Top 5 Best Make.com alternatives for agencies & SMBs

December 7, 2025

Most founders and marketers don’t wake up excited to debug automations. You wake up thinking about pipeline, clients, and campaigns—then lose two hours to Zap errors and Make.com scenarios that mysteriously stop mid-flow. At some point, you realize you didn’t start a business to be your own integration engineer.

Make.com is often the first stop on that journey. It’s a visual automation platform that lets you connect apps into multi-step "scenarios"—moving data between CRMs, inboxes, spreadsheets, and more. It’s trusted by 350,000+ customers and can absolutely help you scale operations, reduce manual data entry, and relieve support teams, as one TeleClinic operations lead noted on the official site. But public feedback is mixed: on Trustpilot, Make currently sits at an "Average" 2.8/5 rating, with users praising its power while criticizing complexity, support delays, and occasional fragility. Community threads echo the same story—great when it works, frustrating when you’re stuck.

How we tested these Make.com alternatives

  • We recreated real workflows from agencies, SaaS teams, and solo founders: lead scraping, outbound sequences, onboarding, reporting, and support triage.
  • For each tool, we built the same flows we’d normally build in Make.com, then pushed them: large data volumes, flaky APIs, and messy real-world inputs.
  • We scored platforms on: execution reliability, ease of debugging, and how quickly a non-engineer could ship something useful.
  • We paid close attention to AI-native capabilities: could the tool run true agents, or just sprinkle LLM calls into old-school workflows?
  • We differentiated browser/API automation from full-computer control. If a tool couldn’t touch desktop apps, files, or system dialogs, we treated it as browser-only.
  • Finally, we sanity-checked our impressions against public docs, pricing pages, and user reviews so you’re not just buying into our bias, but standing on a broader consensus.

How we evaluated

When we talk about the “best” Make.com alternatives for business owners and agencies, we’re not guessing. We built and broke real workflows in each tool, then judged them against what modern teams actually need.

Here’s how we evaluated Make.com and its competitors:

  • Real use cases: Lead scraping to CRM, outbound sequences, reporting, content repurposing, back‑office admin, and basic ops (billing, file routing).
  • Ease of use: Onboarding friction, clarity of UI, how quickly you can go from idea → working automation without reading a novel‑length doc.
  • Autonomy: Is it just a rules engine, or can it run as an AI agent that plans multi‑step workflows, makes decisions, and recovers from minor failures?
  • Execution surface:
    • Browser‑only (API + web automations)
    • True computer agents that can also drive desktop apps, files, and OS‑level actions.
  • Visibility & control: Logging, step‑by‑step traces, and how easy it is to audit or edit what the agent actually did.
  • Pricing: Free tiers, entry‑level paid plans, and how costs scale with serious usage.
  • Ideal for: Solo operators, agencies, enterprise teams, or deeply technical shops.

We also paid close attention to long‑run reliability: how tools behave over hundreds or thousands of steps, and whether they feel like something you’d trust with client‑critical workflows.

Comparison Summary

ToolPricing (starter)Key AdvantagesAutonomous?Ideal ForDesktop Tasks?
Simular ProContact sales / early accessFull-computer agent, production-grade reliability, transparent execution, webhook integrationYes (autonomous desktop agent)Agencies, ops, sales & research teams needing end-to-end computer task automationYes (desktop + browser)
LindyFree tier; paid from ~$30+/user/moAI agents for email, meetings & support, 2,500+ integrations via partners, voice callingPartial (AI agents within app ecosystem)Sales, CS, and founders automating comms and meeting-heavy workflowsNo (browser/API only)
ZapierFree; paid from ~${20}/mo7,000+ app integrations, huge template library, very beginner-friendlyNo (rule-based workflows)Non-technical teams needing fast API automations across SaaS toolsNo (browser/API only)
n8nSelf-host free; cloud from ~$24/moOpen-source, self-host, code-friendly nodes, strong AI & data pipeliningPartial (agent-like flows with custom logic)Technical teams needing deep customization and data controlNo (browser/API only)
GumloopFree tier; paid plans for teamsAI-native workflows & agents, strong sales/marketing templates, active communityYes, within browser/API scopeAgencies & marketers automating research, enrichment & outreachNo (browser/API only)

1. Simular Pro — Autonomous Desktop Agent for Serious Workflows

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could just hand my laptop to an assistant and come back to a finished task,” that’s essentially what Simular Pro is built to do.

