云自动化市场有两个巨头。Zapier是一家专注于满足大型企业生产力需求的自动化巨头。还有IFTTT，这是许多写个人和小企业生产力黑客的博主的最爱。
但现在IFTTT正在切换到付费模式，那些享受过免费云自动化服务的人可能需要考虑切换。但是，当您将Zapier与IFTTT进行正面比较时，哪种解决方案真正脱颖而出？
在这篇评论中，我们将仔细研究这两种服务，并在成本、支持的云应用程序和服务以及易用性方面对它们进行比较。
Zapier vs IFTTT：为什么要切换？
如果您最近登录过IFTTT，您可能已经注意到，如果您在帐户中创建了三个以上的小程序，则无法创建任何新的小程序。
这是因为要继续使用无限制的小程序，您需要升级到IFTTT Pro，通常需要 9.99 美元/月。然而，在非常有限的时间内，IFTTT允许现有帐户通过“设置自己的价格”升级到IFTTT Pro，价格低至 1.99 美元/月。IFTTT承诺“无限期”兑现这一价格。
但是，如果您到目前为止一直在享受IFTTT主要是(IFTTT)因为(because)它是免费的，那么现在是时候跳到Zapier了吗？
让我们将这两个服务并排放置，看看哪个服务排在首位。
支持的应用程序(Apps)：Zapier支持 4 倍以上的应用程序(Apps)
当谈到您使用多少可以自动化的服务时，真的没有可比性。
如果您浏览IFTTT 上所有受支持的应用程序(supported apps on IFTTT)，您将看到超过 500 种可以连接的可用服务。
但是，当您选择在Zapier探索(Explore)时，它们会将您带到一个页面，您可以在其中按类别搜索 2,000 多个应用程序。
在Zapier和IFTTT上，您都可以找到所有最受欢迎的服务，例如Google应用程序、 (Google)Facebook和Twitter等社交帐户，以及大多数主要的云存储服务。
Zapier的真正优势(Zapier)在于大型企业通常关心的客户关系管理 ( CRM ) 和营销服务。(CRM)
(IFTTT)当Gmail(Gmail)最近更改了第三方服务的后端代码时， IFTTT也彻底失败了。(Gmail)今天，如果您在Zapier(Zapier)中搜索Gmail触发器，您仍然可以找到许多可以触发的灵活自动化(flexible automations you can trigger)。
另一方面，当您在IFTTT搜索Gmail以触发小程序时， IFTTT就会出现问题。
这意味着Zapier工程师更加积极主动，并定期更新小程序代码以包含与您的云服务集成所需的任何更改。
现在IFTTT正在向其用户收取使用其服务的费用，他们有可能有一天会在这方面赶上。但截至今天，IFTTT只提供了Zapier提供的与云服务集成的一小部分。
易用性：(Zapier) IFTTT直观(Intuitive)，Zapier(Use)灵活
创建小程序（IFTTT将其称为自动化）的过程实际上是一种点击解决方案。
该界面使用众所周知的“这个(This)和那个”(That)方法，一次一个屏幕地引导您完成该过程的每个步骤。
基本上，“This”是触发服务和事件，而“That”是您希望在触发发生时发生的事情。
首先在If This块上选择Add，然后定义要用于启动触发器的参数。
选择触发服务时也是如此。在此示例中，只要包含特定字词的特定SMS到达您的Android手机，您就可以向Google 表格(Google Sheet)添加新行。
在IFTTT中，流程的每一步都是一个大屏幕，巨大的字体填满整个屏幕，而您填写的字段仅针对您正在处理的步骤。
这是一种迎合那些可能不是很精通技术但可能能够遵循非常简单的基本步骤的人的方法。
另一方面， Zapier(Zapier)采用了稍微复杂的方法。当您在Zapier中选择(Zapier)Make a Zap时，该过程开始类似于IFTTT。您搜索要用作触发器的服务并选择它以开始使用。
第一步通常是从Zapier能够从该服务中获取的可用事件列表中进行选择。
选择触发事件并选择Continue后，您可能需要输入一些详细信息，以使触发事件更具体地针对您想要触发的内容。
Zapier在流程的每个阶段都进行了测试，以确保它可以从云服务中提取您要求它提取的数据。
然后，该过程沿着链向下移动，因为您选择了要在其上执行某些操作以响应您刚刚配置的触发器的云服务。
Zapier允许您根据它能够从您用来触发“Zap”的第一个云服务中提取的特定数据来自定义您对第二个云服务采取的操作。
您通常会发现，您可以在每个 Zap 中使用的 Zapier 可用数据比(Zap)IFTTT(Zap)更加广泛和灵活(IFTTT)。IFTTT通常只提供非常具体的、预先格式化的详细信息，仅限于人们可能想要使用的最常见的数据片段。
例如，如果您每次有人在您的Facebook页面上发布内容时都会向您的Gmail帐户发送电子邮件， (Gmail)Zapier可以让您提取以下内容：
虽然IFTTT可能仅限于一些内容，例如发布消息和发布者的姓名。
您会发现这是您使用Zapier与IFTTT创建的大多数自动化的区别。
价格：Zapier几乎(Almost Twice)是价格的两倍
“一分钱一分货”这句老话在这里非常适用。虽然Zapier可以集成的应用程序数量可能是IFTTT的四倍，而且这些集成更加详细和广泛，但缺点是您必须每月支付近两倍的费用才能获得该特权。Zapier的Starter计划的价格不到 20 美元/月，而IFTTT的无限制计划的价格为 9.99 美元/月。
如果您利用 IFTTT 的介绍性优惠，每月节省的费用可能会大得多。
最终判决：Zapier VS IFTTT
这两种服务都可以在云自动化方面做得很好。最终决定实际上归结为您需要实现自动化的复杂程度以及IFTTT是否与您需要的服务集成。
Zapier 确实提供免费(Free)套餐，您每月可以获得 100 项任务来使用该服务。所以你总是可以试一试，看看它是否值得额外的钱。
如果不是这样，IFTTT 目前的定价非常适合那些想要云自动化但还没有准备好投资Zapier目前要求的价格的人。
Zapier vs IFTTT: Which Is Better For Cloud Automation?
