API Integration Platforms: Connect Your Business Tools
Automate workflows between your apps with Zapier, Make, and other integration platforms.
Modern businesses use an average of 110 SaaS applications. Without integration platforms, data silos form between these tools, creating manual work and information gaps. API integration platforms solve this by connecting apps through automated workflows.
Zapier ($29/month for Starter) is the most accessible integration platform with 6,000+ app connections. Its trigger-action model is intuitive: when something happens in App A, do something in App B. Multi-step Zaps chain up to 100 actions in sequence. The free tier allows 100 tasks/month across 5 single-step Zaps.
Make (formerly Integromat, $10/month) offers more sophisticated workflow logic at a lower price. Its visual scenario builder handles branching, loops, error handling, and data transformation. Make processes more complex workflows than Zapier at roughly 60% of the cost.
n8n (Free self-hosted) provides maximum flexibility as an open-source alternative. Self-hosting means no per-execution limits and complete data privacy. Its code nodes allow custom JavaScript/Python within workflows. Best for technical teams who want full control.
Workato (Enterprise pricing) serves large organizations with governance requirements. Its recipe-based automation includes approval workflows, audit trails, and role-based access. The platform handles complex enterprise integrations that simpler tools cannot.
Common automation recipes: New lead in form → CRM contact + Slack notification + welcome email. Invoice paid in Stripe → update spreadsheet + send receipt + notify team. Support ticket resolved → send survey + update dashboard + log resolution time.
Start here: Identify your top 3 most time-consuming manual data transfers. Build Zapier automations for these first. Measure time saved after one month, then expand to more complex workflows.