A practical, accountant-focused comparison of the two most popular no-code automation platforms. We break down which is better for connecting your Xero, QBO, and practice management tools so you can stop copying data between systems.
Connect your tools and automate workflows with no code required.
Best for: Quick automations between tools that do not natively integrate
Pricing: Free tier with 100 tasks/month. Paid plans from $29.99/month for 750 tasks.
More powerful and affordable automation for complex workflows.
Best for: Firms wanting complex, multi-step automations
Pricing: Free tier with 1,000 operations/month. Paid plans from $10.59/month for 10,000 operations.
How Zapier and Make compare across the features that matter most for UK accounting firm automation.
| Feature | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Intuitive trigger-action builder. Most staff can create simple Zaps in minutes with no training. | Visual builder is powerful but takes longer to learn. Better suited to someone with a technical mindset. |
| Integration Library | Over 6,000 integrations including Xero, QBO, Karbon, Dext, Ignition, and most UK accounting tools. | Around 1,800 integrations. Covers the major tools but fewer niche accounting apps. |
| Complex Workflows | Multi-step Zaps with paths and filters. Can handle moderate complexity but branching is limited. | Full visual branching with parallel paths, loops, and routers. Handles highly complex scenarios well. |
| Pricing (High Volume) | Can become expensive quickly. 750 tasks/month at $29.99, scaling up from there. | 10,000 operations/month at $10.59. Significantly cheaper for high-volume automation. |
| Visual Builder | Linear step-by-step layout. Clear and simple but does not visualise branching logic well. | Full drag-and-drop canvas with visible connections, branches, and data flow. Easier to reason about complex logic. |
| Error Handling | Retry logic, error notifications, and task history. Solid for troubleshooting failed runs. | Alternative error paths, break modules, and ignore directives. Equally capable with a different approach. |
| Accounting-Specific Triggers | Good Xero and QBO triggers for invoices, contacts, payments. Some gaps in deeper accounting events. | Similar coverage for Xero and QBO triggers. Both rely on the same underlying APIs. |
| Free Tier | 100 tasks/month with 5 single-step Zaps. Enough to test basic automations before committing. | 1,000 operations/month but limited to 2 active scenarios. More operations but fewer workflows. |
| Webhook Support | Webhooks available on paid plans. Catch hooks work but setup is less intuitive than Make. | Native webhook support with instant triggers. Easier to configure and faster response times. |
| Data Transformation | Basic formatting, lookups, and text manipulation. Adequate for simple data mapping. | Built-in functions for parsing, aggregating, and transforming data. JSON, XML, and CSV handling is excellent. |
| Community & Templates | Large community with thousands of pre-built templates. Easy to find and adapt workflows for common use cases. | Growing community but fewer ready-made templates. Less accounting-specific content available. |
| Real-Time Triggers | Many triggers use polling (every 1 to 15 minutes depending on plan). Instant triggers for some apps. | Webhooks and instant triggers are more widely available. Better for time-sensitive workflows. |
The right choice depends on your firm's technical confidence, budget, and the complexity of the workflows you need. Here is our recommendation for each scenario.
Zapier
Zapier is the safer default for most UK accounting firms. The massive integration library means it connects to virtually every tool in your stack, and the no-code interface means any team member can build and maintain automations. If you want to connect Xero or QBO to Karbon, Dext, Ignition, or Slack without any technical overhead, start here.
Make
If your automation needs go beyond simple trigger-action patterns, Make is the better platform. The visual branching builder, powerful data transformations, and webhook support let you build sophisticated workflows that Zapier struggles with. Ideal if you have someone technically inclined on the team or work with an automation consultant.
Make
If you are running high-volume automations, Make is dramatically cheaper. At 10,000 operations per month for $10.59 versus Zapier pricing hundreds for a similar volume, the cost difference is significant. For firms watching every line on the P&L, Make delivers more automation per pound spent.
Book a free discovery call and we will help you choose the right automation tools and build workflows that save your team hours every week.
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