Make vs Power Automate

Make vs Power Automate: The Automation Buyer's Guide for 2026

An honest comparison of Make and Power Automate for Australian mid-market Australian businesses. See feature ratings, pricing, pros and cons to make the right choice - or let our Harvard-educated experts help you decide.

Features compared

50+

Clients advised

98%

Client retention

12+

Years experience

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Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature analysis for Make and Power Automate.

Workflow complexity

Make

Visual scenario builder with a node-based interface is more intuitive for complex multi-step workflows than Zapier linear approach

Power Automate

Approval workflows with multi-stage approvals, parallel approvals, and mobile notifications streamline business decision-making processes

Both platforms are strong here. Make emphasises this as a core strength, and Power Automate also invests heavily in workflow complexity. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.

Available integrations

Make

Make connects with 107+ tools natively, offering one of the broadest integration ecosystems in its category

Power Automate

Power Automate connects with 55+ tools natively, offering one of the broadest integration ecosystems in its category

Make has a broader native ecosystem (107+ integrations) compared to Power Automate (55+). Both connect via automation platforms like Zapier and Make.

Error handling

Make

Error handling with built-in retry logic, error routes, and breakpoints makes debugging and recovering from failures straightforward

Power Automate

Limitation: Flow debugging is less intuitive than Zapier or Make, with error messages that can be cryptic and troubleshooting that requires patience

Make highlights error handling as a core strength. Power Automate offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Scheduling options

Make

Scheduling flexibility with multiple triggers per scenario and precise time-based scheduling suits complex automation needs

Power Automate

Power Automate provides scheduling options functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Make highlights scheduling options as a core strength. Power Automate offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Conditional logic

Make

Error handling with built-in retry logic, error routes, and breakpoints makes debugging and recovering from failures straightforward

Power Automate

Power Automate provides conditional logic functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Make highlights conditional logic as a core strength. Power Automate offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Data transformation

Make

Data transformation capabilities (routers, iterators, aggregators, text parsing) handle complex data manipulation without code

Power Automate

AI Builder integrates form processing, text classification, object detection, and prediction models into flows without data science expertise

Both platforms are strong here. Make emphasises this as a core strength, and Power Automate also invests heavily in data transformation. Review each platform's approach to see which aligns with your team's workflow.

Monitoring and logging

Make

Make provides monitoring and logging functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

Power Automate

Power Automate provides monitoring and logging functionality, popular with Professional Services businesses

monitoring and logging support varies across Make and Power Automate's plan tiers. Check whether the capabilities you need are on the plan you can actually afford.

Team collaboration

Make

Best for technically comfortable teams that need complex multi-step automations with data transformations at a lower cost than Zapier, particularly for workflows requiring branching logic and error handling.

Power Automate

Deep integration with Microsoft 365 means automating Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, and Dynamics flows with native connectors

Power Automate highlights team collaboration as a core strength. Make offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

API flexibility

Make

Scheduling flexibility with multiple triggers per scenario and precise time-based scheduling suits complex automation needs

Power Automate

Power Automate offers a REST API. Management API via Azure Resource Manager with OAuth 2.0 authentication. Flows are primarily created through the visual designer. REST API mainly used for management and monitoring. Dataverse connector for CDS integration.

Make highlights api flexibility as a core strength. Power Automate offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Pricing transparency

Make

Operations-based pricing is significantly cheaper than Zapier tasks for the same workload, particularly for multi-step automations

Power Automate

Included in Microsoft 365 Business Standard/Premium (limited connectors). Power Automate Premium from approximately $22/user/month, Power Automate Process from approximately $225/month per flow (AUD). Desktop RPA requires separate licence.

Make highlights pricing transparency as a core strength. Power Automate offers the capability but does not position it as a primary differentiator.

Ease of setup

Make

Make provides onboarding resources. Setup complexity depends on your configuration requirements

Power Automate

Power Automate provides onboarding resources. Setup complexity depends on your configuration requirements

ease of setup support varies across Make and Power Automate's plan tiers. Check whether the capabilities you need are on the plan you can actually afford.

Value for money

Make

Free plan with 1,000 operations/month. Core from approximately $14/month (10,000 ops), Pro from approximately $27/month (10,000 ops with advanced features), Teams from approximately $41/month, Enterprise custom pricing (AUD). Annual billing discounts.

Power Automate

Pricing models differ significantly. Compare the total cost of ownership including add-ons and per-user fees, not just the headline price.

Pricing Comparison

General pricing information for each platform.

Make

Pricing may vary based on team size, features, and region. Contact the vendor for the latest Australian pricing.

Power Automate

Prices shown are approximate and may differ based on your plan, team size, and billing cycle. Verify directly with the vendor for current AUD rates.

Pros & Cons

An honest look at the strengths and limitations of each platform.

