Make Free and Paid are both popular tools in their category, but they serve different needs and audiences. This guide compares their features, pricing, and best use cases to help you choose the right one.
Make (formerly Integromat) offers one of the most generous free tiers in the automation space. But at some point, you’ll hit limits. Here’s exactly what you get on each plan and when upgrading makes sense.
Plan Overview
| Feature | Free | Core ($10.59/mo) | Pro ($18.82/mo) | Teams ($34.12/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations/mo | 1,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Active scenarios | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Minimum interval | 15 min | 1 min | 1 min | 1 min |
| Data transfer | 100 MB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Scenario log | 5 days | 15 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Custom variables | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority execution | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Team features | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
What the Free Plan Includes
Make’s free tier is legitimately useful:
- 1,000 operations per month — enough for light personal automations
- 2 active scenarios — run 2 automated workflows simultaneously
- 1,800+ app integrations — same app library as paid plans
- Visual scenario builder — full access to Make’s drag-and-drop builder
- Webhooks — receive data from external services
- Error handling — basic retry and error routes
What 1,000 Operations Gets You
Each step in a scenario = 1 operation. Examples:
| Scenario | Ops per Run | Monthly Runs at 1,000 Ops |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail → Slack notification (2 steps) | 2 | 500 runs |
| RSS → filter → Notion (3 steps) | 3 | 333 runs |
| Typeform → Google Sheets → Email (3 steps) | 3 | 333 runs |
| Complex 10-step workflow | 10 | 100 runs |
For a personal automation that runs a few times a day, 1,000 ops is plenty.
Free Plan Limitations
1. Only 2 Active Scenarios
This is the biggest constraint. You can create unlimited scenarios but only have 2 running at once. If you need a third automation, you must deactivate one.
2. 15-Minute Minimum Interval
Free scenarios check for new data every 15 minutes at most. If you need faster triggers (e.g., instant Slack notifications), you need Core.
3. 5-Day Scenario Logs
Debugging becomes harder when logs disappear after 5 days. On paid plans, you get 15-30 days.
4. 100 MB Data Transfer
File-heavy automations (moving PDFs, images, videos) will hit this limit quickly.
When to Upgrade
Upgrade to Core ($10.59/mo) When:
- You need 3+ active scenarios
- You want 1-minute intervals for time-sensitive automations
- You’re processing more than 1,000 operations/month
- You need longer log retention for debugging
Upgrade to Pro ($18.82/mo) When:
- You need priority execution (your scenarios run first during high-traffic periods)
- You want 30-day logs for compliance or debugging
- You use full-text log search for troubleshooting
Upgrade to Teams ($34.12/mo) When:
- Multiple team members need to edit and manage scenarios
- You need role-based permissions
- You want shared scenario templates across your organization
Make Free vs Zapier Free
| Feature | Make Free | Zapier Free |
|---|---|---|
| Automation limit | 1,000 operations | 100 tasks |
| Active automations | 2 | 5 |
| Multi-step workflows | ✅ | ❌ (single-step only) |
| App library | 1,800+ | 6,000+ |
| Minimum interval | 15 min | 15 min |
Verdict: Make’s free tier is more powerful (multi-step + 10x more runs), but Zapier connects to more apps and allows more active automations.
Compare: Zapier vs Make | Make Pricing 2026
Our Recommendation
Start with Free. Make’s free plan is powerful enough for most personal and light business automations. Build your first 2 scenarios, learn the platform, and only upgrade when you genuinely hit a limit.
When you do upgrade, Core is the sweet spot for most users. The jump from 2 to unlimited active scenarios and 1,000 to 10,000 operations removes the main constraints without overpaying.
Read more → Make Review 2026 | Best Zapier Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Make Free or Paid better?
It depends on your needs. Make Free and Paid excel in different areas — compare features, pricing, and use cases above to find the best fit for your workflow.
Can I use Make Free and Paid together?
Yes, many teams use both. Make Free and Paid can complement each other depending on your workflow requirements.
Which is cheaper, Make Free or Paid?
Check the pricing comparison table above for current plans. Both offer free tiers, but paid plan pricing varies significantly based on team size and features needed.