Agency-specific comparison of Zapier and Make for client work, project automation, and scaling operations. Real agency use cases and cost analysis.
Zapier vs Make for Agencies: Which Automation Platform Wins?
Running an agency means juggling client work, internal operations, and scaling challenges simultaneously. The right automation platform can save 20+ hours per week—but the wrong choice creates technical debt and hidden costs.
This guide compares Zapier and Make specifically for agency use cases, from client onboarding to reporting automation.
Why Agencies Have Different Automation Needs
Agencies face unique challenges that general automation comparisons miss:
1. Multi-client management - Each client has different tools, workflows, and requirements
2. Scalability requirements - Operations volume fluctuates with client count
3. White-label needs - Some client-facing automations need your branding hidden
4. Team collaboration - Multiple people need to build and maintain workflows
5. Cost predictability - Client budgets demand knowing automation costs upfront
The Quick Verdict for Agencies
| Agency Type |
Recommended Platform |
Why |
| Solo freelancer |
Zapier |
Faster setup, simpler maintenance |
| Small agency (2-10) |
Make |
Better cost at scale, client-specific logic |
| Growing agency (10-25) |
Make |
Dramatic cost savings, complex workflows |
| Large agency (25+) |
Make + Zapier hybrid |
Power where needed, simplicity for team |
Agency-Specific Use Cases: Head to Head
Client Onboarding Automation
What you need: New client signed → Project setup → Access provisioning → Welcome sequence → Task creation
Zapier Approach:
New Proposal Signed (PandaDoc) →
Create Client Folder (Google Drive) →
Create Project (Asana) →
Add to CRM (HubSpot) →
Send Welcome Email (Gmail) →
Notify Team (Slack)
- Setup time: 30-45 minutes
- Cost: 5 tasks per client onboarding × $0.01-0.03/task
- Limitation: Linear only—can't branch based on service type
Make Approach:
New Proposal Signed (PandaDoc) →
Router: Which service package?
├── Retainer → Full project setup + weekly call scheduling
├── Project → Single project setup + milestone tasks
└── Audit → Audit template + deliverable checklist
All paths → Add to CRM → Welcome sequence → Slack notification
- Setup time: 45-60 minutes
- Cost: 6-10 operations per onboarding × $0.001/operation
- Advantage: Different flows per service type
Winner for onboarding: Make (unless you have a single service offering)
Client Reporting Automation
What you need: Pull data from multiple sources → Aggregate → Format → Send to client
Zapier Approach:
- Requires multiple Zaps (one per data source)
- Limited data transformation
- Struggles with formatting complex reports
- Works for simple "send X data weekly" reports
Make Approach:
- Single scenario handles all data sources
- Powerful data aggregation modules
- Can format into professional PDFs/spreadsheets
- Handles conditional logic (different reports per client)
Real example from a marketing agency:
Monthly reporting workflow:
- Pull Google Analytics data
- Pull Facebook Ads data
- Pull Google Ads data
- Aggregate into client-specific template
- Add month-over-month comparisons
- Generate PDF
- Email to client
- Archive in client folder
Zapier: Would require 4+ Zaps, manual PDF creation, approximately $150/month at scale
Make: Single scenario, built-in PDF generation, approximately $20/month
Winner for reporting: Make (significantly)
Lead Routing and Assignment
What you need: New lead → Qualify → Route to right team member → Create follow-up tasks
Zapier with Paths:
New Lead (Form) →
Path A: Enterprise (>$50K) → Sales Director + Priority task
Path B: Mid-market ($10-50K) → Account Exec
Path C: Small (<$10K) → SDR + Nurture sequence
- Limited to 3 paths on Professional plan
- Adequate for simple routing
- Each path is linear after branching
Make with Routers:
New Lead (Form) →
Router: Lead Score
├── Hot (Score >80) →
│ Router: Industry
│ ├── SaaS → SaaS specialist
│ ├── E-commerce → E-com specialist
│ └── Other → General pool
├── Warm (Score 50-80) → SDR + 3-day follow-up
└── Cold (Score <50) → Nurture sequence only
- Unlimited branching depth
- Nested conditions
- Different actions per branch
Winner for lead routing: Make (more sophisticated routing)
Social Media Automation
What you need: Content calendar → Multi-platform posting → Engagement tracking
Zapier:
- More native social integrations
- Simple "post to X platforms" works well
- Limited scheduling logic
- Good for straightforward posting
Make:
- Fewer native integrations (but HTTP module covers gaps)
- Better for conditional posting (different content per platform)
- More control over posting timing
- Better for approval workflows
Winner for social: Zapier (simpler for standard use cases)
Cost Analysis for Agencies
Scenario: 20-Client Agency
Monthly automation needs:
- 20 client onboardings/month: 100 actions each
- 20 monthly reports: 50 actions each
- 500 lead form submissions: 10 actions each
- 1,000 social posts: 3 actions each
- 200 internal workflows: 5 actions each
Total monthly actions: ~11,000
Zapier Cost:
- 11,000 tasks requires Team plan ($103.50) or higher
- Additional team seats: +$25-50/seat
- Estimated monthly: $150-250/month
Make Cost:
- 11,000 operations = Core plan ($10.59) covers it
- Additional team members included on Teams ($34.12)
- Estimated monthly: $35-50/month
Annual savings with Make: $1,200-2,400
Break-Even Analysis
| Agency Size |
Zapier Monthly |
Make Monthly |
Annual Savings |
| 5 clients |
$73.50 |
$10.59 |
$755 |
| 10 clients |
$103.50 |
$18.82 |
$1,016 |
| 20 clients |
$180+ |
$34.12 |
$1,750+ |
| 50 clients |
$350+ |
$80 |
$3,240+ |
