The Verdict
Our pick: Make. Make is the more powerful and affordable platform, winning four of our five comparison categories. Its massive integration library and advanced visual builder make it the top choice for users who need to build complex, multi-step automations with granular control.
Relay.app wins decisively on ease of use and is the better choice for teams who need simple, collaborative workflows with built-in human approval steps. If your primary need is to insert a manual review into an otherwise automated process, Relay.app's streamlined interface is hard to beat.
Pricing Comparison
Make More Affordable
Core plan, billed annually
Make's pricing is based on "operations" (triggers, actions, etc.). The entry-level paid plan provides a generous 10,000 operations, making it highly cost-effective for complex, high-volume workflows.
Relay.app
Professional plan, billed annually
Relay.app's pricing is based on "steps" and AI credits. Its paid plans start at a higher price point with fewer included steps, which can become more expensive as workflow complexity and frequency increase.
| Plan Tier | Make Price (Annual) | Relay.app Price (Annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1,000 operations/mo, 2 active scenarios | 200 steps/mo, 500 AI credits |
| Core / Professional | $9/mo for 10,000 operations | $19/mo for 750 steps, 5,000 AI credits |
| Pro / Team | $16/mo for 10,000 operations + priority execution | $69/mo for 2,000 steps, 10 users |
| Teams | $29/mo for 10,000 operations + team features | N/A (Team plan is the comparable tier) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Make | Relay.app |
|---|---|---|
| App Integrations | 3,000+ | 100+ |
| Visual Builder | Drag-and-drop canvas | Visual workflow builder |
| Human-in-the-Loop | Possible via workarounds (e.g., approval emails) | Core feature, built-in approvals |
| Advanced Logic | Routers, iterators, aggregators, error handlers | Paths, conditional branching |
| AI Capabilities | 400+ AI app integrations, AI agents, AI toolkit | Built-in AI steps (GPT, Claude, Gemini), AI credits model |
| API Access | Yes, on paid plans | Not explicitly documented for users |
| Templates | Large public library | Template gallery available |
Make is the undisputed winner in features and integrations. With a library of over 3,000 apps, it dwarfs Relay.app's 100+ integrations. This vast difference means you are far more likely to find the specific apps and services you need to connect within the Make ecosystem.
Beyond the numbers, Make offers deeper and more complex workflow capabilities. Its visual canvas allows for sophisticated logic, including routers to create multiple branches, iterators to process arrays of data, and robust error handling routines. This makes it suitable for highly technical and mission-critical processes. While Relay.app offers conditional logic, it lacks the granular control and advanced modules that define the Make experience.
Relay.app's standout feature is its native 'human-in-the-loop' functionality. It is designed from the ground up to allow users to insert manual approval steps, decisions, or data entry points directly into a workflow. This is a significant advantage for processes that require human oversight, such as content approvals or expense report verifications. While this can be mimicked in Make, it's a core, streamlined part of the Relay.app product.
Ease of Use
Make
- Powerful but complex visual canvas can be intimidating for new users.
- Requires understanding of data structures and API concepts for advanced workflows.
- Steeper learning curve due to the sheer number of features and modules.
- Debugging can be difficult for non-technical users.
Relay.app Easier to Use
- Clean, modern, and intuitive user interface.
- Guided setup and a focus on simplicity get users building faster.
- Human-in-the-loop feature is straightforward to implement.
- Praised by users for its minimal learning curve.
Relay.app takes a clear win in ease of use. The platform is designed for simplicity and collaboration, with a clean, modern interface that users find intuitive and easy to learn. Its focused feature set, particularly around its core strength of human-in-the-loop automation, means there's less complexity to navigate. Users report getting workflows up and running in hours, compared to days on more complex platforms.
In contrast, Make's power comes with a steeper learning curve. The visual canvas, while excellent for mapping complex logic, can be intimidating for beginners. Building anything beyond simple automations often requires a basic understanding of data structures, arrays, and how APIs function. While Make is a low-code platform, many users consider it a 'visual development platform' rather than a true no-code tool for non-technical users.
Reliability & Ecosystem
| Aspect | Make | Relay.app |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Enterprise-grade security (SOC 2, GDPR), priority execution options, detailed execution logs. | SOC 2 & GDPR compliance on Enterprise plan, real-time monitoring. |
| Support | Help center, community forum, paid support tiers. Some users report mixed experiences. | Praised for excellent, responsive support, often from founders. |
| Ecosystem | Large, active user community, extensive template library, developer hub. | Smaller but growing community, active on Slack. |
| Scalability | Proven to handle high-volume, complex workflows for large enterprises. | Designed to scale, but less proven for very high-volume enterprise use. |
Make wins in both reliability and ecosystem due to its maturity and scale. As a long-standing player in the automation space (formerly Integromat), Make has developed a robust platform trusted by large enterprises. It offers advanced features like priority scenario execution, detailed analytics dashboards, and enterprise-grade security compliance like SOC 2 and GDPR. Its ecosystem is vast, with a large community forum, extensive documentation, and a huge library of user-created templates.
Relay.app, while newer, is highly regarded for its reliability and especially its customer support. Users consistently praise the team for being incredibly responsive and helpful, sometimes shipping feature requests within a day. This level of support is a significant advantage for teams who value direct access and fast problem resolution. However, its ecosystem is naturally smaller. The community is growing, but it doesn't yet have the scale or the wealth of third-party resources that Make has built over the years.
Who Should Pick What
Choose Make if...
- You need to automate complex, multi-step workflows with conditional logic.
- You need to connect with a wide variety of apps, especially niche or specialized tools.
- You are a visual thinker who benefits from mapping out processes on a canvas.
- Cost-effectiveness at high volume is a primary concern.
Choose Relay.app if...
- Your primary need is to add human approval steps into your automations.
- Your team values ease of use and a minimal learning curve above all else.
- You prioritize exceptionally responsive and direct customer support.
- Your workflows involve a smaller set of common applications like Slack, Google Workspace, and Notion.
Also consider: Zapier. If you need the absolute largest number of app integrations (over 7,000) and prefer a simpler, linear workflow builder for less complex tasks, Zapier remains a dominant player and the easiest platform to start with.
Our recommendation: start with Make
Make's combination of power, a massive integration library, and superior affordability makes it the best choice for most users looking to scale their automation efforts.
Both platforms offer generous free tiers to build and test your first workflows.