Zapier, RPA, or a custom build: how to choose
There are three common ways to automate a business process, and they are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong one is how teams end up paying monthly for something brittle, or building something custom they didn’t need. Here is what each is actually good for.
The three approaches
No-code (Zapier, Make). Visual tools that connect apps through ready-made connectors — “when this happens in app A, do that in app B.” Fast to set up, no developer needed, and ideal for simple, low-volume flows between popular apps.
RPA (robotic process automation). Software that drives the user interface the way a person would — clicking buttons, filling fields — on systems that have no API. It is how you automate old or closed software that offers no other way in.
A custom build. Code written to the systems’ APIs, carrying your actual logic. More effort upfront, and it needs a developer, but it fits your process exactly and runs as fast and as cheaply as the systems allow.
When each fits
- Reach for no-code when the flow is simple, the volume is low, both apps have ready connectors, and the logic is “if this, then that.” It will save you real time and money.
- Reach for RPA only when a system genuinely has no API and no other integration, and you accept the maintenance. RPA breaks when the screen it clicks changes, so treat it as a last resort, not a default.
- Reach for a custom build when there is real logic (matching, validation, exceptions), meaningful volume, data crossing several systems, or something you will depend on for years.
The costs that don’t show up in the demo
No-code looks cheapest until you grow. Per-task pricing climbs with volume, and every tool hits a wall where your logic is “almost, but not quite” what the connector allows — and the workaround is fragile. RPA looks clever until the vendor changes a button and it stops overnight. A custom build costs more to start, but it has no per-run fee, no wall, and you own it — source code and accounts in your name.
The honest rule: start with the lightest option that genuinely fits, and move to a custom build when volume, logic or longevity make the per-task fees and workarounds cost more than owning it would.
On a scoping call we will tell you which of the three your process actually needs — including when the answer is “a Zapier flow, and you don’t need us.” See also when is a process worth automating.