Agency-Specific Features Comparison
Team Collaboration
Zapier:
- Shared folders on Team+ plans
- Basic commenting
- Activity logs
- Simple permissions (admin vs. member)
Make:
- Teams feature with folders
- Scenario versioning
- Execution history
- More granular permissions
Winner: Tie (both adequate)
Client-Specific Workspaces
Zapier:
- Can create per-client folders
- No true workspace isolation
- Shared task pool across clients
Make:
- Dedicated folders per client
- Can run client scenarios independently
- Easier cost tracking per client
Winner: Make (better client isolation)
Error Handling for Client Work
Zapier:
- Auto-retry
- Email notifications
- Limited error routing
- "Just retries" approach
Make:
- Error routes (catch and handle)
- Retry with conditions
- Fallback actions
- Resume from failed module
Winner: Make (critical for client deliverables)
White-Labeling
Neither platform offers true white-labeling, but:
Zapier:
- Some partner programs for embedding
- No way to hide Zapier from clients
Make:
- No white-label options
- Can use webhooks to hide Make backend
Workaround: Use Make webhooks + custom interface for client-facing automations
When Agencies Should Choose Zapier
Choose Zapier if:
- You're a solo freelancer - Simpler is better when you're the only one maintaining it
- Standard workflows only - Client onboarding, basic notifications, simple routing
- Team isn't technical - Zapier's guided setup prevents mistakes
- Specific integration needed - Check both platforms; Zapier has more niche integrations
- Speed over cost - You need something working today, optimization can come later
When Agencies Should Choose Make
Choose Make if:
- Cost matters - Especially at 10+ clients
- Complex client requirements - Different workflows per client type
- Reporting automation - Make's data transformation is superior
- Technical team - Can leverage Make's full power
- Growing rapidly - Make scales cost-efficiently
The Hybrid Approach for Agencies
Many successful agencies use both:
Zapier for:
- Quick internal automations
- Team members building their own workflows
- Simple, stable integrations
Make for:
- Complex client-facing workflows
- High-volume automations
- Reporting and data processing
- Core business automation
How to implement:
- Start with Make for core operations
- Give team members Zapier access for personal productivity
- Migrate high-volume Zapier workflows to Make quarterly
- Keep simple, stable Zaps in Zapier
Migration Guide: Zapier to Make for Agencies
If you're moving from Zapier to Make:
Week 1: Audit and Prioritize
- List all current Zaps
- Identify highest-volume (move first for savings)
- Identify client-critical (move carefully with testing)
Week 2: Setup and Learning
- Create Make account
- Rebuild 2-3 simple workflows
- Get comfortable with interface
Week 3-4: Core Migration
- Migrate high-volume workflows
- Run parallel with Zapier for testing
- Document new processes
Month 2: Optimization
- Combine multiple Zaps into single Make scenarios
- Add conditional logic you couldn't do before
- Train team on Make
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Make really that much cheaper for agencies?
Yes. A 20-client agency typically saves $1,500-2,500/year switching from Zapier to Make. The savings compound as you grow—a 50-client agency can save $3,000+/year. Make's operation-based pricing is roughly 1/7th the cost of Zapier's task-based pricing.
Can my non-technical team use Make?
Make has a steeper learning curve (expect 1-2 weeks for team members to get comfortable), but most agency staff adapt quickly. The visual canvas actually helps some people understand workflows better than Zapier's linear steps. Provide training and start with simple workflows.
Should I use the same platform for all clients?
Generally yes—standardization reduces complexity. However, if a specific client requires an integration only available on one platform, use that platform for their workflows. Don't let one exception force you into a more expensive platform for everything.
How do I track automation costs per client?
Make's folder structure allows you to separate clients and monitor operations per folder. For precise tracking, create separate scenarios per client and review execution logs monthly. This helps with client billing and identifying efficiency opportunities.
What if a client already uses Zapier?
You can connect to their Zaps via webhooks, or create parallel workflows in your Make account. Some agencies manage client Zapier accounts directly when contracted to do so. Discuss automation consolidation during onboarding.
Is Make reliable enough for client deliverables?
Make has 99.9% uptime and robust error handling. Its error routes are actually better than Zapier's for mission-critical workflows—you can catch failures and route to backup actions or notifications. Many agencies prefer Make specifically because of superior error handling.
Our Recommendation for Agencies
If you're just starting: Try both free tiers with your most common workflow. The hands-on experience is more valuable than any comparison article.
If you're a growing agency (10+ clients): Make offers significantly better economics and the power you'll eventually need. The learning curve is a one-time investment; the savings compound forever.
If you're established with Zapier: Don't migrate everything at once. Move high-volume workflows first, measure savings, then gradually transition.
Need help optimizing your agency's automation stack? Cedar Operations specializes in operations consulting for growing agencies. Let's discuss your automation strategy →
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