Simular Pro is Simular’s most advanced computer-use agent platform, designed for pros who live inside their machines all day. Instead of just wiring APIs together, Simular’s agent can see your screen, click, type, drag, and navigate across your entire desktop environment—macOS apps, browsers, files, cloud tools—the way a human would.

Under the hood, Simular combines large language models with symbolic code and reinforcement learning. That neuro-symbolic foundation is what lets it move from “smart autocomplete” to a reliable executor:

  • Highly capable agent — Automates nearly anything a human can do on a desktop, from packaging an Xcode app to filling insurance claims in Excel.
  • Production-grade reliability — Designed for workflows with thousands (even millions) of steps, not just quick zaps.
  • Transparent execution — Every action is logged, readable, and modifiable. No opaque chains of prompts; what you see is what runs.
  • Simple integration — Webhooks make it easy to trigger agents from your existing pipelines, CRMs, or internal tools.

That translates into concrete use cases for knowledge workers:

  • Sales & marketing: Find YouTube influencers and log stats to Sheets, turn long research papers into Twitter/X threads with assets, or draft context-rich outbound emails directly from your CRM.
  • Admin & ops: Generate NDAs for multiple people and send via DocuSign, reorganize files based on content, or compile consulting-style product analyses.
  • Recruiting & scheduling: Source talent from specific orgs, summarize profiles into spreadsheets, and schedule Zoom calls from candidate threads.
  • Deep web + desktop workflows: Scrape portfolio companies into Sheets, download PDFs from Google Scholar and upload to Drive, pull TradingView charts into analysis docs.

Pros

  • True full-computer automation (desktop + browser), not just APIs.
  • Human-like flexibility: works across tools that don’t even have APIs.
  • High observability: step-by-step traces you can audit, edit, replay.
  • Research-grade foundation from a team with DeepMind, Google and robotics backgrounds.

Cons

  • Currently focused on Mac silicon; Windows support is still emerging.
  • More powerful than “simple zaps,” so you’ll want to invest a bit of time in designing robust workflows.
  • Ecosystem and templates are earlier-stage compared with incumbents like Zapier.

Pricing
Simular Pro is in active, fast-moving development. Pricing is currently handled via direct contact, with early-access and business plans tailored to workload and scale. If you’re evaluating Make.com alternatives for mission-critical workflows, it’s worth starting a conversation rather than looking for a flat "$/task" sticker price.

2. Lindy — AI Agents for Email, Meetings, and Voice

Where Simular focuses on using the whole computer, Lindy focuses on intelligent helpers living inside your SaaS stack. Lindy lets you spin up AI agents (“Lindies”) that answer emails, attend and summarize meetings, route support requests, and even handle inbound and outbound phone calls in 30+ languages.

Tightly integrated with an ecosystem of 2,500+ apps via Pipedream and Apify, Lindy shines when your world is primarily Google Workspace, CRM, helpdesk, and calendar.

Pros

  • Natural-language configuration; easier on non-technical teams than Make’s module-and-filter model.
  • Strong meeting and voice workflows: recording, transcribing, summarizing calls.
  • Healthcare-friendly with HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance.

Cons

  • Lacks true desktop control; it can’t, for example, operate your local design tools or file system like Simular Pro.
  • Best suited for communication-centric tasks rather than arbitrary multi-app desktop flows.

Pricing
Lindy offers a free tier, with paid plans (typically per-user plus usage) that scale with seat count and call volume. Expect entry-level paid tiers in the tens of dollars per user per month.

