Workflow86 vs Zapier (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Zapier: it is second in our ranking of automation tools, and it grades higher too, 2.6 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Zapier grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Workflow86
No-code builder for AI agent workflows with human approvals
Zapier
Workflow automation across 9,000+ apps, with AI agents
Which one is for you
Pick Workflow86 if
- Fits if you want approvals with AI steps and can start on the free plan
- Works for operations teams that need a person to sign off before a process continues
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you grow past one user, 300 actions or 50 AI actions on the free plan
- Skip it if you want a published paid price, as only a custom Enterprise plan is listed
- Watch out: the pricing page has a question about buying more actions, but its answer could not be read
Pick Zapier if
- Fits if one of your apps is obscure, since Zapier lists more than 9,000 of them
- Works for short chains, like a new Stripe payment adding a row in Google Sheets and pinging Slack
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you run thousands of tasks: AI steps cost up to 5 tasks each, and Professional tops out at $3,389 a month
- Tight if you're staying free, with 100 tasks a month, two steps per Zap and new data checked only every 15 minutes
- Watch out: overages are on by default at a higher rate Zapier doesn't publish, and Zaps pause at 3 times your limit
- Pricey if two of you want to share Zaps, because that means Team at $69 a month, while Make starts at $9
- Not for you if you want to build or fix automations from your phone or a desktop app, as there's neither
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAWorkflow86Fair | 2.6GPAZapierGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo paid price is published, only Free and a custom Enterprise plan, so there is nothing to compare against the category. | C$19.99 a month billed annually puts Zapier just past this category's $19 middle, so the price itself is ordinary. What it buys: 750 tasks and one user, where viaSocket gives 17,000 tasks for $18 and Make 5,000 credits for $9. You're paying for the app list, not the allowance. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free plan is real but small: 1 user, 5 workflows, 300 workflow actions and 50 AI actions. A 14-day trial is also listed with no card. | CFree forever, and the caps arrive almost immediately: 100 tasks a month, two steps per Zap, one user, and a check for new data only every 15 minutes. One small job will fit. Two won't. New accounts do get 14 days of Professional with no card. |
| Features | CAI agents, human approval tasks, a form builder, custom code, webhooks and prebuilt integrations. The listing shows no self-serve way to buy more actions. | AThe app directory lists more than 9,000 apps, where Make lists about 3,000. On top of that: multi-step Zaps, filters, paths, webhooks, Tables, Forms, Canvas, AI agents and an MCP server. Multi-step Zaps, filters and paths need a paid plan. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You build each workflow from components, which has a learning curve. | CNo store rating to go on, since it lives in the browser. And it's a build job: apps to connect, then triggers, actions, filters and paths to think in. One Hacker News commenter called the whole thing an impenetrable mess aimed at marketers. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with eight listed integrations such as Salesforce, Zendesk and Twilio. No desktop or phone app. | BA browser and a Chrome extension, and that's your lot. No phone app we could find and nothing for the desktop. What you get instead is connections: 9,000-plus apps, webhooks, an SDK and an MCP server for assistants like Claude and ChatGPT. |
| Best for | AI agent workflows with human sign-off | connecting almost any two apps |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Workflow86 and Zapier. How we grade
Where they differ
- Workflow86 also covers AI agents, no-code and forms.
- Zapier also covers databases.
At a glance
| Workflow86 | Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $19.99 / month, billed annually, for 750 tasks ($29.99 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 1 user, 5 workflows of up to 50 components each, 300 workflow actions and 50 AI actions. | 100 tasks a month for 1 user, limited to two-step Zaps, with unlimited Zaps, Tables and Forms. Zapier checks for new data every 15 minutes. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 14-day free trial of Professional, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Workflow86 Inc. | Zapier, Inc. |
| Price read from | workflow86.com | zapier.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Workflow86
- The only published plans are Free and a custom-priced Enterprise; no self-serve paid tier is listed.
- The Free plan allows one user, 300 workflow actions and 50 AI actions.
- The pricing page has a question about buying more actions and AI credits, but its answer could not be read.
