Head-to-head · workflow automation tools · facts checked 13 Sept 2026
Pipedream vs Zapier
Zapier scores 8.0 to Pipedream's 7.0 among the workflow automation tools we rate, and is the better pick for 1 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
From
$45/mo
Free plan
Yes
From
$29.99/mo
Free plan
Yes
The verdict
Zapier wins, 8.0 to 7.0
Pipedream's Basic plan costs $45 a month, more than Zapier's Professional plan at $29.99. Zapier also connects to far more apps, 10,076 against Pipedream's 3,000. Pipedream supports HIPAA compliance; we could not find whether Zapier does on its site. Both offer a free plan, webhook triggers and branching on every tier.
Pick Pipedream if you need hipaa compliance built into the platform.
Pick Zapier if you want more app connectors and a lower price.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
Solo builders and startups
Pipedream
Pipedream 9.4 · Zapier 9.1 on building workflows and pricing
- Cost of 1,000 five-step runs a month: $45 against $133.5
Ops teams connecting many apps
Too close to call
Pipedream 9.0 · Zapier 9.0 on apps it connects to and reliability and control
- App connectors: Pipedream 3000 apps, Zapier 10,076 apps
- Separate test and live environments: Pipedream yes, Zapier does not say
- Run history kept on the cheapest plan: 60 days against 7 days
AI agent projects
Zapier
Pipedream 1.5 · Zapier 6.5 on ai agents
- BYOK: bring your own model or key: Zapier yes, Pipedream no
Enterprise IT and compliance
Too close to call
Pipedream 4.6 · Zapier 5.2 on hosting and security and support
- Self-hosted edition: Pipedream no, Zapier not published
- Does not train AI on your data: Pipedream not published, Zapier Unless you opt out
- Ways to reach support: Pipedream Community, slack, email, Zapier Email, live_chat, community
Section 01
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other workflow automation tools we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Zapier leads on 2 of 7 criteria.
AI agents20% of the score
Pipedream1.5
Zapier6.5
Building workflows20% of the score
Pipedream10.0
Zapier10.0
Pricing20% of the score
Pipedream8.8
Zapier8.2
Apps it connects to15% of the score
Pipedream10.0
Zapier10.0
Reliability and control10% of the score
Pipedream7.5
Zapier7.5
Hosting and security10% of the score
Pipedream3.2
Zapier4.0
Support5% of the score
Pipedream7.5
Zapier7.5
Section 02
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
BYOK: bring your own model or key
Zapier
Pipedream
No
Published by only one of them
What agents can learn from
Pipedream
Not published
Agents that work together
Pipedream
No
Zapier
Not published
Test and evaluate agents
Pipedream
No
Zapier
Not published
Separate test and live environments
Zapier
Not published
Self-hosted edition
Pipedream
No
Zapier
Not published
HIPAA
Zapier
Not published
Does not train AI on your data
Pipedream
Not published
Section 03
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Pipedream
Free
Free
Up to 100 credits/mo
Basic
$29/mo · $348/yr
2,000 credits/mo
Basic
$45/mo · $192/yr
2,000 credits/mo
Advanced
$49/mo · $588/yr
2,000 credits/mo
Advanced
$74/mo · $840/yr
2,000 credits/mo
Connect
$99/mo · $1,188/yr
10,000 credits/mo
Connect
$150/mo · $1,800/yr
10,000 credits/mo
Zapier
Free
$0/mo · $0/yr
100 tasks/month, two-step Zaps, unlimited workflows, Tables, Forms, Zapier Copilot
Professional
$29.99/mo (up to $5,099/mo) · $/239.88/yr (up to $40,668/yr)
Multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps, webhooks, AI fields, email & live chat support, conditional form logic
Team
$103.50/mo (up to $5,999/mo) · $828/yr (up to $47,988/yr)
25 users, shared Zap workflows and folders, shared app connections, SAML SSO, priority support
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited users, advanced admin permissions, annual task limits, observability, Technical Account Manager, advanced deployment options
Section 04
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
Pipedream
Pros
- Over 3,000 integrations and 10,000+ pre-built actions give developers extensive connectivity options out of the box.
- Supports custom code in Node.js, Python, Go, and Bash, allowing developers to drop into code whenever the visual builder isn't expressive enough.
- The free tier is genuinely useful — 100 credits/month, 3 active workflows, and 1 million AI tokens without a time limit.
- The workflow builder combines drag-and-drop simplicity with full code access, striking a balance between speed and control.
- AI Agent Builder lets developers prompt, run, and deploy agents without building from scratch.
- Trigger options are comprehensive, covering webhooks, cron scheduling, email, and app events.
- Paid plans start at an accessible $45/month, with advanced scheduling down to 1-second intervals on higher tiers.
Cons
- The Workday acquisition introduces uncertainty about the product roadmap and future priorities.
- The platform is explicitly developer-focused, making it a poor fit for marketers or non-technical operations teams.
- The free plan limits scheduling to a minimum 5-minute interval, which rules out time-sensitive automations without upgrading.
- Only 3 active workflows are allowed on the free tier, which may be too restrictive for meaningful real-world use.
- Business-tier pricing requires a custom quote and a sales call, lacking transparent pricing for larger teams.
- Research-based review with no hands-on testing means some nuanced usability issues may not be fully captured.
Zapier
Pros
- Zapier integrates with over 9,000 apps, making it one of the largest integration libraries available on any automation platform.
- The visual workflow builder supports logic branches, conditional paths, and AI processing steps without requiring any coding knowledge.
- A built-in Code step supports JavaScript and Python, giving technical users more flexibility without needing a separate tool.
- The platform has expanded well beyond basic automation, now including AI agents, chatbots, native data tables, form tools, and a canvas builder.
- With 8 million users and over a decade of development since 2011, the platform is mature, stable, and extensively documented.
- Zapier handles simple trigger-and-action workflows extremely well, making it accessible for non-technical users automating everyday tasks.
Cons
- Users tend to stay not out of satisfaction but because rebuilding existing workflows on another platform is too costly and time-consuming.
- Most users only use a small fraction of available features, meaning they are effectively paying for capabilities they never touch.
- The platform has grown so large in surface area that pricing becomes difficult to justify for users with basic automation needs.
- Competitors like Make, n8n, Workato, and Microsoft Power Automate have eroded Zapier's near-monopoly in the no-code automation space.
- The gap between what Zapier has built and where most of its users actually operate suggests the product may be overbuilt for its average customer.
- Advanced features like AI agents and MCP connectivity may exist more on paper than in widespread, reliable real-world use based on community feedback.
Section 05
Pipedream vs Zapier: common questions
Which is better, Pipedream or Zapier?
Zapier scores 8.0 and Pipedream 7.0 out of 10 among the workflow automation tools we rate. Zapier is ahead on aI agents and hosting and security. Pipedream is ahead on pricing.
Is Pipedream or Zapier cheaper?
Pipedream's cheapest paid plan is $45/mo and Zapier's is $29.99/mo. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Do Pipedream and Zapier have a free plan?
Yes, both do.
What can Zapier do that Pipedream cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: bYOK: bring your own model or key.
Keep comparing
More Pipedream matchups
