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Make vs Stepper

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Both have one
Public API
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Make — 86 vs 72 for Stepper
Best fit
Make: Operations and marketing teams wiring SaaS apps together with branching logic they can see · Stepper: Small businesses wanting workflow automation without learning a node-based builder first
Status
We could not check Make — its site turns automated checks away; Stepper was up on Oct 15, 2026

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

MakeVisual automation builder with branching scenarios, AI agents and an MCP server, metered in credits.StepperDescribe a workflow in plain English and it builds the automation, backed by Paperform's integration library.

Side by side

FactMakeStepper
CategoryWorkflow Automation PlatformsWorkflow Automation Platforms
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at—$19/mo
Public APIYesYes
Trust score86 / 10072 / 100
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, API
CompanyCelonis, Inc.Paperform Pty Ltd
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Oct 15, 2026

What our research says

Make

Make is the visual automation tool for people who outgrow Zapier's straight lines and want routers, iterators and error handling on a canvas without running their own n8n. The credit model is the thing to understand before committing: most steps cost one credit, AI steps cost more and purchased top-ups expire, so a chatty scenario can burn a month's allowance in days. The MCP server and agents make it a reasonable home for assistant-driven automations, but they draw from the same credit pool.

Pros

  • Branching, iteration and error handling on a visual canvas, with routers and error handlers free of credits
  • 3,000+ native apps plus custom integrations for any API
  • AI agents with goals, tools, limits and visible reasoning, plus an MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini
  • Free plan with 1,000 credits a month and SOC 2 Type II, SSO and audit logs on paid tiers

Cons

  • Plan prices are not readable without a browser session; the pricing page shows credits, not dollars, to fetchers
  • Credits expire at the end of the term and purchased extras expire sooner
  • AI-provider steps consume more than one credit, making agent-heavy scenarios hard to budget
  • No self-hosted option

Stepper

Stepper's pitch is describing a workflow in plain language instead of wiring nodes by hand, backed by an integration library from an established form-building company rather than a brand-new startup. The free plan's 200 steps a month is workable for light use, but MCP and agent-facing features are new enough that depth compared to established automation platforms is still unproven.

Pros

  • Conversational editor generates automation logic from a plain-language description
  • Connects to more than 480 apps rather than a narrow integration list
  • Free plan (200 steps/month) is usable on its own, not just a trial
  • MCP compatibility lets AI agents trigger or use workflows as tools

Cons

  • Backed by a company (Paperform) primarily known for form-building, not automation, so track record in this category is newer
  • Credits on the Pro plan can run out on heavy workflows, requiring paid top-ups
  • Conversational generation quality on complex, multi-branch workflows wasn't something we could verify hands-on

Which one fits

Choose Make if you need

  • Operations and marketing teams wiring SaaS apps together with branching logic they can see
  • Builders who want AI agents and automations in one place, driven from Claude or ChatGPT through MCP
  • Companies that need SSO, audit logs and SOC 2 on a no-code automation tool

Choose Stepper if you need

  • Small businesses wanting workflow automation without learning a node-based builder first
  • Teams already using Paperform who want automation from the same vendor

Make vs Stepper: the questions people ask

Is Make cheaper than Stepper?

Stepper starts at $19/mo. Make has a free tier; what its paid plans cost is not confirmed by us yet.

Does Make or Stepper have a free tier?

Both: Make has a free tier, and Stepper has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Make or Stepper?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

More comparisons

All Make alternatives →All Stepper alternatives →Browse all Workflow Automation Platforms →