Zapier's Free Tier Exposed: The Real Limitations Behind 100 Monthly Tasks

Zapier's free plan appears generous on paper, but severe constraints—a 2-step limit preventing filters or conditional logic, 15-minute polling delays, and rapid task exhaustion—make it impractical for real-time workflows. These limitations are driving users toward self-hosted alternatives like n8n, fundamentally reshaping automation decisions for cost-conscious teams.