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Most buyers should pick Zapier.
Choose IFTTT for low-cost automations across apps and devices, especially if its 1,000+ services and Applets cover your workflow. Its paid plans use monthly credits and offer faster polling. Choose Zapier for a larger business integration catalog, multi-step workflows, and team controls. It connects 9,000+ apps and offers governance features, but its free plan is limited to 100 tasks a month, and paid pricing rises with task tier.
01Side by side
| IFTTT | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Credits per month; plans from $2.09 | Tasks per month; plans from $19.99 |
| Free tier | 1,000 credits; unlimited Applets | 100 tasks; two-step Zaps; one seat |
| API and SDKs | MCP connection; SDK details unpublished | MCP; 230+ AI tools; no API keys |
| Integrations | 1,000+ services | 9,000+ apps; 66,000+ triggers and actions |
| Deployment model | Hosted Applets; self-hosting option unpublished | Hosted workflows run on Zapier |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Limits and scaling | 1,000 free credits; Pro+ has 100,000 monthly | 100 free tasks; pay-per-task overage |
| Workflow controls | AI agents; Applet speed varies by tier | Permissions, governance, self-healing workflows |
IFTTT Choose IFTTT if
- Choose IFTTT if you automate personal apps, devices, or smart-home services.
- Choose IFTTT if its free 1,000-credit allowance covers your runs.
- Choose IFTTT if you want faster Applets starting at $2.09 monthly.
Zapier Choose Zapier if
- Choose Zapier if you need access to 9,000+ business apps.
- Choose Zapier if teams need shared workflows and centralized governance.
- Choose Zapier if you want MCP connections across 230+ AI tools.
02Pricing at real usage
Both offer a free plan, but their meters are not interchangeable. IFTTT Free includes 1,000 credits a month and unlimited Applets. Starter is $2.09/month, Pro $5.49, and Pro+ $13.99; annual billing totals $25.08, $65.88, and $167.88 respectively. Paid tiers raise monthly credits to 5,000, 20,000, and 100,000, with Applet polling every 15 or five minutes. Extra-credit pricing is not itemized.
Zapier Free allows 100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps, 15-minute polling, and one seat. Professional starts at $19.99/month and Team at $69/month, both at the lowest task tier; higher task tiers affect price. Zapier offers pay-per-task billing after a task limit, at a higher per-task rate. Compare expected monthly runs and seats: the starting prices do not buy equivalent capacity.
03API, SDKs and integration
IFTTT uses Applets: choose a trigger in one service and an action in another, then customize the workflow in its hosted product. It connects 1,000+ services, including Slack, Gmail, Instagram, Discord, Philips Hue, and Notion. Its MCP server connects AI tools to IFTTT services and automations.
Zapier connects 9,000+ apps and provides 66,000+ triggers and actions. Zapier MCP connects Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and 230+ other AI tools to business apps through one secure connection, without API keys. Next Gen Zaps add advanced logic and automatic recovery; the homepage marks them as early access. Neither vendor publishes SDK, programming-language, or CLI details. If you plan to build directly from code, confirm the supported API surface and authentication options with the vendor.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Both products are presented as hosted automation services: IFTTT runs Applets across connected services, while Zapier says workflows run on Zapier. Neither vendor publishes an open-source license, self-hosting option, or data-export path. Treat the workflow definitions and service connections as tied to the hosted product until the vendor confirms what can be exported.
That affects migration planning. A switch may require rebuilding triggers, actions, and permissions in the destination platform; do not assume Applets or Zaps can be transferred directly. Zapier adds centralized controls for auditing and disabling workflows or agent actions, along with granular team permissions. IFTTT's Pro+ plan supports multiple accounts per service. Ask each vendor about workflow export, credential handling, and migration support before committing production processes.
Questions people ask
What apps does Zapier integrate with?
Zapier says it connects to 9,000+ apps and offers 66,000+ triggers and actions. Its MCP connection works across 230+ AI tools, including Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor, and connects those tools to business apps without API keys.
What is similar to IFTTT?
Zapier is similar in that it automates work across connected apps using triggers and actions. It targets broader business workflows, with multi-step Zaps, 9,000+ app integrations, team permissions, and governance features. IFTTT focuses on Applets across apps and devices.
Is IFTTT self-hosted?
IFTTT is described as a hosted bridge for connecting apps and devices. The vendor does not publish a self-hosting option or open-source license. If you need to run automation infrastructure inside your own environment, ask IFTTT to confirm whether that deployment model is supported.
What changes when automation usage grows?
IFTTT paid plans increase monthly credits and offer faster Applet polling. Zapier plan costs rise with task tier, and the vendor lists pay-per-task billing after a task limit. Estimate monthly runs against each product's meter before choosing a plan.