Our verdict: count the same workflow twice
We would not compare a Zapier task allowance with a Make credit allowance as if they were the same unit. Zapier excludes triggers from task counts, while Make charges credits for modules that read data. [2] [3] The same workflow can therefore produce different numbers on each platform, and the gap depends on how many steps run per trigger.
Who this fits: a small business with one repeated handoff, such as a form entry that creates a contact and sends a notification. Who should skip it: anyone whose current tool already works and whose bill is not a problem. Moving a working workflow has its own cost in rebuilding and retesting.
The hypothetical workflow
Hypothetical example: a website form (step 1, trigger) creates a row in a spreadsheet (step 2) and sends an email notification (step 3). It runs 300 times in a typical month. All numbers here are invented for illustration.
On Zapier, the trigger does not count and each successful action is one task, so one run is 2 tasks and 300 runs are 600 tasks. [2] On Make, assuming the trigger module reads one form entry and each of the two action modules performs one operation, one run is about 3 credits and 300 runs are about 900 credits. Make says most actions cost 1 credit, with some AI features costing more. [3] Confirm the actual count in the scenario's run history, because polling triggers and multiple bundles can change it.
Side-by-side counting
Figures were read on each vendor's official pages on 2026-10-13. Prices in USD as displayed.
| Item | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Unit | Task: a successful action [2] | Credit: consumed when a module performs an action [3] |
| Trigger | Does not count [2] | Reading data from an app or webhook consumes credits [3] |
| Filters and routing | Filter and Paths steps do not count [2] | Router and error handler modules do not count [3] |
| Free allowance | 100 tasks per month, two-step Zaps only [1] | 1,000 credits per month [3] |
| Hypothetical 300 runs | 600 tasks, needs a paid plan for 3 steps | About 900 credits |
| Entry paid price | Professional 750 tasks: $19.99/mo billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly [1] | Not verified on page |
Who fits each counting model
Zapier's model favors workflows with few actions per run and some logic, because triggers, Filter and Paths steps, and Formatter steps do not consume tasks. [2] A workflow that filters out most incoming records before acting can stay cheap in task terms. Make's model counts module operations, with routers and error handlers excluded, so a workflow with many small modules can add up faster than its run count suggests. [3]
Hypothetical example: if the same form workflow added a fourth step to look up the contact first, Zapier would count 3 tasks per run, or 900 tasks for 300 runs, which is more than the 750-task entry tier. [1] [2] Make would count about 4 credits per run, or about 1,200 credits, which is above the 1,000-credit free allowance. [3] One extra step changed the answer on both platforms, so recount whenever the workflow changes, not only when the bill arrives.
Procedure: compare with your own month
- Pick one workflow and write down every step, including filters.
- Pull last month's run count from the current tool's history, plus the busiest month you remember.
- Zapier: multiply runs by successful actions; ignore triggers, filters and paths. [2]
- Make: multiply runs by modules that perform an action, including the trigger; ignore routers and error handlers. [3]
- Compare each total with the plan allowance, then add a margin for retries and growth.
- If you consider annual billing on Make, note that the Core plan still allocates credits monthly, while only Pro and Teams have an annual credit package. [4]
Pitfalls
- Zapier Free cannot run the three-step version at all, so its 100 tasks are not the relevant number for this workflow. [1]
- A Make scenario that polls for new data can use credits on checks, so a quiet month is not necessarily a cheap month. See the polling budget guide before assuming zero.
- Errored actions do not count on Zapier, but a retry that later succeeds does. [2]
- Neither total includes the cost of the spreadsheet, form or email tools the workflow touches.
Our decision rule
Choose the platform whose counted usage for your real month fits an allowance you can afford, and whose history view you can actually read when something breaks. If both fit, keep the one you already run. If neither fits comfortably, simplify the workflow before buying a larger plan.
Questions before you decide
Is a Zapier task the same as a Make credit?
No. Zapier's help center says only successful actions count as tasks and triggers do not. Make's pricing page says every time a module performs an action it consumes credits, and lists reading data from an app or webhook as a credit-consuming action.
What is the cheapest way to run a three-step workflow on Zapier?
Zapier Free is limited to two-step Zaps, so a trigger plus two actions needs a paid plan. The pricing page lists the Professional entry tier at 750 tasks per month for $19.99 per month billed annually or $29.99 billed monthly.
What does Make's paid plan cost?
Make's pricing page text that we could read on 2026-10-13 did not display dollar amounts for Core, Pro or Teams, so we do not quote one. Check the live pricing page or your account's subscription screen for the price in your currency.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Zapier pricing Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Zapier Help: How is task usage measured in Zapier? Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Make pricing Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Make Help Center: Monthly and annual subscriptions Accessed 13 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.