Zapier vs Pabbly (and why Shopstory is better)

Are you comparing Zapier vs Pabbly to make a decision on what to use for your ecommerce and performance marketing automations? Both are powerful automation tools, but they offer different approaches and pricing models. In this article, we compare the features, pricing, and usability of both platforms and show you why Shopstory could be the best choice for online stores and digital marketers.

Zapier and Pabbly are popular platforms in the automation space, each catering to different needs. While Zapier scores as an established market leader with a huge number of integrations, Pabbly offers a more affordable alternative with unlimited automations. But which tool is better for your business? Let's compare the two tools in detail and find out why Shopstory could be the perfect solution for your automation needs.

TL;DR

Zapier is known for its ease of use and wide range of integrations. It is ideal for beginners who want to create simple workflows without much effort. Pabbly, on the other hand, scores with unlimited automations at a significantly lower price and is particularly suitable for companies that require a high number of automations. However, Shopstory offers a solution specifically designed for ecommerce and performance marketing that provides seamless and deeper integrations, as well as an intuitive platform for complex workflows without programming knowledge.

A head-to-head comparison of Zapier vs Pabbly (vs Shopstory)

Zapier vs Pabbly: A comprehensive comparison

In the following, we take a closer look at the most important aspects of the two tools: pricing, integrations, usability, workflow complexity, and error handling.

1. Pricing

Zapier: Zapier offers a tiered pricing structure based on the number of tasks performed. There is a free version that allows you to use up to five zaps (workflows) and 100 tasks per month. However, this is quite limited, and for more complex automations or a higher volume of tasks, you will need to upgrade to paid plans, which can quickly become expensive. Every additional task (every action performed) is calculated in Zapier, and costs increase exponentially with increased usage.

• Free plan: 5 zaps, 100 tasks per month
• Paid plans: Start at $19.99/month for 750 tasks, but can quickly become significantly more expensive with heavy use.

Pabbly: Pabbly stands out particularly for its pricing. It offers unlimited automations on all paid plans, making it attractive to businesses that require a high volume of automations. The biggest advantage: you pay only a fixed amount and can run as many workflows and tasks as you want – with no additional per-task costs.

• Free plan: None
• Paid plans: Start at $25/month for unlimited workflows and tasks.

Verdict: If you have a lot of workflows to execute, Pabbly offers better value for money by allowing unlimited tasks at a fixed price. Zapier, on the other hand, quickly becomes expensive once you exceed the task volume limits.

2. Ease of use

Zapier: Zapier is known for its ease of use. The platform is intuitive and allows users to quickly create automations without in-depth technical knowledge. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to put together workflows, and there are plenty of pre-made templates to speed up common automation tasks. For users who need quick and easy automations, Zapier is ideal.

Pabbly: Pabbly also offers a user-friendly interface, but it is not quite as intuitive as Zapier. It requires a little more training before you can take advantage of the full range of features. Another difference compared to Zapier is that Pabbly offers fewer pre-built templates, which can make it a little more difficult for newcomers to be productive right away.

Conclusion: Zapier is the better choice if you want simple, out-of-the-box automations. While Pabbly is also user-friendly, it requires a bit more learning before you can fully utilize its workflows.

3. Integrations

Zapier: Zapier offers the largest selection of connections to apps and services on the market with over 5,000 integrations. You can connect almost any app you use in your ecommerce or marketing stack to Zapier. However, some of the most popular apps, such as Shopify, Google Ads, or Facebook, incur additional costs because they are considered premium integrations.

Pabbly: Pabbly offers fewer integrations than Zapier, but it does cover the most important and frequently used apps. It also supports webhooks, which you can use to integrate custom apps that may not be directly supported. While the selection is smaller, Pabbly still allows you to integrate with the most important marketing and ecommerce tools.

Bottom line: Zapier is the clear winner if you need a wide range of integrations. Pabbly does offer all the essential connections, but not to the extent that Zapier provides.

4. Complex workflows and error handling

Zapier: Zapier is ideal for simple to intermediate automations. However, as soon as more complex workflows with multiple branches and conditions are added, Zapier reaches its limits. Zapier's “path” function is helpful, but not particularly intuitive. Error handling is also limited – often the error messages are unclear and fixing them can be complicated.

Pabbly: Pabbly enables more complex workflows with more flexible branching and better error handling. It offers more robust options for tracking errors and troubleshooting problems within your workflows. This makes it attractive for users who need extensive automations with multiple steps and conditions.

Verdict: Pabbly offers more flexibility in this area and is better suited for more complex workflows. Zapier is more suitable for simpler automations where fewer sources of error are to be expected.

Zapier vs Pabbly (vs Shopstory) - The better alternative for ecommerce and performance marketing

While Zapier and Pabbly are both strong automation platforms, Shopstory is the better solution for companies that are specifically involved in ecommerce and performance marketing. Here are some reasons why Shopstory stands out:

1. Pricing and scalability: Unlike Zapier and Pabbly, which are either expensive or limited in their capabilities, Shopstory offers transparent, usage-based billing. You only pay for the activated workflows and not for individual actions, which makes it extremely scalable for growing companies.
2. Deep integrations for ecommerce and marketing: Shopstory offers native integrations developed specifically for online stores and marketers. From store systems like Shopify or WooCommerce to marketing tools like Google Ads or Meta Ads, Shopstory links all your important systems and optimizes your workflows. You get comprehensive, seamless integrations that don't just transfer data on the surface, but are deeply integrated into the systems.
3. Ease of use and complexity: Like Zapier, Shopstory offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows you to create complex workflows without programming knowledge. At the same time, you have the option of incorporating detailed branching and conditional logic into your automations – a level of flexibility that is otherwise only found in tools like n8n or Pabbly.
4. Performance marketing: Unlike general automation tools, Shopstory specifically addresses the needs of performance marketing professionals. You can automate bidding strategies, optimize campaigns, and generate cross-channel reports. This not only saves you time, but also maximizes the success of your campaigns.
5. Error handling and customer support: With a built-in bug inspector, Shopstory offers precise error analysis and easy-to-understand solutions. Plus, you have access to dedicated customer support to help you with any technical questions – something that is often only available at other platforms for an extra charge or with less focus on individual support.

Zapier vs Pabbly - Our conclusion

The Zapier vs Pabbly comparison revealed many angles. Zapier is the best choice if you want to quickly launch simple automations and need a huge selection of integrations. Pabbly, on the other hand, is an excellent solution if you are looking for unlimited tasks at a lower price and need more flexibility for more complex workflows. But if you are an ecommerce business or performance marketer, Shopstory is clearly the better choice. With purpose-built integrations optimized for ecommerce and marketing, Shopstory offers a scalable and cost-effective solution to help you take your automations to the next level – without compromising on ease of use or complexity.

• Pricing structure: Shopstory offers usage-based billing that is ideal for growing businesses, without you having to worry about individual tasks or workflows.
• Native integrations: Designed specifically for ecommerce and marketing, Shopstory offers deep integrations with major store systems (such as Shopify, WooCommerce) and advertising platforms (Google Ads, Meta Ads). This makes it easy to automate your store and marketing activities.
• Ease of use: Shopstory combines the simple drag-and-drop user interface of Zapier with the flexibility and power of Pabbly. You can create complex automations without needing any programming knowledge.
• Marketing Focus: Unlike the general automation platforms like Zapier and Pabbly, Shopstory focuses on optimizing and automating performance marketing processes. This means you can automate bidding strategies, optimize campaigns, and create multi-channel reports, all in one tool.

Try Shopstory and experience how it can revolutionize your ecommerce and performance marketing automations!