Zapier vs Make for Financial Services: Which Automation Tool Meets Compliance Requirements?

Financial services firms face a unique automation challenge: you need to move fast and eliminate manual work, but you can't compromise on compliance, data security, or audit trails.

A single automation mistake could mean:

• Regulatory violations (SEC, FINRA, GDPR)
• Data breaches and client trust damage
• Failed audits
• Hefty fines

So when choosing between Zapier and Make for your financial services automation, you're not just comparing features and pricing. You're evaluating risk, compliance capabilities, and whether the tool can handle your regulatory requirements.

In this guide, we'll compare Zapier and Make specifically for financial services, focusing on what actually matters: security, compliance, audit trails, and handling sensitive client data.

The Stakes Are Higher in Financial Services

Before we dive into the comparison, let's be clear about why automation in financial services is different:

Regulatory Requirements You Can't Ignore:

• SEC: Client data protection, recordkeeping, cybersecurity
• FINRA: Communication surveillance, data retention
• GDPR/CCPA: Data privacy and right to deletion
• SOC 2: Data security controls
• PCI DSS: If handling payment data

Data You're Automating:

• Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
• Financial account information
• Investment portfolios
• Transaction histories
• Tax documents
• Estate planning details

One automation error could expose this data or violate regulations.

Quick Comparison: Security & Compliance

Verdict: Make offers more compliance features at lower price points, crucial for regulated industries.

Round 1: Data Security & Encryption

Zapier Security

Strengths:

• SOC 2 Type II certified
• AES-256 encryption at rest
• TLS 1.2+ for data in transit
• OAuth 2.0 for app connections
• Regular third-party security audits

Limitations:

• No control over data residency (mixed US/EU servers)
• Limited visibility into where data is processed
• Basic audit logs (just task history)
• Advanced security features locked to Enterprise tier ($599+/month)

For Financial Services: Zapier meets baseline security requirements but lacks the granular control many financial firms need for compliance.

Make Security

Strengths:

• SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified
• AES-256 encryption at rest
• TLS 1.2+ for data in transit
• Granular data residency control (choose US or EU servers)
• Detailed execution logs for auditing
• IP whitelisting on Team plan ($16/month)
• SSO/SAML on Pro plan ($29/month)

Limitations:

• More complex setup for security features
• Requires more technical knowledge to configure properly

For Financial Services: Make provides enterprise-grade security features at SME prices, with better control over data location and processing - critical for GDPR and other regional compliance.

Winner: Make - Better security controls at lower price points.

Round 2: Audit Trails & Recordkeeping

Financial services firms must maintain detailed records of all client interactions and data processing. Your automation tool needs to support this.

Zapier Audit Capabilities

What You Get:

• Task history (when automation ran, success/fail)
• Basic error logs
• Limited to 90 days on Professional plan
• 1 year on Enterprise plan

What You Don't Get:

• Detailed execution logs
• Data payload history
• Custom retention policies (Enterprise only)
• Searchable audit logs

Compliance Gap: FINRA and SEC require retention of business communications for 3-6 years. Zapier's 90-day limit on sub-Enterprise plans is insufficient.

Make Audit Capabilities

What You Get:

• Detailed execution logs (every step of workflow)
• Complete data payload history
• Custom retention policies (Pro plan and up)
• Searchable, filterable logs
• Export capabilities for compliance reporting
• Indefinite log retention available

What You Don't Get:

• Built-in compliance reporting templates (must build custom)

Compliance Advantage: Make's detailed logs and custom retention meet regulatory requirements without Enterprise pricing.

Winner: Make - Superior audit trail capabilities crucial for financial services compliance.

Round 3: Handling Sensitive Data

How does each platform handle the sensitive financial data flowing through automations?

Zapier Data Handling

Temporary Storage:

• Data stored temporarily during task execution
• Automatically deleted after processing
• No long-term data storage (good for compliance)

Visibility:

• Can view recent task data in history
• Limited control over data deletion timing

Data Processing:

• Processes data on shared infrastructure
• No dedicated instances (Enterprise only)

PII Concerns:

• All data visible in task history (until deletion)
• No built-in data masking or tokenization
• Relies on app-level security

Make Data Handling

Temporary Storage:

• Data stored temporarily during scenario execution
• Custom retention policies available
• Immediate purge options for sensitive data

Visibility:

• Detailed logs with optional data masking
• Granular control over what's logged
• Can exclude sensitive fields from logs

Data Processing:

• Choose data processing region (US or EU)
• Better control over data flow
• Can build data minimization into workflows

PII Advantages:

• Built-in data masking capabilities
• More control over data lifecycle
• Better GDPR compliance tools

Winner: Make - Better control over sensitive data handling and lifecycle.

Round 4: Financial Services Use Cases

Let's compare how Zapier and Make handle real financial services workflows.

