8 products tested & ranked

We Tested 8 Workflow Automation Tools — Here's What's Actually Worth It

We tested and compared the leading workflow automation platforms so you don't have to. Find the perfect tool to connect your apps and eliminate manual work.

Featuring:

Zapier·

Make (formerly Integromat)·

n8n·

Microsoft Power Automate·

Activepieces+3 more

Helping 12,000+ professionals choose the right tools

Quick Answer

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

See all reviews

Best Overall

9.2

Zapier

Free plan (100 tasks/mo). Professional from $29.99/mo. Team from $103.50/mo. Enterprise custom.

The market-leading no-code automation platform connecting over 7,000 apps with an intuitive interface for building automated workflows.

Try Zapier Free

Best for Small Teams

8.9

Make (formerly Integromat)

Free plan (1,000 ops/mo). Core from $29/mo. Pro from $99/mo. Teams from $299/mo.

A powerful visual automation platform with an advanced flowchart-style builder, offering significantly more value per dollar than Zapier for complex workflows.

Try Make Free

Best Value

8.5

n8n

Community (self-hosted): Free. Cloud Starter: EUR 24/mo. Pro: EUR 60/mo. Business: EUR 800/mo.

An open-source, self-hostable workflow automation platform built for developers who want full control over their data and infrastructure.

Try n8n Free

Why Workflow Automation Matters in 2026

Every business runs on dozens of SaaS tools that don't naturally talk to each other. Workflow automation bridges these gaps, connecting your CRM, email, project management, and hundreds of other tools into seamless, automated processes.

How We Evaluate Workflow Automation Tools

Our team evaluates each platform across multiple dimensions: number and quality of integrations, ease of use for non-technical users, pricing transparency at scale, reliability of executions, and the depth of logic available (conditionals, loops, error handling).

What to Look for in a Workflow Automation Tool

When choosing a workflow automation platform, consider the number of app integrations, pricing model (per task vs. flat rate), ease of use for your team's technical level, and whether you need advanced features like webhooks, API calls, or AI-powered steps.

0Products Tested

0+Hours of Testing

0+Years Experience

0Expert Reviewers

Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn affiliate commissions when you purchase through links on this site. This never influences our ratings or recommendations. Our reviews are based on independent, hands-on testing. We believe in full transparency about how we make money. Read our full disclosure →

Our Top Picks

#1 Top Pick

Zapier

Best Overall

9.2

Excellent

Try Zapier Free

#2 Runner Up

Make (formerly Integromat)

Best Value

8.9

Very Good

Try Make Free

#3 Also Great

n8n

Best Open Source

8.5

Very Good

Try n8n Free

#1 Our Top Pick

Editor's Choice

Free plan (100 tasks/mo). Professional from $29.99/mo. Team from $103.50/mo. Enterprise custom.

Zapier

Businesses needing the widest app integration ecosystem with no-code automation

Read Full Review →

Excellent

Features9.5

Ease of Use9.0

Integration9.8

Value for Money7.5

Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	Zapier9.2/10	Make (formerly Integromat)8.9/10	n8n8.5/10	Microsoft Power Automate8.0/10	Activepieces8.2/10	Workato8.7/10	Pipedream8.4/10	Monday.com8.5/10
Starting Price	Free plan (100 tasks/mo). Professional from $29.99/mo. Team from $103.50/mo. Enterprise custom.	Free plan (1,000 ops/mo). Core from $29/mo. Pro from $99/mo. Teams from $299/mo.	Community (self-hosted): Free. Cloud Starter: EUR 24/mo. Pro: EUR 60/mo. Business: EUR 800/mo.	Included with M365. Premium: $15/user/mo. Process (RPA): $150/bot/mo. Free trial available.	Free for 10 flows, then $5/active flow/month (cloud). Self-hosted Community Edition is free (MIT license).	Custom enterprise pricing; starts around $99/mo for basic plans. Consumption-based task pricing.	Free for 100 credits/mo. Paid plans from $29/mo (Basic) to $99/mo (Connect). Custom Business pricing.	Free for 2 users. Basic $9/user/mo, Standard $12/user/mo, Pro $19/user/mo. Enterprise custom.
Free Plan
Starting Price	$29.99/mo	$29/mo	Free (self-hosted) / €24/mo (cloud)	$15/user/mo	$5/flow/mo	Custom (~$99+/mo)	$29/mo	$9/user/mo
App Integrations	7,000+	1,800+	400+	1,000+	600+	1,000+	2,400+	200+
Ease of Use	9.0	7.5	7.0	7.5	8.5	8.3	7.5	9.0
AI Features
Self-Hosting
API Access
Value for Money	7.5	9.5	9.5	8.5	9.0	7.0	8.5	7.8
	Try Zapier Free	Try Make Free	Try n8n Free	Try Power Automate Free	Try Activepieces Free	Request a Demo	Try Pipedream Free	Try Monday.com Free