3. Zapier — The Familiar Automation Workhorse

If Make.com was your first automation tool, Zapier was probably the second tab you opened. Zapier is the long-time market leader for no-code business automation, boasting 7,000+ integrations and an enormous library of plug-and-play “Zaps.”

For straightforward API workflows—"when this happens in HubSpot, do that in Slack and Google Sheets"—Zapier is still hard to beat on ease of use and documentation.

Pros

  • Extremely beginner-friendly interface; almost anyone can build a working flow.
  • Massive integration catalog and community templates.
  • Good docs, tutorials, and support.

Cons

  • Primarily rule-based automations; AI is more of an add-on than a core.
  • No desktop control; you’re limited to cloud apps and webhooks.
  • Pricing can escalate quickly for high-volume task usage.

Pricing
Zapier’s free plan covers light usage. Paid plans start around $20/month and scale based on task volume and advanced features (paths, webhooks, etc.). For heavy-use agencies, you’ll want to run the math on how many tasks your flows will burn per month.

4. n8n — Open-Source Powerhouse for Technical Teams

If you have developers on staff and care deeply about data control, n8n is one of the most compelling Make.com alternatives. It’s a source-available workflow engine you can self-host, extend with code, and integrate deeply into your stack.

n8n lets you combine visual flows with JavaScript or Python snippets, call LLMs, and orchestrate complex pipelines spanning hundreds of services.

Pros

  • Self-hostable and open: keep data on your own infrastructure.
  • Flexible: mix drag-and-drop nodes with custom code.
  • Growing support for AI-enriched workflows.

Cons

  • Steeper learning curve than pure no-code tools like Make.com or Zapier.
  • Best results require engineering time for setup, monitoring, and maintenance.
  • No native desktop automation; you’re orchestrating APIs and webhooks only.

Pricing
Self-hosted n8n is free (aside from your infra costs). Their managed cloud starts around $24/month and climbs with executions, data retention, and enterprise features.

5. Gumloop — AI-Native Workflows for GTM Teams

Where some tools retrofit AI onto old-school automation, Gumloop was built from day one for AI-native workflows and agents. It’s especially popular with marketers and operators who want to chain together LLM calls, scraping, enrichment, and outbound actions without writing code.

Gumloop makes it easy to launch templates for common GTM motions: prospect research, lead enrichment, content repurposing, and reporting. Under the hood, it can orchestrate multiple LLMs and tools to behave like light-weight agents.

Pros

  • Designed for AI workflows and agents, not just triggers and actions.
  • Strong templates for sales and marketing use cases.
  • Supportive community and education (cohorts, webinars, university content).

Cons

  • Focused on browser/API automation; it can’t log into your desktop apps or reorganize local files like Simular Pro.
  • As a younger platform, it may lack some of the long-tail integrations of Zapier.

Pricing
Gumloop offers a generous free tier and paid plans for heavier workloads and teams. Pricing is typically based on workflow runs and AI usage, with entry tiers suitable for small agencies.

6. Other Contenders — and How to Choose

Beyond these five, there’s a whole ecosystem of Make.com alternatives:

  • Workato for enterprises that need governance and deep ERP/CRM integrations.
  • Pabbly Connect if you want budget-friendly, high-volume API automations.
  • IFTTT for lightweight personal and home-office automations.
  • Microsoft Power Automate if you live inside the Microsoft stack.

But the right tool really comes down to one question: where does your work actually happen?

  • If most of your workflows live in web apps and APIs, tools like Lindy, Zapier, n8n, and Gumloop are strong picks.
  • If a painful chunk of your day is spent clicking around the desktop—downloading reports, cleaning spreadsheets, wrangling PDFs, stitching together browser and native apps—then a traditional automation platform will always feel like a partial fix.

That’s where Simular Pro stands apart. Instead of forcing you to rebuild your world around APIs, it sends an autonomous, transparent agent into the environment you already use: your computer. For agencies, operators, and founders who want to truly delegate end-to-end work—not just glue apps together—that difference is huge.

If you’re ready to see what it feels like when your laptop starts working for you, Simular is the alternative worth piloting first.