AI Tool Comparison
Relay.app vs Zapier
A side-by-side breakdown to help you pick the right tool for your workflow.
Relay.app
Turn plain-language descriptions into working automations across hundreds of apps, with human-in-the-loop approval steps built in.
Zapier
Connect 9,000+ apps to automate multi-step workflows without code, and now build AI teammate Agents that research leads, draft emails, and hand tasks to each other autonomously.
Bottom Line
Last reviewed: August 2026
Relay.app and Zapier both compete in Automation, overlapping most directly on automation. Zapier carries the higher rating (4.7 vs 4.5), but a gap that size rarely overrides a real workflow fit on its own.
Choose Relay.app if…
Best for teams whose workflows genuinely need a human approval or review step, not full automated end-to-end flows, and its edge is builds structured human decision points directly into the automation instead of treating every step as fire-and-forget. The right tool when human judgment matters mid-workflow, it's a newer, smaller product than Make for complex flows.
Choose Zapier if…
Best for connecting apps into automated workflows without writing code, and its edge is 9,000+ app integrations, now with AI teammate Agents that hand off tasks to each other. The default automation platform when you need broad app coverage over deep customization.
| Attribute | Relay.app | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation | Automation |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Pricing Detail | Free (500 credits) / $19/mo Professional / $59/mo Team | Free (100 tasks) / $19.99/mo Professional (Pro) / $69/mo Team |
| Rating |
Key Features
Relay.app
- Human approval steps
- AI actions
- Shared workflow visibility
- Template library
- Collaboration tools
Zapier
- Connects 5000+ apps
- Zap builder
- Interfaces and Tables
- OpenAI integrations
- Multi-step workflows
- Zapier MCP for scoped AI agent access
Pros
Relay.app
- •Best for workflows requiring human review
- •Transparent and auditable
- •Good team features
- •Clean interface
Zapier
- •Massive app ecosystem
- •Extremely reliable
- •No-code required
- •Excellent documentation
Cons
Relay.app
- Less powerful than Make for complex flows
- Small app library
- Newer product
Zapier
- Can get very expensive at scale
- Complex logic can be hard to build
- Customer support on lower tiers is slow