Detailed Reviews

Very Good

Make (formerly Integromat)

Best ValueTechnical users and agencies needing complex, cost-effective workflow automation

Features9.5

Ease of Use7.5

Integration8.5

Value for Money9.5

Pros

Operations-based pricing delivers 10-15x more value per dollar than Zapier for complex workflows
Visual flowchart builder makes complex branching, loops, and error handling intuitive
Powerful data transformation functions for manipulating text, numbers, and arrays
AI Agents and Maia AI builder streamline scenario creation and management
Unused operations now roll over for one month on paid plans

Cons

Steeper learning curve than Zapier — requires time investment to master the visual builder
Fewer integrations (1,800+) compared to Zapier's 7,000+ — some niche apps may be missing
Free plan limited to only 2 active scenarios and 15-minute intervals
No self-hosting option — all data passes through Make's cloud infrastructure

Pricing: Free plan (1,000 ops/mo). Core from $29/mo. Pro from $99/mo. Teams from $299/mo.

A powerful visual automation platform with an advanced flowchart-style builder, offering significantly more value per dollar than Zapier for complex workflows.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

n8n

Best Open SourceDeveloper teams wanting full control with self-hosted, open-source automation

Features9.0

Ease of Use7.0

Integration7.5

Value for Money9.5

Pros

Completely free self-hosted option with unlimited workflows and zero execution limits
Full data sovereignty — your data stays on your own infrastructure
Custom JavaScript and Python code nodes allow limitless extensibility
Powerful AI agent capabilities with native LLM chaining nodes
Active open-source community with 100,000+ GitHub stars and community node marketplace

Cons

Self-hosting requires DevOps expertise for setup, maintenance, and updates
Fewer pre-built integrations (400+) compared to Zapier or Make
Cloud pricing is relatively expensive for the execution limits provided
Not designed for non-technical users — requires comfort with technical concepts

Pricing: Community (self-hosted): Free. Cloud Starter: EUR 24/mo. Pro: EUR 60/mo. Business: EUR 800/mo.

An open-source, self-hostable workflow automation platform built for developers who want full control over their data and infrastructure.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Microsoft Power Automate

Best for Microsoft TeamsOrganizations running Microsoft 365 needing integrated automation and desktop RPA

Features8.5

Ease of Use7.5

Integration9.0

Value for Money8.5

Pros

Deeply integrated with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics 365 out of the box
Basic cloud flows included free with most Microsoft 365 business licenses
Desktop RPA capabilities for automating legacy Windows applications
AI Builder provides no-code AI models for document and form processing
Enterprise governance with Azure AD, DLP policies, and centralized admin controls

Cons

Limited value for organizations not using the Microsoft ecosystem
Pricing becomes complex with add-ons — RPA bots at $150-215/month can add up fast
Less intuitive visual builder compared to Make or Zapier for complex workflows
Premium connectors for third-party apps require paid plans beyond base M365 license

Pricing: Included with M365. Premium: $15/user/mo. Process (RPA): $150/bot/mo. Free trial available.

Microsoft's enterprise automation platform with deep Office 365 integration, desktop RPA, and AI Builder capabilities for businesses invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Activepieces

Best Budget OptionStartups and SMBs wanting open-source automation with self-hosting options

Features8.0

Ease of Use8.5

Integration7.8

Value for Money9.0

Pros

Truly open-source with MIT license — no vendor lock-in and free self-hosting
Intuitive drag-and-drop flow builder praised by G2 reviewers for ease of use
Unlimited task executions with predictable per-flow pricing model
Native AI agent support with MCP integration for autonomous workflows
SOC 2 Type II compliant with embeddable SDK for SaaS products

Cons

Smaller integration library (600+) compared to Zapier (7,000+) or Make
Self-hosted setup requires technical skills and Docker knowledge
Relatively young platform (founded 2022) — some advanced features still in development
Enterprise features like SSO and RBAC only available on custom-priced Ultimate plan

Pricing: Free for 10 flows, then $5/active flow/month (cloud). Self-hosted Community Edition is free (MIT license).