There are two giants when it comes to the cloud automatіon market. Zapier, the automation powerhouse focused on accommodating the productivity needs of large businesses. And IFTTT, a favorite among many bloggers who write about productivity hacks for individuals and small businesses.
But now that IFTTT is switching to a paid model, those who’ve enjoyed the free cloud automation service may need to consider switching. But when you compare Zapier vs. IFTTT head-to-head, which solution truly comes out on top?
In this review we’ll take a close look at both services and compare them in terms of cost, supported cloud apps and services, and ease of use.
Zapier vs IFTTT: Why Switch?
If you’ve logged into IFTTT lately, you may have noticed that you can’t create any new applets if you’ve created more than three of them on your account.
This is because to continue using unlimited applets, you need to upgrade to IFTTT Pro, which will normally cost $9.99/mo. However for a very limited time, IFTTT is letting existing accounts upgrade to IFTTT Pro by “setting your own price”, for as low as $1.99/mo. IFTTT promises to honor that price “indefinitely”.
But if you’ve been enjoying IFTTT up until now mostly because it was free, is it probably time to make the jump over to Zapier?
Let’s place the two services head to head and see which comes out on top.
Supported Apps: Zapier Supports 4x More Apps
When it comes to how many services you use that you can automate, there’s really no comparison.
If you explore all supported apps on IFTTT, you’ll see just over 500 available services you can connect with.
However, when you select Explore at Zapier, they bring you to a page where you can search through over 2,000 apps by category.
On both Zapier and IFTTT, you’ll find all of the most popular services like Google apps, social accounts like Facebook and Twitter, and most major cloud storage services.
Where Zapier breaks out ahead is really in the kind of customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing services that larger businesses typically care about.
IFTTT also failed considerably when they cut Gmail triggers completely from their offerings when Gmail recently changed its back-end code for third-party services. Today, if you search for Gmail triggers in Zapier, you still find plenty of flexible automations you can trigger.
When you search for Gmail to trigger an applet at IFTTT on the other hand, IFTTT comes up short.
This implies that Zapier engineers are a bit more proactive and regularly update applet code to incorporate any changes required to integrate with your cloud services.
Now that IFTTT is charging its users for using its services, it’s possible they may one day catch up in this regard. But as of today, IFTTT only offers a fraction of integrations with cloud services that Zapier does.
Ease of Use: IFTTT Is Intuitive, Zapier Is Flexible
The process to create an applet (what IFTTT calls their automations) is literally a click-by-click solution.
The interface walks you through each step of the process one screen at a time using the well-known This and That approach.
Basically, “This” is the triggering service and event, and “That” is what you want to happen when the trigger takes place.
You start by selecting Add on the If This block, and then define the parameters you want to use to initiate the trigger.
The same is true when you select a trigger service. In this example, you can add a new row to a Google Sheet whenever a specific SMS containing certain words arrives on your Android phone.
In IFTTT, each step of the process is one big screen, with a huge font that fills the screen, and fields you fill out specific to just the step you’re working on.
It’s an approach that caters to people who may not be very technically savvy, but who may be able to follow very simple, basic steps.
Zapier, on the other hand, takes a slightly more complex approach. When you select Make a Zap in Zapier, the process starts out similar to IFTTT. You search for the service you want to use as a trigger and select it to get started.
The first step is usually to select from a list of available events the Zapier is capable of picking up from that service.
Once you select the trigger event and select Continue, you may need to enter a few details to make the triggering event a little more specific for what you’d like to trigger on.
Zapier conducts a test at each phase in the process to ensure it can pull the data you’re asking it to from the cloud service.
The process then moves down the chain, as you select the cloud service you want to do something on in response to the trigger you just configured.
Zapier lets you customize the actions you take with the second cloud service based on specific data it was able to pull from the first cloud service you used to trigger the “Zap”.
You will typically find that Zapier’s available data you can use in each Zap is much more extensive and flexible than IFTTT. IFTTT usually only provides very specific, preformatted details limited to the most common pieces of data people may want to use.
For example if you’re triggering an email to your Gmail account every time someone posts something to your Facebook page, Zapier lets you pull in things like:
- Application ID
- Created time
- Category or type of post
- Much more…
While IFTTT may be limited to just a few things like the post message and the name of the person who posted.
You’ll find this is the difference with most automations you create with Zapier vs IFTTT.
Price: Zapier Is Almost Twice as Expensive
The old saying, “You get what you pay for” is very applicable here. While Zapier may have four times as many apps you can integrate than IFTTT, and those integrations are far more detailed and extensive, the downside is that you’re going to have to pay nearly twice as much a month for that privilege. The Starter plan with Zapier is just under $20/mo, while IFTTT’s unlimited plan costs $9.99/mo.
And if you take advantage of IFTTT’s introductory offer, the monthly savings could be much greater.
Final Verdict: Zapier Vs IFTTT
Either service does an excellent job with cloud automation. The final decision really boils down to how complex you need to make your automations and whether IFTTT integrates with the services you need it to.
Zapier does offer a Free tier where you get 100 tasks a month to play around with the service. So you could always give it a try and see if it’s worth the extra money.
If not, IFTTT’s current pricing is well positioned for people who want cloud automation but aren’t ready to invest in the prices Zapier is currently asking.
