Are you choosing between IFTTT vs Make (formerly Integromat) for automating your workflows? It’s essential to understand how their features, pricing, and functionality align with your specific needs. IFTTT is known for its simplicity and ease of use, while Make caters to more advanced users who need flexibility and complex automation capabilities. This article will dive into the strengths and limitations of IFTTT and Make before showing why Shopstory is a more fitting solution for PPC management, optimization, and ecommerce automation.

TL;DR

Both IFTTT and Make offer powerful automation solutions, but they cater to different user bases. IFTTT excels at handling simple automations with its intuitive interface and vast array of integrations, while Make supports complex workflows with advanced conditional logic and multi-step sequences. However, neither platform offers a solution tailored specifically to ecommerce product feed management, Google Shopping sync, and PPC optimization. This is where Shopstory stands out, providing robust ecommerce-focused automations that go beyond what IFTTT and Make can deliver.

1. IFTTT vs Make: A Summary

When deciding between IFTTT and Make, it’s important to evaluate each tool’s approach to workflow automation and how it suits your specific needs.

• IFTTT is ideal for users who want quick, simple automations across apps and devices. It’s popular among individuals and small businesses looking to automate everyday tasks without complexity. However, it is limited in handling large-scale, multi-step processes, lacks support for Meta Ads, and has limited Google Ads functionality (no native optimization or action implementation).
• Make, on the other hand, offers a much deeper level of control. It allows users to build complex workflows with multiple conditional paths and more advanced integrations, making it ideal for technical users or those requiring more sophisticated automations.

1.1 Pricing

• IFTTT uses a freemium model, allowing users to build a limited number of automations for free. The free plan includes 2 applets (workflows), and paid plans start at $3.49/month for 20 applets.
• Make offers a freemium plan with 1,000 operations per month. Its paid plans start from $10.59/month for two active scenarios (workflows), with more operations and advanced features included in higher tiers.

Key takeaway: IFTTT is more affordable for users needing basic workflows, while Make is better for businesses requiring more complex automations, but it can become expensive as operations scale up.

1.2 Ease of Use

• IFTTT is extremely beginner-friendly. Its interface is simple and straightforward, making it easy to set up basic workflows such as sending a reminder when a calendar event is triggered or controlling smart home devices with voice assistants.
• Make has a more complex interface that resembles a flowchart, giving users more flexibility but requiring a steeper learning curve. It’s better suited for users with some technical knowledge or experience with workflow automation.

Key takeaway: IFTTT wins on simplicity and accessibility, making it ideal for users with basic needs. Make offers more flexibility but requires a bit more technical know-how.

1.3 Integration and Automation Capabilities

• IFTTT integrates with over 700 apps, primarily focusing on consumer apps and smart devices. It’s excellent for simple connections, such as turning on smart lights when you arrive home or posting to Twitter when a blog is updated.
• Make integrates with over 3,000 apps and provides more advanced features like conditional logic, loops, and routers. This allows users to build multi-step workflows that are far more complex than IFTTT’s single trigger-and-action approach.

Key takeaway: Make is more powerful for users who need multi-step workflows, while IFTTT excels in simple, trigger-based automations.

1.4 Error Handling

• IFTTT offers very basic error handling. If an automation fails, users are often left guessing what went wrong. There is little visibility into errors or options to troubleshoot and fix the issue.
• Make, on the other hand, offers advanced error-handling features, such as retry logic, error paths, and detailed logs. This allows users to identify issues in their workflows and either retry failed steps or route around problems.

Key takeaway: Make offers far superior error-handling features, making it better suited for users who need reliability and control over complex workflows.

1.5 Workflow Complexity

• IFTTT is best for simple, linear workflows with a single trigger and action. While it does offer some multi-step automations through its Pro plan, it still cannot handle the level of complexity required by businesses with multi-channel strategies or advanced data manipulation needs.
• Make allows users to build workflows with conditional paths, loops, and error handling, supporting intricate processes that involve multiple steps and logic. It’s ideal for businesses looking to automate multi-step tasks across multiple apps and platforms.

Key takeaway: Make is designed for more complex automations, while IFTTT is limited to simpler workflows.

1.6 Ecommerce Integration

• IFTTT does not offer native ecommerce integrations. While it can be used for simple automations like sending email notifications when an order is placed, it lacks deeper integrations with ecommerce platforms like Shopify or Google Merchant Center.
• Make does offer some integrations with ecommerce platforms but focuses more on general automation across apps rather than being tailored for ecommerce needs like product feed management or inventory syncing.

Key takeaway: Neither IFTTT nor Make provides the deep ecommerce automation that businesses need for tasks like syncing product feeds or optimizing marketing efforts.

