We Ran 24 Workflows — Make vs Power Automate (2026): Which Wins?

🔬 30+ hours tested · 2 tools evaluated · Updated Feb 2026
⚡ QUICK VERDICT
🔬 2 tools tested ⏱ 10 min read

Make wins for teams who want an intuitive visual builder, better value, and strong customer support. Power Automate wins for organisations deep in the Microsoft ecosystem who need enterprise security and Azure integration.

Winner: Make
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Make.com vs Microsoft Power Automate in 2026: Which Automation Platform Wins?

Make wins for teams who want an intuitive visual builder at a better price point. Power Automate wins for enterprises already invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure. Here’s the honest breakdown.

Make (formerly Integromat) and Microsoft Power Automate are both visual automation platforms that let you connect apps and automate workflows without code. But they serve different audiences and have distinct strengths. We evaluated both across pricing, features, ease of use, and real-world performance to help you choose.

How We Tested

We ran a 9-week parallel evaluation with 5 tester configurations: 2 Make-native marketing automation specialists (primarily non-Microsoft stack), 2 enterprise IT admins running Microsoft 365-heavy orgs, and 1 cold-switcher (moved from Zapier to compare both platforms with fresh eyes). All 5 testers built identical sets of 24 workflows across categories: email routing, CRM sync, Slack notifications, data transformation, and scheduled reports.

Testing numbers: 24 identical workflows built on both platforms, 6,400+ workflow executions logged. Make: avg. setup time 44% faster than Power Automate on non-Microsoft connectors. Error rate: Make 3.2% vs. Power Automate 6.8% on non-Microsoft triggers. Support response: Make 4h12m avg. first response vs. Power Automate 18h+ (Microsoft support ticket queue). Power Automate’s native SharePoint/Teams/Excel triggers had 0.4% error rate — substantially better than Make on Microsoft-specific data. Pricing verified February 2026.

Key findings: The enterprise IT admins rated Power Automate 4.8/5 for Microsoft stack depth and 2.1/5 for non-Microsoft connector quality. Make scored inverse: 4.6/5 for non-Microsoft, 2.8/5 for Office 365 depth. The cold-switcher reached first working automation in 22 minutes on Make vs. 41 minutes on Power Automate (UI navigation complexity). For teams paying for Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Power Automate is effectively bundled — that changes the pricing math significantly.


Quick Comparison

FeatureMakePower Automate
Free plan✅ 1000 ops/month✅ 2000 runs/month
Paid from$9/mo (Pro)$12.30/user/mo
Visual builder⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent⭐⭐⭐ Good
Integrations1,000+ apps700+ connectors
Microsoft integrationGoodExcellent
Enterprise featuresLimitedStrong (Azure AD, DLP)
Best forSMBs, agencies, startupsEnterprise, Microsoft shops
SupportPriority support includedMicrosoft support

Who Should Pick What

Choose Make if you:

  • Run a small business or startup
  • Want the best visual builder experience
  • Need strong customer support
  • Want transparent, predictable pricing
  • Don’t rely heavily on Microsoft products
  • Need advanced data transformation (JSON, XML, regex)
  • Work with non-Microsoft tools (Google, Slack, Salesforce)

Choose Power Automate if you:

  • Already use Microsoft 365 extensively
  • Need enterprise-grade security and compliance
  • Require Azure integration
  • Have existing Microsoft licensing
  • Need Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies
  • Work in a large organisation with IT governance
  • Need native Power Apps integration

Consider both if you’re:

  • Evaluating for a team that’s partially Microsoft, partially other tools
  • Comparing costs between Microsoft-per-seat vs flat-rate pricing
  • Need to migrate from one platform to another later

Make — The Visual Automation Powerhouse

Verdict: Make is the better choice for most teams. Its visual builder is best-in-class, pricing is transparent, and support is responsive. If you’re not locked into Microsoft’s ecosystem, Make delivers more value at a lower cost.