Use Case 1: Client Onboarding Automation

Process:

1. New client fills out intake form
2. Data validated and sorted by account type
3. Compliance checks performed
4. Documents generated and sent for e-signature
5. Account created in CRM and portfolio management system
6. Compliance team notified
7. Welcome email sent with next steps

Zapier Approach:

• Pros: Simple to set up for basic onboarding
• Cons:
  • Limited conditional logic (difficult to route by account type)
  • Can't easily perform complex validation
  • Linear workflow only
  • Limited error handling

Make Approach:

• Pros:
  • Visual workflow with branching logic
  • Can handle complex account type routing
  • Built-in data validation and error handling
  • Can retry failed steps automatically
• Cons: Requires more initial setup time

Winner: Make - Complex onboarding workflows require conditional logic.

Use Case 2: Automated Compliance Monitoring

Process:

1. Monitor client communications (email, CRM notes)
2. Flag communications containing specific keywords (investment advice, guarantees)
3. Route flagged items to compliance review queue
4. Track review status
5. Generate monthly compliance reports

Zapier Approach:

• Limitation: Can't efficiently monitor multiple sources simultaneously
• Limitation: Basic keyword matching only
• Limitation: Weak reporting capabilities
• Cost: Multiple Zaps required = high task consumption

Make Approach:

• Advantage: Single scenario can monitor multiple sources
• Advantage: Advanced filtering and pattern matching
• Advantage: Built-in reporting and data aggregation
• Advantage: More efficient operation consumption

Winner: Make - Better suited for compliance monitoring workflows.

Use Case 3: Document Management & Retention

Process:

1. Client documents uploaded to portal
2. Documents automatically categorized and tagged
3. Filed in document management system
4. Metadata logged for compliance
5. Retention schedules applied
6. Automatic deletion after retention period

Zapier Approach:

• Limitation: Basic file handling
• Limitation: No sophisticated metadata extraction
• Limitation: Can't easily implement retention schedules
• Limitation: Limited bulk processing

Make Approach:

• Advantage: Advanced file processing (OCR, metadata extraction)
• Advantage: Can implement complex retention logic
• Advantage: Bulk operations more efficient
• Advantage: Better integration with document management systems

Winner: Make - Superior document handling for compliance.

Use Case 4: Automated Reporting to Regulators

Process:

1. Aggregate data from CRM, portfolio management, and trading systems
2. Transform data to regulatory format (e.g., Form ADV updates)
3. Validate completeness and accuracy
4. Generate reports
5. Submit to regulatory portals
6. Maintain audit trail

Zapier Approach:

• Limitation: Limited data transformation capabilities
• Limitation: Can't efficiently aggregate from multiple sources
• Limitation: Weak validation logic
• Cost: High task consumption for data processing

Make Approach:

• Advantage: Powerful data transformation tools
• Advantage: Efficient multi-source aggregation
• Advantage: Built-in validation and error checking
• Advantage: Better cost efficiency for data-heavy workflows

Winner: Make - Data aggregation and transformation critical for regulatory reporting.

Round 5: Pricing for Financial Services Firms

Let's look at real costs for a mid-sized financial advisory firm (10-20 employees).

Typical Automation Needs:

• Client onboarding (50 new clients/month)
• Daily portfolio updates and alerts (500 operations/month)
• Compliance monitoring (continuous)
• Document management (200 documents/month)
• Automated reporting (weekly + monthly)
• CRM updates and synchronization (continuous)

Estimated Monthly Operations: ~5,000-10,000

Zapier Costs:

• Professional Plan: $73.50/month (2,000 tasks) - Insufficient

• Team Plan: $103.50/month (50,000 tasks) - Adequate but...

  • No advanced security features
  • No SSO/SAML
  • No IP whitelisting
  • Limited audit logs

• Enterprise Plan: $599+/month (Required for compliance features)

  • Includes: SSO, advanced security, better audit logs, dedicated support

Real Cost for Compliance: $599+/month

Make Costs:

• Pro Plan: $29/month (10,000 operations) - Adequate for most firms

  • Includes: SSO/SAML, IP whitelisting, custom retention
  • EU server option
  • Detailed audit logs

• Team Plan: $69/month (20,000 operations) - For higher volume

  • All Pro features plus team collaboration

Real Cost for Compliance: $29-$69/month

Cost Comparison:

For the same compliance features:

• Zapier: $599+/month
• Make: $29-$69/month

Savings with Make: $530-$570/month = $6,360-$6,840/year

Winner: Make - Massive cost savings for compliance-required features.

Round 6: Integration with Financial Services Tools

Both platforms integrate with common financial services software, but depth varies.

Common Financial Services Integrations:

Both Support:

• Salesforce Financial Services Cloud
• Redtail CRM
• Wealthbox
• QuickBooks
• Xero
• DocuSign
• ShareFile
• Box
• Slack/Teams

Zapier Advantages:

• More niche financial services apps
• Pre-built templates for common workflows
• Faster to set up basic integrations

Make Advantages:

• Deeper data access and manipulation
• Better handling of complex financial data structures
• More efficient for high-volume data sync
• Can build custom API integrations more easily

Portfolio Management Systems:

Most portfolio management systems (Black Diamond, Orion, Tamarac, etc.) require custom API integrations.

Zapier: Limited to basic HTTP requests Make: More sophisticated API handling and error management

Winner: Tie - Both handle common apps, Make better for custom integrations.

