# Activepieces vs Zapier: automate work between apps

Zapier is the safer first pick if nobody on your team writes code: it connects thousands of apps, adds tables, forms and AI steps, and you can build a Zap in minutes. Activepieces wins on cost and control. Its free cloud plan gives 1,000 credits a month with unlimited flows, Plus costs $20 a month for 10,000 credits, and the open-source edition runs on your own server. Pick Zapier for breadth and ease, Activepieces once the task bill starts to hurt.

- **[Activepieces](https://suiteintent.com/t/activepieces?m=GB)**: Open-source workflow automation with AI agents. · Best for: A cheaper, self-hostable Zapier alternative · Free plan

- **[Zapier](https://suiteintent.com/t/zapier?m=GB)**: No-code automation between thousands of apps. · Best for: Your first automations, with no developer · Free plan · 14 days

## Activepieces

You run a handful of steady flows, want a fixed monthly price with a set number of credits, or need customer data to stay on a server you control by self-hosting the open-source edition.

## Zapier

Nobody on the team codes, you need an app that only the biggest catalogue covers, or you want tables and forms next to your automations in one account.

## Questions

### Is Activepieces cheaper than Zapier?

Often, yes. Activepieces has a free cloud plan with 1,000 credits a month and unlimited flows, and Plus costs $20 a month for 10,000 credits. Zapier also has a free plan, but its bill grows with the number of tasks your Zaps run. Compare your monthly task count with the credits each Activepieces plan includes before you switch.

### Can I self-host Zapier the way I can Activepieces?

No. Zapier runs only as a hosted service. Activepieces publishes an open-source edition that you can install on your own server. That matters if a client contract or your own policy says data must stay in-house.

### Does Activepieces connect to as many apps as Zapier?

Activepieces connects hundreds of apps, including Slack, Gmail and HubSpot. Zapier links thousands, so a niche tool is more likely to be there. Check both catalogues for the exact apps you use before you rebuild anything.

### Can either one add AI to a workflow?

Both can. Zapier lets you drop AI steps into a Zap, for example to summarise a form entry before it reaches your CRM. Activepieces lets you add AI agents to a flow. Try the same small task in each and keep the output you trust more.

### How hard is it to move my Zaps to Activepieces?

There is no one-click import, so you rebuild each Zap as a flow. Start with the flows that run most often, since they drive most of the Zapier bill. Run old and new side by side for a week, then switch the Zap off once the flow behaves the same.