Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GitHub Actions VS Zapier

Compare GitHub Actions VS Zapier and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

GitHub Actions logo GitHub Actions

Automate your workflow from idea to production

Zapier logo Zapier

Connect the apps you use everyday to automate your work and be more productive. 1000+ apps and easy integrations - get started in minutes.
  • GitHub Actions Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-25
  • Zapier Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

GitHub Actions features and specs

  • Seamless GitHub Integration
    GitHub Actions are natively integrated with GitHub, making it easy to use within repositories and leverage other GitHub features such as issues, pull requests, and releases.
  • Custom Workflows
    Allows for the creation of complex and custom workflows using YAML syntax, providing flexibility to handle a variety of CI/CD processes.
  • Marketplace Access
    Access to GitHub Marketplace where a wide range of pre-built actions are available, allowing users to quickly set up workflows with minimal configuration.
  • Concurrent Execution
    Supports parallel execution of jobs, which can significantly reduce the time needed to run workflows by performing multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Self-Hosted Runners
    Provides the ability to use self-hosted runners, offering more control over the environment and resources used for running workflows.
  • Cost-Efficient
    Includes a generous free tier, especially for public repositories, which can be cost-effective for projects with limited resource requirements.

Possible disadvantages of GitHub Actions

  • Complexity for Beginners
    Due to its powerful features and flexibility, setting up and managing GitHub Actions can be complex for users who are not familiar with CI/CD processes or YAML.
  • Limited to GitHub
    As a GitHub-specific product, GitHub Actions is tied to repositories hosted on GitHub, limiting its use for projects that are hosted on other version control platforms.
  • Billing for Additional Usage
    While there is a free tier, usage beyond the free limits incurs additional charges, which can become significant for high-frequency or resource-intensive workflows.
  • Resource Limitations
    GitHub Actions has limitations on available resources (such as CPU and memory) for runners, which can be restrictive for very resource-intensive tasks.

Zapier features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Zapier offers an intuitive interface, making it easy for non-technical users to set up automated workflows without any coding knowledge.
  • Wide Range of Integrations
    With support for over 3,000 apps, Zapier allows you to connect a multitude of platforms and services, facilitating robust and diverse automation opportunities.
  • Custom Automation
    Users can create customized automation workflows (Zaps) tailored to their specific business needs, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
  • Scalability
    Zapier can handle both simple tasks and complex, multi-step workflows, making it suitable for businesses of any size.
  • Excellent Support and Resources
    Zapier offers extensive documentation, tutorials, and customer support to help users get the most out of its platform.
  • No Startup Costs
    Zapier offers a free tier, which is suitable for basic use cases or for testing the platform before committing to a paid plan.
  • Time-Saving
    By automating repetitive tasks, Zapier saves users considerable time, allowing them to focus on more strategic activities.

Possible disadvantages of Zapier

  • Cost
    Advanced functionalities and higher task volumes are only available on paid plans, which can be expensive for small businesses.
  • Limited by API
    Zapier's capabilities are constrained by the APIs of the apps it integrates with, meaning it can't perform functions outside of what the app's API supports.
  • Task Limitations
    The free plan has a limit on the number of tasks (automations) you can perform per month, which may not be sufficient for heavy users.
  • Complex Workflows Require Expertise
    While simple tasks are easy to set up, more complex workflows can require a good understanding of how APIs and integrations work, which may necessitate expert knowledge.
  • Performance Variability
    The speed at which Zaps execute can vary depending on the load on Zapier's servers and the response times of integrated apps.
  • Data Privacy
    Storing workflow data in a third-party platform may raise data privacy and security concerns, especially for businesses handling sensitive information.
  • Customization Limitations
    While Zapier is highly customizable, it may not offer the same level of customization and flexibility as custom-built solutions tailored entirely to unique business processes.

GitHub Actions videos

5 Ways to DevOps-ify your App - Github Actions Tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - Introducing GitHub Package Registry
  • Review - Automatic Deployment With Github Actions
  • Review - GitHub Actions - Now with built-in CI/CD! Live from GitHub HQ

Zapier videos

Zapier Tutorial | How to Automate Tasks and STOP WASTING TIME!

