How to Migrate from Zapier to Make: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Audit Existing Zapier Workflows

Before migrating, create a complete inventory of Zapier usage:

1. List all active Zaps with their trigger app, action apps, and task consumption
2. Identify Zap dependencies: Which Zaps feed data to other Zaps? Which use Zapier Tables?
3. Record monthly task volume per Zap from the Zapier Task History dashboard
4. Note premium app connectors that may require verification of Make equivalents
5. Export Zap configurations (Zapier does not offer native export -- document each Zap's structure manually or via screenshots)

Categorize Zaps by migration complexity:

Step 2: Verify Make Connector Availability

Check that Make has connectors for every application used in your Zaps:

• Make covers 2,000+ applications (vs. Zapier's 9,000+)
• For apps without a Make connector, the HTTP module can connect to any REST API
• Some Zapier-specific features (Zapier Tables, Zapier Chatbots) have no direct Make equivalent

Applications most likely to lack Make connectors: niche industry-specific tools, newer startups, and tools with Zapier-exclusive partnership integrations.

Step 3: Map Zapier Concepts to Make Equivalents

Step 4: Rebuild Workflows in Make

1. Start with the highest-volume Zaps to maximize cost savings immediately
2. Recreate the trigger: Find the equivalent Watch/Instant module in Make
3. Map data fields: Make uses a visual data mapping interface -- click fields to map from previous modules
4. Add transformation logic: Replace Zapier Formatter steps with Make's built-in functions
5. Configure error handling: Add Error Handler modules (Make's equivalent of Zapier's error path)
6. Test with real data: Run the scenario manually to verify output matches the original Zap

Step 5: Run Parallel and Cut Over

1. Run both platforms simultaneously for 1-2 weeks to verify Make scenarios produce identical results
2. Monitor for discrepancies: Compare output records between Zapier and Make for the same input events
3. Disable Zaps one at a time as each Make scenario is verified
4. Keep Zapier account active for 30 days after full cutover in case rollback is needed
5. Cancel Zapier subscription once all scenarios are confirmed stable on Make

Feature Differences to Account For

• Make's Router vs Zapier's Paths: Make's Router is more flexible, supporting unlimited branches with fallback routes. Zapier Paths are limited to the Professional plan and above.
• Data Stores vs Zapier Tables: Make Data Stores provide key-value storage with search capability. They are less feature-rich than Zapier Tables but sufficient for lookup and state management.
• Operations vs Tasks: Make counts each module execution as an operation. A 5-module scenario uses 5 operations per run. Zapier counts each action step as a task. The pricing difference typically favors Make at higher volumes.

Editor's Note: We migrated 34 Zaps to Make for a B2B SaaS company. Migration took 2 weeks (one developer). 28 Zaps mapped directly to Make scenarios. 4 required HTTP module workarounds for Zapier-exclusive connectors. 2 Zaps using Zapier Tables required rebuilding the data storage approach using Make Data Stores. Monthly cost dropped from $299/month (Zapier Team) to $34.12/month (Make Teams) for equivalent workflow volume (~45,000 executions/month). The caveat: 3 of the rebuilt scenarios required additional debugging during the first week due to differences in how Make and Zapier handle empty field values (Make treats empty strings differently from null values).