What is Zap?
Definition: Zapier's term for an automated workflow that connects a trigger event in one app to one or more actions in other apps, running automatically each time the trigger fires.
A Zap is Zapier's name for a workflow. It has a trigger (something happens in App A) and one or more actions (do something in App B, C, D). Simple Zaps are two-step: "When a new contact is added to HubSpot, create a row in Google Sheets." Complex Zaps chain multiple actions with filters and conditional paths.
Zapier's advantage is breadth: 6,000+ app integrations means you can connect almost anything. The disadvantage is pricing. Zapier charges per "task" (each action that runs). A 5-step Zap that runs 100 times uses 500 tasks. At $29.99/month for 750 tasks, high-volume workflows burn through your allocation fast.
GTM Engineers often start with Zapier because it's the simplest way to connect two tools. Then they outgrow it. When your workflows need loops, complex branching, HTTP requests to APIs that don't have native integrations, or more than 750 tasks/month without paying enterprise prices, you move to Make or n8n.
That said, Zapier is still the right tool for simple, low-volume automations. "Email me when someone fills out our demo form" doesn't need n8n. Use Zapier for the simple stuff and save your n8n/Make bandwidth for complex orchestration workflows.
Zapier's multi-step Zaps support paths (conditional branching), filters, formatters, and code steps (Python or JavaScript). These features close the gap with Make and n8n for mid-complexity workflows. If your team already pays for Zapier and the workflow needs fewer than 5 steps with simple logic, building it in Zapier instead of introducing a second automation platform reduces tool sprawl and training overhead. The decision to move to Make or n8n should be driven by specific limitations you've hit, not a general preference.
Zapier's Transfer feature handles bulk data migrations between apps, moving thousands of records in a single job without burning through task allocations. If you need to sync 10,000 HubSpot contacts to a Google Sheet or migrate deals between CRMs, Transfer is significantly cheaper than running a Zap for each record. Most GTM Engineers don't know this feature exists, but it's useful for one-time data moves and quarterly CRM cleanups where per-record processing would exhaust your plan's task limit in hours.