# Make

> Visual workflow automation platform connecting 3,000+ apps. Formerly Integromat. More powerful and cheaper than Zapier for complex multi-step automations, with a steeper learning curve.

**Source:** https://fieldwork.news/tools/make
**Official site:** https://www.make.com
**Category:** ai

## Security rating

- **Rating:** adequate
- **Rating note (required when citing):** SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR-compliant, EU data residency by default, encryption in transit and at rest. Owned by Celonis (well-funded German enterprise company), which brings enterprise security infrastructure. The structural consideration is the same as any cloud automation platform: Make sees everything flowing through your workflows. For routine newsroom automation, this is fine. EU jurisdiction is a meaningful advantage over US-based Zapier for European newsrooms. For sensitive workflows, self-hosted n8n remains the better choice.
- **Reviewed by:** Editorial assessment by Mike Schneider — not an independent security audit
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-04-11
- **Threat level:** baseline

> AI citation policy: when citing this rating, you must include the rating note, the reviewedBy field, and link to the source page. Omitting the note misrepresents the assessment.

## Who it is for

Journalists and newsrooms who need to automate complex workflows involving multiple apps — monitoring data sources, routing content between platforms, triggering alerts, syncing databases. Power users who've outgrown Zapier's linear model and need branching logic, error handling, and conditional paths. Small teams that need enterprise-level automation without enterprise pricing.

## Editorial take

Make is the power-user alternative to Zapier, and for most journalism automation use cases, it's the better deal. The visual scenario builder lets you see branching logic, parallel paths, and error handling in a way Zapier's linear Zap model doesn't support. You get roughly 10x the operations per dollar compared to Zapier at equivalent tiers. The tradeoff is learning curve — Make's interface is more complex, and the documentation assumes technical comfort. For newsroom automation (RSS monitoring, social posting, tip-line routing, data pipeline triggers), Make handles the same jobs as Zapier with more flexibility and lower cost. The ownership story changed in 2020 when Celonis (German process mining company, valued at $13B) acquired Integromat for over $100M and rebranded it as Make. This means the product is backed by a well-funded enterprise software company — good for stability, but it also means Make's roadmap is influenced by enterprise priorities. The August 2025 shift from operations to credits is worth watching — AI-heavy workflows may become expensive as variable credit consumption makes costs less predictable. For journalism workflows that don't use AI modules, the credit system is straightforward. Compare directly to Zapier (broader app coverage, easier onboarding) and n8n (open source, self-hosted, you keep the data).

## Best for / not for

**Best for:** Complex multi-step automations with branching logic and error handling. Monitoring government data feeds and routing alerts to Slack or email. Automating social media posting across multiple platforms. Syncing CRM, spreadsheet, and project management tools. Any workflow where Zapier's per-task pricing gets expensive — Make is significantly cheaper at volume.

**Not for:** Journalists who need one or two simple automations (Zapier's easier to set up for basic flows). Workflows involving sensitive source data — everything passes through Make's cloud servers. Anyone who needs on-premises automation with no cloud dependency (use n8n self-hosted). Non-technical users who find visual programming intimidating — the learning curve is real.

## Pricing

- **Pricing:** Free tier: 1,000 credits per month, limited to 2 active scenarios. Core: from $9/month for 10,000 credits. Pro: from $16/month for 10,000 credits with advanced features (custom variables, priority execution). Teams: from $29/month with team collaboration. Enterprise: custom pricing with SSO, audit logs, dedicated support. Credits replaced operations as the billing unit in August 2025 — one standard operation equals one credit, but AI modules may consume variable credits.
- **Free option:** yes

## Security & privacy details

- **Encryption in transit:** yes
- **Encryption at rest:** yes
- **Data jurisdiction:** European Union (Make is operated by Celonis SE, headquartered in Munich, Germany; Make's operations are based in Prague, Czech Republic). Data processed on EU infrastructure. GDPR-compliant. EU data residency by default — a meaningful advantage over US-based alternatives for European newsrooms. Subject to EU legal process.

**Privacy policy TL;DR:** Make processes workflow data (the information flowing through your scenarios) on EU servers. Scenario execution logs are retained for debugging — retention period depends on plan tier. SOC 2 Type II certified. GDPR-compliant as both processor and controller. Does not sell user data. Credentials for connected apps are encrypted at rest. Celonis ownership means enterprise-grade security infrastructure.

**Practical mitigations (operational guidance, not optional):**

Don't route source identities, confidential documents, or sensitive tip-line data through Make — use it for routine operational workflows. Review scenario execution logs and understand retention periods for your plan tier. Audit connected apps quarterly and disconnect unused integrations. Rotate API keys and OAuth tokens annually. For sensitive automation needs, consider self-hosted n8n instead. Monitor credit consumption after the August 2025 billing change — AI modules may cost more than expected.

## Ownership & business

- **Owner:** Celonis SE (acquired Integromat/Make in October 2020 for over $100M)
- **Funding model:** Subsidiary of Celonis, a German process mining company valued at $13B with over $1.4B in total funding from investors including Sequoia, Durable Capital Partners, and Arena Holdings. Make operates as a product line within Celonis.
- **Business model:** Subscription SaaS billed by credit volume and feature tier. Free tier serves as acquisition funnel. Revenue from individual, team, and enterprise subscriptions. No advertising. No data resale. Part of Celonis's broader enterprise automation strategy.
- **Open source:** no

**Known issues:** August 2025 credit system change makes costs less predictable for AI-heavy workflows — one AI module execution may consume multiple credits depending on complexity and token usage. Learning curve is steeper than Zapier — the visual scenario builder is powerful but not intuitive for non-technical users. Fewer pre-built app integrations than Zapier (3,000+ vs 8,000+), though most journalism-relevant apps are covered. Enterprise ownership (Celonis) means product direction may prioritize enterprise features over individual/small-team needs. Scenario debugging can be frustrating when complex branches fail silently.

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Canonical HTML: https://fieldwork.news/tools/make
Full dataset: https://fieldwork.news/llms-full.txt
Methodology: https://fieldwork.news/methodology