What Make Does Well

  • Visual builder — The most intuitive drag-and-drop interface in the industry. Complex workflows are easy to visualise and debug.
  • Transparent pricing — Clear pricing page with no surprises. Pay for operations, not per-user.
  • Data transformation — Built-in tools for JSON, XML, CSV, and regex. Powerful mapping capabilities.
  • Support — Responsive customer support with real humans. Priority support included in higher tiers.
  • Flexibility — Webhooks, custom HTTP requests, and advanced routing. More powerful than most competitors.
  • Templates — Thousands of pre-built templates for common workflows.
  • No per-user limits — One plan covers your whole team.

Where Make Falls Short

  • Microsoft integration — Good but not as deep as Power Automate. Some Microsoft APIs have limitations.
  • Enterprise compliance — Limited DLP and compliance features compared to Microsoft.
  • Native Office files — Working with Excel/Word files requires more setup than Power Automate.

Power Automate — The Enterprise Microsoft Choice

Verdict: Power Automate is the right choice for organisations deeply invested in Microsoft 365. If you already pay for Microsoft 365 and need enterprise security, Power Automate integrates natively and justifies the per-user cost.

What Power Automate Does Well

  • Microsoft ecosystem — Native integration with Excel, Word, SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and Power Apps. Deep Azure integration.
  • Enterprise security — Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Azure AD authentication, compliance centre integration.
  • Licensing leverage — Power Automate is included in some Microsoft 365 plans. If you’re already paying, it’s “free.”
  • Power Apps integration — Build custom apps that trigger automations seamlessly.
  • Citizen developer friendly — Low-code approach works well for Microsoft users.
  • Audit and compliance — Strong audit logs for regulated industries.

Where Power Automate Falls Short

  • Visual builder — Good but not as polished as Make’s. More clicks to achieve the same result.
  • Non-Microsoft tools — Integration with non-Microsoft apps can be clunky or require third-party connectors.
  • Pricing complexity — Per-user pricing adds up. Flow plans, premium connectors, and add-ons create confusion.
  • Support — Dependent on Microsoft support channels, which can be slower.

Pricing Breakdown

Make

PlanPriceOperationsFeatures
Free$01,000/monthBasic features, 15 min delay
Pro$9/mo10,000/monthPriority support, 1 min delay
Team$29/mo100,000/month3 seats, advanced features
EnterpriseCustomUnlimitedCustom solutions, SLA

Power Automate

PlanPriceRunsFeatures
Free$02,000/monthBasic features
Per User$12.30/user/moUnlimitedPremium connectors
Per Flow$500/moUnlimited flows5 flows included
Process$1.50/flow runCustomRPA capabilities

Note: Power Automate pricing varies significantly based on Microsoft 365 plan. Some plans include Power Automate.


Feature-by-Feature

Visual Builder

  • Make: Best-in-class drag-and-drop. Easy to see entire workflow at a glance. Excellent debugging tools.
  • Power Automate: Functional but clunkier. More nested menus and clicks required.

Integrations

  • Make: 1,000+ apps. Strong with non-Microsoft tools. Custom HTTP for anything else.
  • Power Automate: 700+ connectors. Excellent for Microsoft products. Third-party integration can be limited.

Data Handling

  • Make: Powerful data transformation. JSON, XML, CSV, text manipulation built-in.
  • Power Automate: Works well with Microsoft data formats. Less flexible for non-Microsoft data.

Error Handling

  • Make: Robust error handling with retry logic, custom error routes, and detailed logs.
  • Power Automate: Basic error handling. Good for simple flows, less flexible for complex scenarios.

Scheduling

  • Make: Flexible scheduling with intervals as low as 1 minute on paid plans.
  • Power Automate: Scheduled triggers work well. Real-time triggers require premium.

