenarios.” As a result of its ability to automate repetitive tasks and increase productivity, Make has become a necessary tool for businesses and individuals seeking to optimize their digital workflows.
Key features
- Visual interface is user-friendly
What we love about Make is its beautiful and user-friendly interface, where we can easily understand what’s happening with the integration we build and check its condition. Another is that when we run a scenario and go to scenario history, we can see the live execution of the scenario.
- Multi-points/Data transformation
In Make, we can have variables, conditions, and formulas and transform and manipulate data between two points. This is how Make.com differs from other tools because it is a powerful visual coding tool.
- Create app and integration
Make enabled us to use our app and build integration with it. In addition, it lets us connect with not popular applications and/or doesn’t have plugins with other software, and that is the definition of a powerful platform for us.
- Cost-effective platform
In Make, we are charged per operation, and we think it’s much fairer because it’s more like we pay for how much we use, unlike other platforms.
Pricing and Plans
Free: Free forever and worth it!
Core: For creatives and solopreneurs. – 9$ per month
Pro: For SMBs, startups, and automation pros. – 16$ per month
Teams: For teams and agencies to collaborate and manage workflows. – $29 per month
2. Zapier
Wade Foster, Bryan Helmig, and Mike Knoop founded Zapier in 2011 to automate tasks between various online applications through a user-friendly interface. With this workflow automation software you can be Automating workflows with a “zap” and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks can increase your productivity and efficiency to a great extent. Since its launch, Zapier’s integrated apps library has grown from just a few to over 4,000.
Zapier is a great tool where you can automate simple workflows, providing a straightforward format that can be accustomed to in minutes. However, the following are the things we have noticed trying it:
- It does not support multipoint and does support databases.
- It does not support condition and branching; its logic is far below what make.com offers.
- Zapier has limits on the number of operations per plan. So, to build complex integration and use its best potential, we must keep upgrading to a higher tier.
- It has a higher pricing plan than Make.com.
Pricing and Plans
Free: Free Forever!
Starter: For individuals – $19.99
Professional: For individuals that need much better automation – $49
Team: For Teams and collaborate on automation – $399
Company: For Organizations that requires automation with security features – $799
3. Workato
Workato integration software, developed by Vijau Tella in 2012, is a powerful automation and integration platform that optimizes company workflows by connecting apps and systems. Combining AI, machine learning, and pre-built connectors, the platform provides access solutions for business process automation. The user-friendly design of Workato enables non-technical users to implement customizable automation and integrations. This workflow automation tool also improved its capabilities over time by integrating with numerous applications.
Workato is one of the workflow automation tools with great capabilities in automating workflows; here is our honest review of this platform:
- It enables us to automate workflows for mapping business operations.
- This platform ensures collaborative governance through various tools, audit trails, and custom reports, requiring administrators to adhere to compliance and security regulations.
- Recipes can be configured with advanced features to enable the solution to successfully manage a variety of workflow automation and integration scenarios.
Pricing and Plans
Free trial: Workato offered a 30-day free trial for potential customers to evaluate the service.
Starting Price: 10,000$ annually
Make vs. Zapier
Interface
Make and Zapier are effective workflow automation software to help your business improve efficiency and streamline processes. However, although both platforms offer various features and integrations, there are several key differences between Make and Zapier.
The user interface is one of the most notable differences. With Make, you can drag and drop scenarios and execute processes in real time. The result is better data flow management, more effective error handling, and easier workflow management.
The user interface is one of the most notable differences. With Make automation software, you can drag and drop scenarios and execute processes in real-time. The result is better data flow management, more effective error handling, and easier workflow management.
Integrations
Regarding app integrations and API endpoints, Zapier supports over 5,000 apps, while Make offers over 2,500. Despite this, Make offers twice as many API endpoints per app, allowing more automation options. Moreover, Make’s HTTP module will enable it to connect to any app with an API, further expanding its integration potential.
Make also offers unique features and tools, including multi-step workflows, multiple workspaces, custom user roles, advanced error handling, and on-demand scheduling. Several existing features have also been improved, including the option for unlimited routes in a scenario and more advanced file manipulation options.
Terms
Make.com use terms like “scenarios,” while Zapier uses “zaps.”
Make vs. Workato
Interface
Make prioritizes user experience, boasting a more intuitive interface than Workato. It allows users to visually create, build, and automate workflows easily, eliminating technical knowledge or programming skills. Conversely, Workato can be complex and perplexing for non-technical users, often necessitating code or formulas for specific functions.
Flexibility
Make offers enhanced flexibility and scalability than Workato. It enables you to tailor and extend its functionality to meet your requirements. You can generate connectors, functions, modules, scenarios, and apps with Make and integrate them with any app or service supporting APIs or webhooks. Workato has certain limitations and restrictions, possibly hindering connectivity to unsupported apps or services and potentially leading to performance, reliability, or security concerns.
Final Verdict
Each platform is unique in the features it offers and the capabilities it provides, which significantly improves productivity and efficiency in a variety of business settings.
When choosing among these software options, it is important to consider your specific requirements and needs.
Choose Make if…
If you seek a cost-effective online automation platform and desire to build more complex workflows and systems, Make is an ideal choice, assuming you possess a solid grasp of automation. It lets you choose from thousands of ready-made integrations or connect to any app. Choose Make to automate your workflows if you want to solve your organization’s problems in all areas.
Choose Zapier if…
If you are a beginner and want to build simple and quick workflow automation to help you save time doing repetitive tasks. This platform is convenient for those using basic applications and services in their workflows. For us, Zapier needs to catch up regarding interface configuration capacity and flexibility.
Choose Workato if…
If you are in the enterprise market or a large business that needs to create a complex integration and wants workflow automation software that allows you to connect different systems and automate various tasks. We think it’s not a cost-effective platform for small to medium-sized businesses.