If you run an affiliate site, you’re probably doing the same manual tasks over and over — moving leads between tools, triggering emails, logging sales. Zapier is the automation layer that removes all of that grunt work. In this Zapier review, I’ll show you exactly how it works, what it costs, and whether it’s worth it compared to Make.com.
Quick Verdict
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | Non-technical affiliate marketers who want fast, no-code automation |
| Free Plan | Yes — 100 tasks/month, 5 Zaps |
| Starting Price | $19.99/month (Starter) |
| Affiliate Commission | 25% recurring for 12 months |
| App Integrations | 6,000+ |
What Is Zapier?
Zapier is a no-code automation platform that connects your apps and triggers actions automatically. You build “Zaps” — automated workflows with a Trigger (something that happens) and one or more Actions (what happens next). No coding required.
Founded in 2011, Zapier now connects over 6,000 apps — making it the largest automation ecosystem available. It’s used by over 2.2 million businesses worldwide, from solo bloggers to Fortune 500 companies.
How Zapier Works
Every Zap follows a simple structure: when X happens in App A, do Y in App B. For example: when a new subscriber joins your ConvertKit list → add them to a Google Sheet → send a Slack notification. That’s a three-step Zap and takes about 5 minutes to build.
Zapier runs your Zaps in the background on a schedule (every 1–15 minutes depending on your plan). The interface is clean, the setup is guided, and most popular apps have pre-built Zap templates so you’re not starting from scratch.
Zapier for Affiliate Marketing
Here’s where Zapier earns its place in an affiliate marketer’s toolkit. The automations that save the most time:
Lead capture to CRM: New opt-in on your landing page → auto-added to ConvertKit sequence + tagged in your spreadsheet. Zero manual work.
Content publishing alerts: New post published on WordPress → auto-post to your Slack or send yourself an email checklist of what to do next (submit to GSC, share to Pinterest, etc).
Commission tracking: New affiliate sale notification in email → auto-log to Google Sheets with date, amount, and product. Build your own earnings dashboard without touching a spreadsheet manually.
Repurposing pipeline: New blog post → trigger an AI tool (like ChatGPT via Zapier) to generate a Pinterest description → save it to Notion. Fully automated content repurposing.
Zapier Pricing (2025)
| Plan | Price | Tasks/Month | Zaps | Update Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 | 5 | 15 min |
| Starter | $19.99/mo | 750 | 20 | 15 min |
| Professional | $49/mo | 2,000 | Unlimited | 2 min |
| Team | $69/mo | 2,000 | Unlimited | 1 min |
For most affiliate marketers, the Professional plan at $49/month is the sweet spot — unlimited Zaps, 2-minute update frequency, and multi-step automations with conditional logic (Filters and Paths).
Zapier Affiliate Programme
| Commission Rate | 25% recurring |
| Cookie Duration | 30 days |
| Commission Length | 12 months per referred customer |
| Network | PartnerStack |
| Payout Threshold | $25 |
| Earnings Potential | ~$12.50–$147/customer/year |
The 25% recurring commission paid for a full 12 months is solid. Refer someone to a Professional plan ($49/mo) and you earn $12.25/month for a year — $147 per customer. And since Zapier solves a real workflow problem, referred customers rarely churn.
Zapier Pros and Cons
Pros
6,000+ app integrations — nothing else comes close. Extremely beginner-friendly interface with guided Zap builder. Massive library of pre-built templates. Reliable uptime and consistent task execution. Excellent documentation and community support.
Cons
Task-based pricing gets expensive at scale — heavy automation users will hit limits fast. Slower update frequency on free and starter plans (15 min). Less visual than Make.com — complex multi-branch workflows can get messy. No built-in data storage (unlike Make.com’s data stores).
Zapier vs Make.com: Which Should You Use?
| Feature | Zapier | Make.com |
|---|---|---|
| App integrations | 6,000+ | 1,700+ |
| Free plan tasks | 100/mo | 1,000/mo |
| Interface | Linear, guided | Visual canvas |
| Ease of use | ⭐ Easier | Moderate |
| Advanced logic | Good | ⭐ Better |
| Pricing at scale | More expensive | ⭐ Cheaper |
| Affiliate commission | 25% / 12 months | 20% / 24 months |
Choose Zapier if: you want the widest app support, the simplest setup experience, and you’re not running hundreds of tasks a month. Choose Make.com if: you need complex multi-branch workflows, more free tasks, or want to keep costs down as you scale.
Who Should Use Zapier?
Zapier is ideal for affiliate marketers who are non-technical and want automation that “just works.” If you’re spending more than 30 minutes a day on repetitive tasks — copying data, sending notifications, updating spreadsheets — Zapier will pay for itself immediately. Start on the free plan, validate your workflows, then upgrade when you need more tasks or faster triggers.
Final Verdict
Zapier earns a 4.5/5. It’s the most accessible automation tool on the market and the one I recommend to any affiliate marketer who’s just getting started with workflows. The app library is unmatched, the builder is intuitive, and the affiliate programme pays reliably. The only reason it doesn’t score higher is the task-based pricing model — power users will eventually find it costly compared to Make.com. But for most affiliates running 5–20 Zaps? It’s the perfect fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zapier free to use?
Yes. Zapier’s free plan includes 100 tasks per month and up to 5 Zaps. It’s enough to test your workflows and build a small automation stack before committing to a paid plan.
What is a Zapier task?
A task is one action completed by a Zap. If your Zap has three actions (e.g., add to spreadsheet + tag in ConvertKit + send Slack message), that triggers three tasks each time it runs.
Is Zapier better than Make.com?
It depends on your use case. Zapier is easier to use and has more app integrations. Make.com is more powerful for complex workflows and more cost-effective at scale. Beginners should start with Zapier; power users often migrate to Make.com.
Does Zapier have an affiliate programme?
Yes. Zapier’s affiliate programme pays 25% recurring commission for 12 months on every paid customer you refer. It runs on PartnerStack and has a 30-day cookie window.
Can Zapier connect to WordPress?
Yes. Zapier has a native WordPress integration that can trigger on new posts, new comments, or new users. You can also connect it to WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, Elementor, and most major WordPress plugins.
Automation is the secret weapon of every successful affiliate marketer. Make.com lets you build powerful multi-step workflows that connect your entire affiliate marketing stack — from lead capture to email follow-up — without writing a single line of code.
For affiliate marketers building a full content pipeline, Copy.ai delivers 90+ copywriting templates and workflow automation that can generate product reviews, email sequences, and ad copy at scale — making it one of the most versatile tools in your affiliate toolkit.
Related Reading
InVideo AI Review 2025: Best AI Video Maker for Affiliate Marketers? — See how InVideo AI turns a text prompt into a fully produced video in minutes — no editing skills required.