If you've been researching real estate automation, you've likely landed on these two names: Make.com and Zapier. Both let you connect apps and automate workflows without writing a single line of code. Both work with Zillow, Realtor.com and major CRMs. So which one should you use?
The short answer: Make is better for most real estate agents. But Zapier wins in specific situations. Let's break it down.
Pricing: Make wins by a wide margin
This is where the difference gets dramatic. At the same volume of work, Make is roughly 3x cheaper than Zapier. For a real estate agent running automations for 500 leads per month, that's the difference between $16 and $49 per month.
Make's free plan gives you 1,000 operations/month — enough for 100–200 lead automations. Zapier's free plan only allows 5 Zaps with 100 tasks. For any serious volume, Make is significantly cheaper.
Features: Make is more powerful, Zapier is simpler
The biggest functional difference is how they handle complex logic. In Zapier, automations are linear — if A happens, do B. In Make, you can build branching scenarios: if A happens and condition X is true, do B, otherwise do C, then notify D.
For real estate, this matters. A real lead automation isn't just "new Zillow lead → send email." It's "new lead → check budget → if over $500k, assign to senior agent and send premium template → if under $500k, add to standard drip sequence → log everything in CRM." Make handles this natively. Zapier requires multiple separate Zaps and workarounds.
Where Zapier wins
- Faster initial setup — most users are automating in under 5 minutes
- Slightly larger app library (7,000+ vs 1,500+) for niche integrations
- Better documentation and community for absolute beginners
- Cleaner, more intuitive interface for simple one-step automations
Where Make wins
- Visual scenario builder — see your entire workflow on one canvas
- Conditional logic and branching paths within a single scenario
- Error handling and retry logic built in
- Much cheaper per operation at scale
- Better for complex multi-app workflows common in real estate
Real estate use cases: who wins each one?
Full feature comparison
| Feature | Make.com | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 1,000 ops/month Better | 100 tasks, 5 Zaps only |
| Paid entry price | $9/month Cheaper | $19.99/month |
| Operations at entry plan | 10,000 ops Better | 750 tasks |
| Conditional logic | Yes — full branching Better | Basic filters only |
| Visual workflow builder | Yes — full canvas Better | Linear steps only |
| App integrations | 1,500+ | 7,000+ More |
| Ease of setup | Moderate learning curve | Very easy Simpler |
| Error handling | Built in Better | Basic |
| Zillow integration | Yes — native + webhook | Yes — native + webhook |
| Real estate CRM support | Follow Up Boss, HubSpot, etc. | Follow Up Boss, HubSpot, etc. |
| Affiliate commission | 35% for 12 months Higher | Referral program |
Frequently asked questions
Is Make better than Zapier for real estate agents?
For most real estate agents, yes. Make is cheaper at scale, supports complex conditional workflows and has a better visual builder. Zapier is only better if you need a very simple automation and want the easiest possible setup.
How much cheaper is Make than Zapier?
At 10,000 operations per month, Make costs $16/month versus Zapier's $49/month — roughly 3x cheaper at the same volume.
Can I switch from Zapier to Make easily?
Yes. Most Zapier automations can be recreated in Make in under an hour. Make has a learning curve but their documentation and templates make the transition straightforward.
Does Make.com connect to Zillow?
Yes. Make connects to Zillow via webhooks and native integrations. New Zillow leads can be automatically routed to your CRM, email and team notifications in real time.
Which tool is better for a solo agent just starting out?
Start with Make's free plan. It's more powerful than Zapier's free tier (1,000 ops vs 100 tasks) and the skills you build will scale with your business.
Our recommendation: start with Make
Free plan, 1,000 operations per month, no credit card needed. Build your first lead automation in 15 minutes.