Zapier
- The Free plan is limited to 100 tasks a month and two-step Zaps, and checks for new data only every 15 minutes.
- Free and Professional include a single user; sharing workflows with colleagues needs the Team plan.
- Cost rises with volume: Professional runs from $19.99 a month for 750 tasks to $3,389 a month for 2 million, billed annually.
- Tasks beyond the plan limit are billed per task at a higher rate that depends on plan and billing cycle; the rate is not published, and Zaps pause at 3 times the plan's limit.
Key features
Workflow86
- AI agents with built-in tools
- Agents come with more than 50 built-in tools and can use models from OpenAI, Anthropic and others, with several agents orchestrated together.
- Human-in-the-loop tasks
- A workflow can pause until an assigned task is done, for days or months, and tasks can go to people without an account.
- Form and task builder
- A drag-and-drop builder creates custom forms and tasks, which collect in a single Task Inbox across workflows.
- Custom code steps
- Write custom tools and steps in Python or Node that can make outside requests with stored secrets.
- Webhooks and API requests
- A secure webhook endpoint starts workflows from any source, and HTTP components call any app that has an API.
- Pre-built integrations
- Templates for tools such as Salesforce, Zendesk, Airtable, ClickUp, Mailchimp and Twilio.
Zapier
- Zaps
- Workflows that start from a trigger and run one or more actions. Free accounts are limited to two-step Zaps; Professional adds multi-step Zaps, filters, paths and webhooks.
- App directory
- Zapier connects more than 9,000 apps, including Google Sheets, Gmail, Slack and HubSpot. Premium apps are unlimited from the Professional plan.
- Task-based billing
- A standard step uses 1 task when it completes; triggers, polling and built-in tools such as Filters and Paths use none. Some steps use more: an MCP tool call 2, a Lead Router step 5, and AI steps 1 to 5 by model tier.
- Tables, Forms and Canvas
- Tables store the data that workflows read and write, Forms collect it, and Canvas maps out a process. Tables and Forms are unlimited on every plan, including Free.
- Agents, Chatbots and MCP
- AI agents take actions across connected apps, and Zapier MCP gives assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT access to them. Agents and Chatbots are optional add-ons with free tiers.
- Team and admin controls
- Team covers 25 users with shared Zaps, folders and app connections plus SAML SSO. Enterprise adds SCIM provisioning, app controls and custom data retention.
Plans
Workflow86
Free$0
1 user, 5 workflows (50 components each), 300 workflow actions, 50 AI actions, chat and email support.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited workflows, actions and AI outputs, custom user licensing, on-premise support and a dedicated account manager.
Zapier
Free$0
100 tasks a month for 1 user, limited to two-step Zaps, with unlimited Zaps, Tables and Forms and 15-minute polling.
Professional$19.99
per month, billed annually, for 750 tasks ($29.99 monthly)
1 user. Multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps, webhooks, filters and paths, AI by Zapier and 2-minute polling. Task tiers run up to 2 million a month.
Team$69
per month, billed annually, for 2,000 tasks ($103.50 monthly)
25 users, shared Zaps, folders and app connections, SAML single sign-on, priority support and 1-minute polling.
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited users, advanced admin and app controls, SCIM provisioning, custom data retention and annual task limits.
Ways to pay less
Workflow86
No public discounts listed.
Zapier
- Annual discount
33% off with annual billing
Zapier's pricing page says annual subscriptions are billed yearly at 33% off the monthly rate: Professional is $19.99 a month instead of $29.99, and Team $69 instead of $103.50.
- Nonprofit
Extra 15% off for nonprofits
The pricing page lists an additional 15% discount for non-profit organizations. It does not apply to pay-per-task charges.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Workflow86 or Zapier?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Workflow86 publishes no starting price, and Zapier starts at $19.99 / month, billed annually, for 750 tasks ($29.99 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Workflow86 or Zapier?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Workflow86 and Zapier have a free plan.
Which platforms do Workflow86 and Zapier run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Zapier lists a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.