The Verdict
Our pick: Make. Make is the winner in three of the five categories we evaluated and ties in a fourth, making it our top recommendation. Its affordability, powerful visual builder, and extensive feature set provide exceptional value, especially for those who need to build complex, custom workflows without a hefty price tag.
Celigo is a strong contender, particularly for businesses that need to integrate core enterprise systems like ERPs and CRMs. Its pre-built solutions and focus on business process automation make it a great choice for companies that want to streamline operations around platforms like NetSuite or Salesforce.
Pricing Comparison
Make More Affordable
For the Core plan, billed annually.
Make offers a free forever plan with access to 1,000 operations per month. Its paid plans are based on the number of operations, offering predictable pricing that scales with usage.
Celigo
Estimated starting price.
Celigo also has a free plan, but it is limited to one integration flow between two endpoints. Paid plans are priced based on the number of endpoints and flows, with costs that can range from $12,800 to over $73,300 annually for larger companies.
| Plan | Make Price | Celigo Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month (1,000 credits) | $0 (1 flow, 2 endpoints) |
| Core | $9/month (10,000 credits) | N/A |
| Pro | $16/month (10,000 credits) | N/A |
| Teams | $29/month (10,000 credits) | N/A |
| Business / Enterprise | Custom | Custom (starts around $600/month) |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Make | Celigo |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Workflow Builder | Yes (drag-and-drop interface) | Yes (Flow Builder with drag-and-drop) |
| Pre-built Connectors | 3,000+ apps | Hundreds of pre-built integrations |
| AI Capabilities | AI agents and over 400 AI app integrations | AI-guided experience in the flow builder |
| Custom Logic | Supports routers, filters, and custom code | Supports scripting and advanced logic |
| Error Handling | Advanced error handling capabilities | Robust error handling tools |
| Real-time Sync | Yes, via webhooks | Yes |
| Primary Focus | Flexible, multi-step workflow automation | Business process automation, especially for ERP and CRM |
Make's primary strength lies in its visual and highly flexible workflow builder. This allows users to create intricate, multi-step automations with complex logic, branching, and error handling. With over 3,000 app integrations, Make offers a vast ecosystem for connecting various tools.
Celigo, on the other hand, excels in its focus on business process automation, particularly for enterprise systems like NetSuite, Salesforce, and Shopify. Its pre-built Integration Apps are designed to handle common use cases, such as order-to-cash, with minimal setup. While it also has a visual builder, the emphasis is more on structured, process-oriented integrations rather than the free-form automation that Make provides.
Ease of Use
Make
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
- Visual representation of workflows makes them easy to understand and debug.
- Can have a learning curve for more complex automations.
Celigo
- User-friendly interface, especially for pre-built integrations.
- Flow Builder is accessible to both technical and non-technical users.
- Can be complex to implement for those not qualified, sometimes requiring third-party assistance.
Make is often praised for its user-friendly and visual approach to automation. The ability to see the entire workflow laid out graphically makes it easier for users to build, understand, and troubleshoot their automations. While there can be a learning curve for more advanced features, the core experience is generally considered intuitive.
Celigo is also designed to be user-friendly, with many users appreciating its simple interface and pre-built solutions. However, setting up more complex or custom integrations can be challenging for those without technical expertise, sometimes necessitating the use of a third-party implementation partner.
Reliability & Ecosystem
| Category | Make | Celigo |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Solid infrastructure capable of handling large volumes. | Enterprise-grade reliability with 99.995% uptime. |
| Support | Customer support available on all plans. | Award-winning support with options for dedicated success plans. |
| Scalability | Built to scale from simple tasks to thousands of workflows. | Designed for high-volume processing and enterprise growth. |
| Ecosystem | Large community and extensive documentation. | Strong partner ecosystem and focus on enterprise integrations. |
Both Make and Celigo are reliable platforms built to handle significant workloads. Celigo emphasizes its enterprise-grade infrastructure with a 99.995% uptime guarantee, making it a dependable choice for mission-critical operations. Make also has a solid infrastructure that can scale to manage thousands of workflows.
When it comes to the ecosystem, Celigo has a distinct advantage for larger businesses. Its focus on enterprise systems, coupled with a strong network of implementation partners, provides a robust support system for scaling complex business processes. Make has a large and active user community and extensive documentation, which is excellent for users who prefer self-service and community support.
Who Should Pick What
Choose Make if...
- You are a visual thinker who wants to see and control every step of your workflow.
- You need to build complex, multi-step automations with custom logic.
- Affordability and transparent, usage-based pricing are important to you.
Choose Celigo if...
- Your primary need is to integrate core business systems like an ERP or CRM.
- You prefer pre-built integration solutions over building from scratch.
- You are a medium to large enterprise that requires robust, scalable integrations.
Also consider: For those looking for a simpler, task-based automation tool, Zapier is a popular alternative worth exploring.
Our recommendation: start with Make
With its powerful visual builder, extensive integrations, and affordable pricing, Make is the best choice for most users looking to automate their workflows.
Both platforms offer free tiers to get started.