An open-source, AI-first no-code automation platform that lets teams build workflows connecting 600+ apps, with both cloud and self-hosted deployment options.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Workato

Best for EnterpriseMid-market to enterprise organizations needing robust iPaaS with deep application integrations

Features9.2

Ease of Use8.3

Integration9.5

Value for Money7.0

Pros

Industry-leading 1,000+ pre-built connectors covering all major enterprise applications
Visual recipe builder accessible to both technical and business users
Enterprise-grade security with SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance
Pioneering Enterprise MCP platform for AI agent orchestration
Trusted by over 50% of Fortune 500 companies with proven scalability

Cons

Pricing is opaque and expensive — consumption-based model can lead to unpredictable costs
No free plan available; even basic tiers require a sales conversation
Steep learning curve for advanced recipes and complex multi-step workflows
Overkill for small businesses — built for enterprise complexity and scale

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing; starts around $99/mo for basic plans. Consumption-based task pricing.

An enterprise-grade iPaaS platform trusted by over 50% of Fortune 500 companies, offering AI-powered workflow automation, API management, and agentic orchestration.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Pipedream

Best for DevelopersDevelopers and technical teams needing code-level control over workflow automation

Features9.0

Ease of Use7.5

Integration9.2

Value for Money8.5

Pros

Full code support (Node.js, Python, Go, Bash) at any workflow step for maximum flexibility
Serverless execution with no infrastructure to manage and automatic scaling
Generous free tier with 100 credits/month and 1M AI tokens
Pipedream Connect enables building embedded integrations for end users

Cons

Steep learning curve for non-developers — requires coding knowledge for advanced use
Credit-based pricing can be confusing to estimate costs upfront
Basic plan limits to 10 active workflows and 5 connected accounts

Pricing: Free for 100 credits/mo. Paid plans from $29/mo (Basic) to $99/mo (Connect). Custom Business pricing.

A developer-first workflow automation platform with serverless execution, custom code support, and 2,400+ API integrations trusted by over 1 million developers.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Monday.com

Cross-functional teams wanting visual workflow management with powerful no-code automations

Features8.5

Ease of Use9.0

Integration8.3

Value for Money7.8

Pros

Exceptionally intuitive interface with multiple views (Kanban, Gantt, Timeline, Calendar)
Powerful no-code automation builder that reduces repetitive manual work
Modular product suite covering Work Management, CRM, Dev, Service, and Campaigns
200+ templates for quick setup across various industries and use cases
Strong AI capabilities with monday sidekick and AI-powered automations

Cons

Per-user pricing adds up quickly — minimum 3 seats required on paid plans
Advanced features like time tracking and dependencies locked behind Pro plan ($19/user/mo)
Standard plan limits automations to 250/month which teams can exceed quickly
Free plan very limited — only 2 users and 3 boards

Pricing: Free for 2 users. Basic $9/user/mo, Standard $12/user/mo, Pro $19/user/mo. Enterprise custom.

An AI-powered work platform combining project management, workflow automation, and business process tools, trusted by 250,000+ customers including 60% of the Fortune 500.

Verified this week

Read Full Review →

Our Testing Methodology

Our team of automation experts tests each platform hands-on for a minimum of three weeks. We build real-world workflows, stress-test execution reliability, and evaluate pricing at multiple usage tiers. Scores are based on a weighted rubric covering 8 key criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Workflow automation is the use of software to perform repetitive tasks and processes automatically, without manual intervention. Tools like Zapier and Make connect your business apps and trigger actions based on events — for example, automatically adding new email subscribers to your CRM and sending them a welcome sequence.

No. Most modern workflow automation platforms like Zapier and Make are designed for non-technical users with drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates. However, more advanced platforms like n8n and Pipedream offer coding capabilities for developers who want greater flexibility and customization.

Pricing varies widely. Entry-level plans start around $9-20 per month (Make, Activepieces). Zapier starts at $19.99/month. Enterprise platforms like Workato have custom pricing. Most tools offer free tiers with limited executions, making it easy to test before committing.

Zapier is the market leader with 7,000+ integrations and an extremely simple interface, but uses a linear workflow model. Make (formerly Integromat) offers a visual flowchart builder with more advanced logic (branching, loops, error handling) at a significantly lower price per operation. Zapier is best for simplicity; Make is best for complex workflows on a budget.

Yes. n8n is the leading self-hosted option, offering a free open-source version you can run on your own servers. Activepieces also offers self-hosting. Self-hosting gives you full control over your data and eliminates per-execution pricing, which can save significant costs at scale.

Written by

Alex ThompsonSenior Technology Analyst

Alex Thompson has spent over 8 years evaluating B2B SaaS platforms, from CRM systems to marketing automation tools. He specializes in hands-on product testing and translating complex features into clear, actionable recommendations for growing businesses.

SaaS ReviewsProduct AnalysisB2B SoftwareTech Strategy

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

Why Workflow Automation Matters in 2026

How We Evaluate Workflow Automation Tools

What to Look for in a Workflow Automation Tool

Our Top Picks

Head-to-Head Comparison

Detailed Reviews

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Pros

Cons

Our Testing Methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

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