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Make

Visual automation platform with 1,800+ app integrations and AI-powered workflows

Free plan

Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual automation platform that lets you connect apps and services and automate workflows without writing code. You build "scenarios" - flowcharts of modules connected by lines - that run on a schedule or in response to triggers. Unlike Zapier's linear sequences, Make's visual canvas supports branching logic, loops, error handling, and complex multi-path workflows. Make has added AI capabilities throughout its platform: you can call OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini directly as modules in any workflow, process documents with AI, and use its HTTP module to hit any API. The result is that Make has become the go-to platform for builders who want serious automation power without managing infrastructure. The free plan includes 1,000 operations per month, which is enough to test and run light workflows. Paid plans start at $9/month for 10,000 operations. Make is significantly cheaper than Zapier for equivalent functionality and substantially more capable for complex logic. The learning curve is steeper than simpler tools like Gumloop, but the payoff in flexibility is real. Make has a large community with thousands of pre-built templates. For anyone building AI-powered automations that need to talk to real business tools - CRMs, Google Workspace, Slack, databases - Make is one of the strongest options available.

n8n

Open-source workflow automation you can self-host - with native AI agent support

Free plan

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that you can run on your own server or use via n8n Cloud. It works similarly to Make - you build workflows visually by connecting nodes - but adds a feature that neither Make nor Zapier have: native AI agent nodes that can reason, use tools, and loop until a task is complete. The AI Agent node in n8n lets you define a goal, give the agent tools (HTTP calls, database queries, other workflows), and let it run. It will decide which tools to use and in what order, rather than following a fixed sequence of steps. For building AI workflows that need real autonomy - not just "call GPT and pass the output" - this is a genuinely different capability. n8n has 400+ integrations, covers most major tools (Google, Slack, databases, CRMs, webhooks, HTTP), and its node library grows quickly as it is community-maintained. The self-hosted version is completely free. The cloud version starts at $20/month for 2,500 workflow executions. The main trade-off is setup: self-hosting requires a server (a $5/month VPS works). For technical users comfortable with Docker or a basic VPS, self-hosted n8n is arguably the best value in automation - enterprise power at zero marginal cost. For non-technical users, n8n Cloud or Make is easier to get started.

OpenClaw

The open-source autonomous AI agent that codes, browses, and executes across your machine

Free plan

OpenClaw is an open-source autonomous AI agent with 60,000+ GitHub stars and MIT license. It can read codebases, write files, execute shell commands, browse the web, and chain multi-step tasks without hand-holding - all from your local machine. You bring your own API keys; OpenClaw supplies the agentic layer on top. Unlike IDE plugins that wait for you to ask a question, OpenClaw operates autonomously. Give it a task - "set up this repo, write the tests, and fix any failures" - and it will execute a sequence of actions to get there. It supports Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, and other providers via a unified interface, so you are not locked into any single model. OpenClaw was created by Peter Steinberger (former founder at PSPDFKit, later joined OpenAI) and kept open source after his departure. In April 2026, Anthropic restricted Claude Code subscriptions from being used with OpenClaw, which brought the project significant attention. For developers who want maximum agentic autonomy without a monthly subscription, OpenClaw is one of the most capable options available.

Gumloop

Build AI automation workflows visually - no code required

Free plan

Gumloop is a visual AI workflow builder that lets you chain AI steps together without writing code. You drag nodes onto a canvas, connect them, and build pipelines that can scrape websites, process documents, call AI models, send emails, and post to external services - all running automatically on a schedule or trigger. The core idea: most AI use cases aren't a single prompt, they're a sequence of steps. Scrape a page, extract key data, summarize it, format the output, send a Slack message. Gumloop makes that kind of multi-step automation visual and fast to build. You can go from idea to running pipeline in under 30 minutes without touching an API. Gumloop sits in the same space as Make (formerly Integromat) and n8n, but with a stronger focus on AI-native steps. The node library includes LLM calls (GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini), web scrapers, PDF processors, Google Sheets connectors, email senders, and webhook triggers. Everything is hosted - you don't run your own server. The free tier gives you enough to build and test workflows. Paid plans add higher run volumes, faster execution, and team features. Gumloop has been growing quickly in the indie hacker and AI builder community as an alternative to the steeper learning curve of n8n.