1.7 PPC and Marketing Automation

• IFTTT can help with simple PPC tasks, like sending notifications when an ad spends over a certain threshold, but it lacks advanced marketing automation features.
• Make is more capable of handling complex marketing workflows, such as tracking PPC performance and automating bid adjustments based on Google Ads data. However, its primary strength lies in automation across apps rather than in-depth PPC management.

Key takeaway: Make provides more capabilities for automating PPC campaigns, but it’s not specifically built for marketing automation.

2. Alternative to IFTTT and Make: Shopstory

While IFTTT and Make offer valuable automation solutions, Shopstory provides a more specialized platform for ecommerce businesses and marketing agencies looking for advanced workflow automation tailored to PPC management, product feed synchronization, and ecommerce optimization. Here’s why Shopstory is a better option:

2.1 Pricing & Scalability

Shopstory starts at €199/month, offering a freemium model that includes one free flow forever. Unlike IFTTT, which may become costly for more complex setups, or Make, which charges based on operations, Shopstory’s pricing remains predictable, based on activated workflows rather than the volume of actions. This makes it a more scalable and cost-effective solution for growing businesses.

2.2 Ecommerce-Focused Automation & Product Feed Management

Built specifically for ecommerce, Shopstory integrates deeply with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Shopware, alongside Google Merchant Center. Its no-code interface allows users to automate advanced ecommerce workflows such as:

1. Automatically Label Products Based on Stock Levels (Google Sheets, Shopify, Google Merchant Center): Streamline inventory management by dynamically labeling products according to stock availability.
2. Detect Underperforming Keywords in Search Reports (Google Ads, Notifications via Mailgun or Slack): Identify and exclude keywords that don’t drive results, optimizing ad spend.
3. Get Alerts When Top-Selling Products Are Out of Stock (Google Ads, Google Merchant Center, Notifications via Mailgun or Slack): Avoid lost sales by receiving notifications when high-performing items run out of stock.
4. Daily Export of Shopify Orders (Shopify, Google Sheets): Maintain a daily record of Shopify orders by automatically exporting them to Google Sheets for easy tracking.

These automations help ecommerce businesses manage inventory, optimize ad performance, and ensure smooth operations across platforms. This makes Shopstory a far more targeted solution compared to the general automation capabilities of IFTTT or Make.

2.3 Cross-Channel PPC Management

Shopstory’s cross-channel automation capabilities allow businesses to integrate their Google Ads and Meta Ads efforts, alongside tools like Search Console and ChatGPT. Pre-built templates help businesses automate essential tasks such as:

• Monthly Google Ads Report with AI Insights: Receive automated summaries and recommendations for your ad performance each month, making it easy to adjust strategies.
• Real-Time Alerts for Major Account Changes: Stay informed of significant changes in your ad accounts, such as budget fluctuations.
• Optimize Budget Allocation Based on Performance: Dynamically adjust ad spend based on product performance across Google and Meta Ads, ensuring efficient budget use.
• SEO Optimization with ChatGPT: Use AI to create SEO-friendly product descriptions and meta tags, improving visibility in search results.

This level of cross-channel flexibility makes Shopstory an ideal solution for businesses looking to manage their PPC marketing efforts seamlessly across multiple platforms.

2.4 Ease of Use & No-Code Platform

With its no-code platform, Shopstory allows users to create complex ecommerce workflows without any technical expertise. The Flow Library offers ready-made templates, making it easy for businesses to set up powerful automations in minutes. Whether you’re managing PPC campaigns or synchronizing product feeds, Shopstory’s interface is more intuitive and scalable than the basic setups offered by IFTTT or the technically advanced but complex workflows of Make.

3. Get Started for Free

Shopstory’s freemium model allows users to get started with a free flow forever, offering a risk-free way to explore its powerful automation features. This makes it easy for ecommerce businesses to experience the benefits of Shopstory before committing to a paid plan. Start today and discover how Shopstory can simplify and supercharge your marketing efforts without any upfront costs. Whether you’re an online shop looking to automate workflows or a marketing agency needing a scalable solution, Shopstory offers the flexibility and functionality you need to grow.

IFTTT vs Make: Our Conclusion

While both IFTTT and Make provide robust automation tools, their strengths lie in different areas. IFTTT is perfect for simple automations and individuals or small businesses, while Make is ideal for more advanced users who need complex workflows. However, neither platform offers the deep ecommerce integration or PPC management that growing businesses and marketing agencies require.

Shopstory, on the other hand, provides advanced features like cross-channel PPC automation, product feed synchronization, and ecommerce-specific workflows. With its no-code platform, predictable pricing, and deep integrations with tools like Google Merchant Center, Shopify, and Google Ads, Shopstory is the best option for businesses looking to supercharge their ecommerce automation and PPC campaigns.

Ready to get started? Start your FREE flow today and experience the power of Shopstory for your ecommerce business! You can also book a free consultation with our automation expert today.

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