HighLevel AI vs Zapier & Make: Do You Still Need Them? (2026)

GoHighLevel Workflows

GoHighLevel's workflow builder is a visual automation engine for GHL-internal triggers and actions.[1] You build automations using a drag-and-drop canvas that connects triggers to a sequence of actions. Trigger types include form submissions, tag additions, appointment bookings, pipeline stage changes, invoice payments, call status updates, and more. Actions include sending SMS, sending email, adding or removing tags, moving contacts through pipeline stages, creating tasks, updating custom fields, calling webhooks, and triggering AI conversation bots. Workflows run within the GoHighLevel platform and are included at no additional cost on all plans.[4]

Zapier

Zapier connects over 6,000 apps through automated workflows called "Zaps."[5] Each Zap consists of a trigger (something happens in App A) and one or more actions (do something in App B, C, etc.). Zapier is no-code and designed for non-technical users. The free plan includes 100 tasks per month. Paid plans start at $19.99/month for 750 tasks and scale up based on volume and the number of steps per Zap.[2]

Make (formerly Integromat)

Make connects over 1,500 apps through visual workflows called "Scenarios."[3] Make supports more complex logic than Zapier, including routers, iterators, error handlers, and data transformations. The interface uses a visual node-based canvas that lets you see exactly how data flows between apps. The free plan includes 1,000 operations per month. Paid plans start at $9/month for 10,000 operations, making Make significantly more affordable at scale than Zapier.[3]

GoHighLevel workflows excel at internal automation where every trigger and action stays within the GHL platform. Zapier and Make excel at connecting GHL to the broader app ecosystem. In practice, most agencies use GHL workflows as their primary automation engine and keep Zapier or Make running only for the handful of external connections they cannot replace.[1][4]

Common examples where GHL workflows are sufficient:

Lead qualification to appointment: A lead fills out a form, the workflow checks custom field values, sends a qualifying SMS, and if the lead responds positively, books them into a calendar slot automatically. No external app is involved.[1]

Pipeline stage change to email sequence: When a deal moves from "Proposal Sent" to "Negotiation," the workflow enrolls the contact in a targeted email drip sequence and creates a follow-up task for the sales rep.[1]

Form submit to tag to nurture workflow: A form submission applies a tag based on the form answers, which triggers a multi-step nurture sequence combining SMS, email, and voicemail drops over a 14-day period.[1]

If all your automations look like the examples above, you can confidently skip Zapier and Make entirely and save that monthly cost.

GoHighLevel workflows cannot trigger from or send data to apps outside the GHL ecosystem without using webhooks or API calls. If your business relies on external tools, you need Zapier or Make to bridge the gap.[4]

External App Triggers

When the triggering event happens outside GHL, you need Zapier or Make to catch it and relay the data. Examples include a Stripe payment completing, a new row appearing in Google Sheets, a Slack message in a specific channel, or a Shopify order being placed. GHL workflows cannot listen for these events natively.[2][3]

Sending Data to Non-GHL Destinations

When you need data to flow out of GHL into an external system, Zapier or Make serves as the bridge. Common use cases include syncing closed deals to QuickBooks or Xero for invoicing, creating tasks in Asana or Monday.com when a pipeline stage changes, logging call outcomes to a shared Google Sheet for team reporting, and updating a custom dashboard in Notion or Airtable.[2]

Complex Multi-App Orchestration

Some workflows involve three or more apps working in sequence. For example: a GHL form submission triggers a webhook that sends data to Zapier, which creates a proposal in PandaDoc, notifies the sales rep via Slack, and logs the activity in a Google Sheet. This kind of multi-app chain is where Zapier and especially Make shine because of their ability to route data between many endpoints in a single workflow.[3]

Real-Time Data Sync Between Platforms

If your team uses both GHL and another CRM or project management tool, Zapier or Make can keep contact records, deal stages, and notes synchronized in real time. This is critical during transition periods or for teams that use GHL for client-facing work but another tool for internal operations.[5]

The key takeaway is that GoHighLevel workflows are free. Every automation you move from Zapier or Make into GHL's native workflow builder directly reduces your monthly bill. For most agencies, this means dropping from a mid-tier Zapier plan ($49–$69/month) down to the starter tier ($19.99/month) or eliminating it entirely. Make is the more cost-effective choice if you still need an external connector, offering roughly 10x more operations per dollar than Zapier at lower tiers.[2][3]