OpenClaw vs Make
Flowcharts vs AI operators.
Make is a visual workflow builder. You drag, connect, and configure. OpenClaw describes the goal and executes steps.
Make (formerly Integromat) is perfect for people who think in flowcharts. Connect apps visually, route data through branches, build complex multi-path scenarios.
OpenClaw handles the workflows that don’t fit a flowchart. When the work involves browsers, AI decisions, or tasks that change based on context — that’s where OpenClaw shines.
At a Glance
The quick answer before we dive deep
Choose Make
You love visual workflow builders. You want to see data flowing between apps on a canvas. You’re comfortable wiring up routers, aggregators, and filters.
- Visual drag-and-drop canvas
- Complex branching and routing
- Large app library (1,000+)
- Operations-based pricing model
Choose OpenClaw
You want an AI that makes decisions mid-workflow, operates browsers like a human, and handles messy tasks that don’t fit clean input/output boxes.
- Browser automation without APIs
- AI decisions inside workflows
- Plain language task descriptions
- Works where Make can't connect
The core difference
Make orchestrates data between apps.
OpenClaw operates tools the way a human would.
Make needs an API. OpenClaw needs a browser and instructions.
What we’re actually comparing
No jargon, just clear definitions
What is Make
Make is a visual automation platform (formerly Integromat) where you drag and drop modules onto a canvas to create “scenarios” — automated workflows that move data between apps and services.
It’s powerful for complex routing logic, transformations, and multi-path data flows. Make connects over 1,000 apps and charges per “operation” — each module run counts.
Best for:
Data integration between apps with APIs, complex routing scenarios, power users who think visually.
What is OpenClaw
OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent that runs on your machine or a VPS. It can operate any tool a human can use — browsers, web apps, forms, and more — without needing an API integration.
You describe what you want in plain language. OpenClaw handles the execution, including AI-driven decisions mid-workflow. It’s the closest thing to hiring someone to do the clicks for you.
Best for:
Browser automation, AI-driven workflows, and tasks that don’t have clean API endpoints.
Real scenarios, real answers
Which tool would you actually pick?
You want to sync new Typeform submissions to your CRM and Slack
This is Make's sweet spot. Clean API connections, structured data, predictable flow. Set it up once, it runs.
You need to scrape competitor pricing from 15 websites that don't have APIs
Make can't touch this without APIs. OpenClaw navigates each site, extracts the data, and puts it wherever you need it.
You want to route leads through complex if/then logic based on form answers
Make's visual router modules are built for exactly this. Draw the paths, set the conditions, done.
You need to log into a legacy CRM (no API) and update records automatically
No API means Make can't help. OpenClaw logs in through the browser and operates it like a human would.
You're transforming data between 5 different SaaS tools with webhooks
This is what Make was designed for. Visual data mapping, transformations, multi-step flows.
You want an AI to read incoming emails, decide what's important, and draft responses
OpenClaw's AI can read, decide, and act. Make has AI modules but they're just one step in a rigid flow — they can't change direction.
OpenClaw vs Make
The 10 differences that actually matter
How you build workflows
Visual canvas. Drag modules, draw connections, set up routers and filters.
- -Trigger then filter then transform then send
- -Visual branching for if/else logic
- -Aggregators to combine data streams
Describe the outcome. OpenClaw figures out the steps.
- -'Research this company and add their info to our CRM'
- -'Check this page every day and email me changes'
- -Natural language, not node connections
No canvas required. No diagram to maintain.
Where it can connect
Over 1,000 app integrations — but only through those integrations. If your app isn't listed, you're stuck with generic HTTP modules.
Any website or web app a human can use. No API needed. Browser automation reaches where no integration exists.
Legacy software with no API? OpenClaw doesn't care.
AI and intelligent decisions
Make has AI modules for text generation and classification. But AI is just one step in a rigid flow — it can't change the flow's direction.
AI is the operating system. OpenClaw can decide mid-task what to do next based on what it sees on the page.
- -Read a page, decide if it's relevant, act accordingly
- -Classify content and route differently based on it
- -Retry with a different approach if something fails
Agent-style reasoning, not just a text generation step.
The core difference:
Make connects APIs. OpenClaw operates software the way a human would.
Non-technical access
Make is no-code, but the canvas has a learning curve. You need to understand modules, operations, iterators, and data structures.
Accessible to anyone who can describe a task. The hard part is the initial setup — not day-to-day use.
The fastest setup path: $19 WorkshopPricing reality
Operations-based. Every module run counts as an op. Complex scenarios with lots of data can get expensive fast.
- -Core plan: 10,000 ops/month
- -Pro plan: 150,000 ops/month
- -High-volume? Costs add up fast
Open source software + your API costs + optional VPS hosting. No per-operation billing.
- -Software: free (open source)
- -AI usage: pay for what you use
- -VPS: ~$5-20/month for always-on
The cost scales with value created, not operation count.
Reliability and error handling
Make has solid error routing, retries, and rollback. Scenarios fail loudly and give you clear error traces.
Reliable when you build with guardrails and verification steps. Browser automation has more surface area for errors, but you can build in checks.
Want it built reliably for you? Done For You SetupSpeed to first automation
Fast for simple connections. Slower as complexity grows — especially with operation counts and data mapping.
Faster for messy workflows once you're set up. Describe what you want, iterate.
Get set up in one session: $19 WorkshopWant to see OpenClaw in action?
Get the $19 WorkshopWorking with unstructured data
Struggles with unstructured inputs. Make expects clean, predictable data formats. Emails, PDFs, and scraped content require complex parsing modules.
Handles unstructured data naturally. OpenClaw reads and understands unstructured content using AI — emails, web pages, documents — and extracts what matters.
The real world is messy. OpenClaw is built for that.
Maintenance overhead
Scenarios break when apps update their APIs or change data formats. Each integration is a dependency that can fail.
Browser-based workflows are more resilient to backend changes. If the UI stays similar, the workflow keeps working.
What success looks like
A scenario running quietly, moving data between the right apps at the right time.
An operator completing tasks you'd otherwise have to do manually — including tasks Make can't touch.
Feature by Feature
Which one do you actually need?
Choose Make if
- You love visual workflow builders and think in flowcharts
- Your tools all have good Make integrations
- You're doing clean data transformations between structured apps
- Your team's already on Make and migration cost is high
- You need complex aggregators, iterators, and routers
Choose OpenClaw if
- Your workflows involve browser navigation or web apps without APIs
- You want AI to make decisions mid-workflow, not just generate text
- You're hitting Make's operation limits and costs are climbing
- You need to automate tasks that can't be described as clean data flows
- You want to describe what you want in plain language and have it done
See how OpenClaw compares to other tools:
The fastest way to get started with OpenClaw
Frequently Asked Questions
Make is great when your data is clean and your apps have APIs.
When the work is messy, lives in browsers, or needs real AI judgment — OpenClaw is built for that.
The $19 workshop is the fastest way to see what OpenClaw can actually do for your workflow.