Round 7: Error Handling & Reliability

In financial services, automation failures can have serious consequences (missed deadlines, compliance violations, client impact).

Zapier Error Handling:

• Email notifications on task failure
• Basic retry logic
• Manual replay of failed tasks
• Limited customization

Risk: Failed automations may go unnoticed until checked manually.

Make Error Handling:

• Detailed error notifications
• Configurable retry logic with exponential backoff
• Error handler routes (fallback workflows)
• Can build escalation workflows
• Automatic rollback capabilities

Example Error Handler:

IF client onboarding fails:
  1. Retry 3 times with 5-minute delays
  2. If still failing, create ticket in support system
  3. Notify compliance team
  4. Log detailed error for audit
  5. Send client temporary credentials manually

Winner: Make - Critical for financial services where failures can't be ignored.

Compliance Checklist: Which Tool Meets Requirements?

So, Which Should Financial Services Firms Choose?

Choose Zapier If:

• You're a very small firm (1-5 employees) with simple automation needs
• You need only basic workflows without complex conditional logic
• You can afford Enterprise pricing ($599+/month) for compliance features
• You prioritize ease of use over cost savings
• You don't handle high volumes of sensitive data

Realistic Fit: Solo advisors or very small firms with basic needs and Enterprise budget.

Choose Make If:

• You're a growing firm (5+ employees) with moderate to complex workflows
• You need robust compliance features without Enterprise pricing
• You handle sensitive client data requiring detailed audit trails
• You need data residency control for GDPR or other regulations
• You want significant cost savings ($500+/month)
• You have or can hire someone with moderate technical skills

Realistic Fit: Most financial services firms, from small RIAs to mid-sized wealth management firms.

Real Financial Services Example

Pacific Wealth Advisors (12 advisors, $300M AUM) needed to automate:

• Client onboarding
• Portfolio rebalancing alerts
• Compliance monitoring
• Quarterly reporting

Initial Zapier Implementation:

• Cost: $599/month (Enterprise for compliance)
• Result: Basic automations worked but hit limits quickly
• Issues:
  • Couldn't handle complex onboarding workflows
  • Limited compliance monitoring capabilities
  • High cost for features needed

Migration to Make:

• Cost: $69/month (Team plan)
• Result: All workflows automated successfully
• Improvements:
  • Complex conditional onboarding logic
  • Robust compliance monitoring
  • Detailed audit trails for regulators
  • $530/month savings = $6,360/year

ROI: Saved 25 hours/week in manual work + $6,360/year in software costs.

Implementation Recommendations

Regardless of which tool you choose, follow these best practices for financial services automation:

Security Best Practices:

1. Minimize Data Exposure: Only pass necessary data through automations
2. Use OAuth: Never store credentials in automation tools
3. Enable MFA: Require multi-factor authentication for all users
4. Regular Audits: Review automation logs monthly
5. Data Masking: Mask sensitive data in logs where possible

Compliance Best Practices:

1. Document Everything: Maintain written procedures for all automations
2. Test Thoroughly: Test with sample data before using client data
3. Monitor Continuously: Set up alerts for automation failures
4. Retention Policies: Configure appropriate data retention
5. Annual Reviews: Review all automations annually for compliance

Risk Management:

1. Start Small: Automate non-critical workflows first
2. Parallel Processing: Run automations alongside manual processes initially
3. Fallback Plans: Have manual procedures ready if automation fails
4. Compliance Review: Have your compliance team approve automations
5. Regular Testing: Test automations quarterly to ensure they still work

Getting Expert Help

Financial services automation is high-stakes. A mistake could mean regulatory violations, fines, or data breaches.

We specialize in compliant automation for financial services firms and can:

1. Compliance Audit: Review your current processes and identify compliant automation opportunities
2. Risk Assessment: Evaluate which automations are safe to implement
3. Custom Development: Build automations that meet your exact compliance requirements
4. Training: Teach your team to manage and monitor automations
5. Ongoing Support: Monthly compliance reviews and optimization

We've helped RIAs, wealth managers, and financial advisors automate workflows while maintaining full regulatory compliance.

Book a Free Compliance-Focused Automation Consultation

Conclusion

For most financial services firms, Make is the clear winner:

• Better compliance features at 1/10th the cost
• Superior audit trails for regulatory requirements
• More control over sensitive data handling
• Complex workflow capabilities needed for financial processes
• Significant cost savings ($500+/month)

Zapier works for very simple use cases, but once you need compliance features (audit logs, SSO, IP whitelisting, data residency), you're forced into Enterprise pricing that makes it 10x more expensive than Make.

The real question isn't Zapier vs Make. It's whether you can afford NOT to automate your financial services workflows properly.

The average financial advisory firm spends 20-30 hours per week on manual, automatable tasks. That's time that could be spent serving clients, growing assets under management, or developing new services.

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Related Articles:

• RPA for Financial Services: Complete Implementation Guide
• Compliance Automation for RIAs and Wealth Managers
• Custom CRM vs Salesforce for Financial Advisors

Ready to automate your financial services workflows compliantly? View our financial services automation or book a free consultation.