What we know
Tools we've used properly, not just watched a demo of.
Anyone can list logos. Here's the same list with an honest opinion attached to each one, because knowing when not to use something is the useful part.
Automation
Zapier
Zapier is the quickest way to prove an idea works. It's also the thing quietly costing someone a fortune three years later, running a process nobody remembers building.
What it's good at
- Connecting two tools this afternoon to see if the idea holds up
- Huge library of apps, so the awkward one is usually covered
- Simple, linear jobs that just need to happen reliably
- Letting non-developers build something useful without waiting
Where it gets awkward
- Task pricing punishes anything high volume
- Branching logic gets unreadable fast
- Error handling and retries are basic compared with the alternatives
- Zaps accumulate, undocumented, until nobody dares switch one off
Our experience with it
We use Zapier to prototype, then move anything important to Make, n8n or proper code once it's earned its place. We've also spent plenty of time auditing Zap accounts and turning off things that had been running for years for no reason.
Things we've built or connected
Same day prototypes to test an automation before committing to it
Migrations from sprawling Zap accounts into cheaper, sturdier setups
Stopgap integrations while a proper API connection was being built
Usually in the same conversation