More videos:

  • Review - Zapier Developer Platform Example Etsy
  • Review - A COMPLETE GUIDE TO USING ZAPIER - Beginner's Edition
  • Review - Getting started with Zapier triggers and actions
  • Review - What is Zapier?
  • Tutorial - Zapier 2022 Automation Review & Tutorial - How To Make A Zap 🤖

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GitHub Actions and Zapier)
DevOps Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Web Service Automation
0 0%
100% 100
Continuous Integration
100 100%
0% 0
Automation
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GitHub Actions and Zapier

GitHub Actions Reviews

Top 10 Most Popular Jenkins Alternatives for DevOps in 2024
GitHub Actions is the CI/CD solution that’s built into GitHub, the most popular version control platform. It’s specifically designed to provide an intuitive experience for developers who want to run pipelines quickly without having to configure any separate software. Because it’s a managed SaaS service that’s specifically focused on CI/CD, there are no self-hosting...
Source: spacelift.io

Zapier Reviews

The Best n8n.io Alternatives for Workflow Automation in 2025
Zapier is a widely-used workflow automation tool that has gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface and extensive library of pre-built integrations. It enables users to create "Zaps," which are essentially automated workflows that connect different applications and services, without the need for coding. Zapier's strengths lie in its simplicity and the sheer number...
Source: latenode.com
N8n.io Alternatives
Zapier is a powerful automation tool that connects your favorite apps and services, streamlining workflows and increasing productivity. With Zapier, you can automate repetitive tasks without needing any coding skills, making it accessible for users of all technical levels.
Source: apix-drive.com
The Best MuleSoft Alternatives [2024]
Zapier is a reliable MuleSoft alternative because it allows users to automate workflows and connect systems to interact with and share data between 6,000+ apps.
Source: exalate.com
Top 5 Microsoft Power Automate alternatives for 2024
Zapier is a great option among Power Automate alternatives,” says Kev Tilley, financial expert and managing director at Mortgageable UK. “Like Power Automate, Zapier has a wide range of built-in integrations that make it easy to connect to popular apps and services. In addition, Zapier offers support for custom connectors.”
Source: www.jotform.com
Top 15 MuleSoft Competitors and Alternatives
Zapier is a software company specializing in task automation. Businesses can use Zapier to integrate web applications and automate workflows. In 2022, Zapier enabled customers to connect and move data across over 5,000 apps, including Salesforce, Jira, and Airtable.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GitHub Actions seems to be a lot more popular than Zapier. While we know about 307 links to GitHub Actions, we've tracked only 26 mentions of Zapier. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GitHub Actions mentions (307)

  • What tools can help streamline cloud deployment processes?
    If your code lives on GitHub (which it probably does), GitHub Actions should be your go-to for CI/CD. - Source: dev.to / 20 days ago
  • Getting started with FrankenPHP, Laravel and Docker
    My base target is used for development use, but my production target is used for production use. I'm using a GitHub Actions workflow to checkout my code, installing dependencies without development dependencies, and building my application. When that's done, I build the Docker image and send it to my container registry. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Automating Voicebot Deployments for Amazon Connect
    In this post, I will share WebRTC.ventures' best practices in automating the deployment of AI-powered voice assistants for Amazon Connect, moving beyond manual, click-by-click setups to a robust, scalable Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach. We’ll explore how to manage both static and dynamic resources, leverage tools like Terraform and AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM), and even set up an automated... - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Deploying a static Website with Pulumi
    The Python Pulumi code is deployed with GitHub Actions. This leverages static credentials for AWS embedded as repository secrets. I have implemented two workflows:. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • As Visual Studio App Center closes, a look back, and what to use now?
    When Microsoft announced the App Center shutdown last year, they recommended an array of alternative tools from elsewhere in their developer toolkit and beyond to replace its capabilities. Users seeking an alternative to App Center's hosted build automation, or App Store deployment, capabilities can look to Azure DevOps Pipelines or GitHub Actions. For cloud-based on-device testing, they recommend external tool... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
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Zapier mentions (26)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing GitHub Actions and Zapier, you can also consider the following products

CircleCI - CircleCI gives web developers powerful Continuous Integration and Deployment with easy setup and maintenance.

ifttt - IFTTT puts the internet to work for you. Create simple connections between the products you use every day.

GitHub - Originally founded as a project to simplify sharing code, GitHub has grown into an application used by over a million people to store over two million code repositories, making GitHub the largest code host in the world.

Make.com - Tool for workflow automation (Former Integromat)

Jenkins - Jenkins is an open-source continuous integration server with 300+ plugins to support all kinds of software development

n8n.io - Free and open fair-code licensed node based Workflow Automation Tool. Easily automate tasks across different services.