Make

Pros

Visual scenario builder with a node-based interface is more intuitive for complex multi-step workflows than Zapier linear approach
Data transformation capabilities (routers, iterators, aggregators, text parsing) handle complex data manipulation without code
Operations-based pricing is significantly cheaper than Zapier tasks for the same workload, particularly for multi-step automations
Error handling with built-in retry logic, error routes, and breakpoints makes debugging and recovering from failures straightforward
Scheduling flexibility with multiple triggers per scenario and precise time-based scheduling suits complex automation needs

Cons

Steeper learning curve than Zapier, particularly for non-technical users unfamiliar with the concepts of routers, iterators, and data mapping
Pre-built templates and recipes are fewer than Zapier, meaning more scenarios need to be built from scratch
Some connectors are less feature-complete than their Zapier equivalents, occasionally missing specific triggers or actions
Documentation, while adequate, is less comprehensive than Zapier community-driven knowledge base and support resources

Power Automate

Pros

Deep integration with Microsoft 365 means automating Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, and Dynamics flows with native connectors
Desktop flows (RPA) automate legacy desktop applications and manual processes by recording and replaying mouse and keyboard actions
AI Builder integrates form processing, text classification, object detection, and prediction models into flows without data science expertise
Approval workflows with multi-stage approvals, parallel approvals, and mobile notifications streamline business decision-making processes
Included in many Microsoft 365 business plans at no additional cost, making it the most accessible automation tool for Microsoft-centric businesses

Cons

Non-Microsoft connectors (known as premium connectors) require a separate Power Automate licence, which can be an unexpected cost
Flow debugging is less intuitive than Zapier or Make, with error messages that can be cryptic and troubleshooting that requires patience
Desktop flows (RPA) require a dedicated Windows machine running in the background, adding infrastructure requirements
Performance can be slow for complex flows with many steps, and execution history retention is limited on lower-tier plans

Best For

Which tool suits which use case.

Choose Make if you need

✓ Data synchronisation
✓ App integration
✓ Real-time data sync across platforms
✓ Professional Services businesses
✓ Moderate data needs (scenarios, connections)

Choose Power Automate if you need

✓ Moderate data needs (flows, connections)
✓ App integration
✓ Data synchronisation
✓ Financial Services organisations
✓ Professional Services businesses

Expert Verdict

Our Harvard-educated consultants' take on this comparison.

Clever Ops Recommendation

Choose Make if technically comfortable teams that need complex multi-step automations with data transformations at a lower cost than Zapier, particularly for workflows requiring branching logic and error handling. Choose Power Automate if businesses deeply invested in the Microsoft ecosystem that want to automate workflows across Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics without adding a third-party automation tool. Avoid Make if non-technical users who want the simplest possible automation setup, or businesses that rely heavily on the breadth of Zapier 7,000+ pre-built app integrations. Avoid Power Automate if businesses primarily using non-Microsoft tools where premium connector costs add up, or teams wanting the intuitive visual builders that Make and Zapier provide. If you are still weighing the trade-offs, Clever Ops offers a free assessment where our Harvard-educated consultants map your requirements to the right platform.

Migration Notes

What to know about switching between Make and Power Automate.

Migrating Between Make and Power Automate

A successful migration from Make to Power Automate (or vice versa) is not just about data - it is about your team. Clever Ops handles the technical migration of connections and custom fields, but we also provide hands-on training so your team is confident on the new platform from day one. The full process, including training, typically takes 4-8 weeks.

Make vs Power Automate FAQ

Yes. Both platforms share 1 common data object types (including connections), which simplifies field mapping. Clever Ops runs a structured migration process: discovery, data mapping, test migration, verification, and cutover. Most migrations complete within 4-8 weeks, with 3 months of post-migration support included.

Yes. Make provides a REST + Webhook API and Power Automate provides a REST API, so we can build reliable integrations between them. Common sync patterns include connections. Our integrations include error handling, retry logic, and monitoring. Clients typically save 8+ hours/week once the integration is live.

We audit your current workflows, team size, budget, and growth plans, then recommend the platform that fits. Our advice is vendor-neutral: we do not earn commissions from Make, Power Automate, or any vendor. Our Harvard-educated consultants have helped 50+ businesses make informed technology decisions over 12+. Book a free assessment to get started.

Free trials are useful for testing the user interface, but they rarely reveal how a platform performs at scale, with your specific data model, or alongside your existing integrations. Make manages 6 data object types and Power Automate manages 6. Evaluating that complexity in a trial period is difficult. A more efficient approach is to combine a short trial with expert advice from our Harvard-educated consultants, who can identify the right fit based on 12+ of implementation experience.

Make limitations: Steeper learning curve than Zapier, particularly for non-technical users unfamiliar with the concepts of routers, iterators, and data mapping. Pre-built templates and recipes are fewer than Zapier, meaning more scenarios need to be built from scratch. Power Automate limitations: Non-Microsoft connectors (known as premium connectors) require a separate Power Automate licence, which can be an unexpected cost. Flow debugging is less intuitive than Zapier or Make, with error messages that can be cryptic and troubleshooting that requires patience. Understanding these trade-offs in the context of your specific workflows is critical. Clever Ops can help you weigh which limitations matter most for your business during a free assessment.

Power Automate is generally simpler to set up. Make typically requires more configuration and may benefit from expert implementation support. Clever Ops provides implementation services for both platforms, typically completing setup within 2 weeks.

Both Make and Power Automate serve Manufacturing businesses. Make is also popular with Professional Services organisations, while Power Automate is widely used in Professional Services. Clever Ops can advise based on what we have seen work for businesses like yours.

Make strengths: Visual scenario builder with a node-based interface is more intuitive for complex multi-step workflows than Zapier linear approach. Data transformation capabilities (routers, iterators, aggregators, text parsing) handle complex data manipulation without code. Power Automate strengths: Deep integration with Microsoft 365 means automating Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, and Dynamics flows with native connectors. Desktop flows (RPA) automate legacy desktop applications and manual processes by recording and replaying mouse and keyboard actions. The features that matter most depend on your team's daily workflows and growth plans. Clever Ops can help you map your requirements to the right platform.