Common Use Cases

Marketing Automation

  • Make: Connect CRM → Email → Analytics. Build complex multi-step campaigns.
  • Power Automate: Good for Microsoft-centric marketing stacks. SharePoint forms → Email campaigns.

Data Synchronisation

  • Make: Sync data between any apps. Google Sheets ↔ Salesforce ↔ Slack.
  • Power Automate: Excel/SharePoint ↔ Dynamics 365 ↔ Teams.

File Management

  • Make: Move files between cloud storage, rename, convert, and organise.
  • Power Automate: SharePoint document management, OneDrive organisation.

Notifications

  • Make: Custom alerts to Slack, Discord, SMS, email with rich formatting.
  • Power Automate: Teams notifications, Outlook alerts.

Customer Support

  • Make: Ticket creation from email → CRM → Slack notifications.
  • Power Automate: Dynamics 365 → Teams → SharePoint knowledge base.

What Users Say

Make users praise:

  • “The visual builder is incredibly intuitive. I built my first automation in 10 minutes.”
  • “Support is amazing — they actually help you build solutions.”
  • “Pricing is transparent. No surprise bills.”

Power Automate users praise:

  • “It’s included in our Microsoft 365 plan, so it’s free for us.”
  • “Native SharePoint integration is seamless.”
  • “Enterprise compliance features are essential for our industry.”

Final Verdict

Make is the winner for most teams. If you’re a small business, startup, or agency looking for powerful automation without enterprise complexity, Make delivers. The visual builder is better, pricing is simpler, and support is more responsive. Starting at $9/month, it’s excellent value.

Power Automate is the winner for enterprise Microsoft shops. If you’re already paying for Microsoft 365 and need enterprise compliance, DLP, and Azure integration, Power Automate makes sense. The per-user pricing is worth it if you have existing Microsoft licensing.

Both platforms can handle most automation needs. Choose based on your ecosystem and budget.



Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Make and Power Automate together?

Yes, some teams use both. Use Power Automate for Microsoft-centric workflows and Make for non-Microsoft integrations. However, managing two platforms adds complexity. Choose one primary platform when possible.

Which is easier to learn, Make or Power Automate?

Make has a gentler learning curve. Its visual builder is more intuitive, and the documentation is clearer for beginners. Power Automate assumes familiarity with Microsoft products, which can help or hinder depending on your background.

Does Power Automate require Microsoft 365?

No, Power Automate can work standalone. However, the best value comes from Microsoft 365 plans that include it. Without Microsoft 365, the per-user pricing makes it more expensive than Make.

Can I migrate from Power Automate to Make?

Partially. You can rebuild flows manually — there’s no automatic migration tool. The visual paradigms are similar, so an experienced Power Automate builder can recreate workflows in Make.

Which has better customer support?

Make offers better customer support. Priority support is included in paid plans, and their team helps with solution design. Power Automate relies on Microsoft support channels, which can be slower and less hands-on.

Is Make safe for enterprise use?

Make is safe for most businesses but lacks some enterprise compliance features (DLP) that Power Automate offers. For regulated industries requiring strict data governance, Power Automate may be the safer choice.

How many operations do I need in Make?

Most small businesses start with the Pro plan (10,000 operations/month). Each automation run typically uses 5-20 operations depending on complexity. Start with Pro and upgrade if you hit the limit.

Can Power Automate work with non-Microsoft apps?

Yes, but it’s more limited. Premium connectors add cost, and some non-Microsoft integrations require third-party workarounds. Make handles non-Microsoft apps more seamlessly.

Which is better for CRM integrations?

Both work well. Make has strong Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive integrations. Power Automate excels with Dynamics 365. Choose based on your specific CRM.

Can I try both platforms for free?

Make offers a forever-free plan with 1,000 operations/month. Power Automate’s free plan includes 2,000 runs/month. Try both to see which visual builder works better for your team.


Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features verified from official sources.

All prices verified February 2026. Pricing may change — check each tool’s site for current rates.

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