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Automation Integration · head to head

Orkes vs Zapier

Orkes logo

Orkes

Automation Integration

Commercial Conductor, now the maintainer of the workflow engine Netflix archived

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zapier logo

Zapier

Automation Integration

Automate your work across 7,000+ app integrations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Orkes netflix archived the Conductor repository in December 2023 and Orkes took over maintenance, so the large-company backing that justified many original adoptions no longer exists.; Zapier the free plan allows 100 tasks per month and only two-step Zaps, one trigger and one action
  • They diverge on capability: Orkes covers JSON workflow definitions, Zapier covers App integrations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Orkes and Zapier actually diverge.

Attributes where Orkes and Zapier differ
AttributeOrkesZapier
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb, Api
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Orkes

  • JSON workflow definitions
  • Polyglot workers
  • Visual workflow builder
  • AI and LLM tasks
  • Human tasks
  • Event handlers
  • RBAC and secrets
  • Hosted or self-hosted

Only in Zapier

  • App integrations
  • Workflow automation
  • Trigger-based actions
  • Multi-step Zaps
  • Data formatting
  • Conditional logic
  • Error handling
  • Team collaboration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Orkes

  • A microservices estate that needs orchestration across services written in different languages without a shared SDKnot Zapier
  • A team already running Conductor OSS that wants a supported distribution now that Netflix has stopped maintaining itnot Zapier
  • An AI platform composing agent steps, model calls and vector lookups as versioned workflow definitionsnot Zapier
  • A business process needing human approval steps interleaved with automated service callsnot Zapier

Zapier

  • Lead managementnot Orkes
  • Data synchronizationnot Orkes
  • Email automationnot Orkes
  • Social media postingnot Orkes
  • Customer onboardingnot Orkes

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Orkes

  • Netflix archived the Conductor repository in December 2023 and Orkes took over maintenance, so the large-company backing that justified many original adoptions no longer exists.
  • Enterprise pricing is entirely unpublished, and the only free option is explicitly a prototyping sandbox whose limits can change at any time, so there is no supported low-cost entry point.
  • Self-hosting Conductor OSS in production means operating the engine plus its persistence and indexing dependencies, typically Postgres or Cassandra with Elasticsearch, which is a substantial platform commitment.
  • JSON workflow definitions are language agnostic but verbose and awkward to test, and teams accustomed to defining workflows in code find them a step backwards in developer experience.
  • Orkes is a small company whose commercial future is tied to a single open source project it also maintains, which concentrates both vendor and project risk in the same place.

Zapier

  • The free plan allows 100 tasks per month and only two-step Zaps, one trigger and one action
  • Multi-step Zaps, filters, paths, webhooks and the formatter all require a paid plan
  • Premium app connectors are withheld from the free plan
  • Free Zaps poll for new data every 15 minutes against 2 minutes on Professional and 1 minute on Team
  • Paying monthly rather than annually costs 50 percent more, so the 2,000-task Professional plan is $73.50 a month instead of $49

Pricing, plan by plan

Orkes

Free
  • Developer EditionFree
    • All Conductor OSS features plus enterprise capabilities
    • Sandbox for prototyping only
    • Rate limits and resources may change without notice
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Availability SLA up to 99.99%
    • Orkes-hosted or customer-hosted deployment
    • Dedicated technical account manager

Zapier

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 tasks/month
    • 5 Zaps
    • Two-step Zaps
  • Starter$19.99/month
    • 750 tasks/month
    • 20 Zaps
    • Multi-step Zaps
  • Professional$49/month
    • 2,000 tasks/month
    • Unlimited Zaps
    • Custom logic

Which should you pick?

Choose Orkes if

  • You need json workflow definitions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want polyglot workers.
Orkes review

Choose Zapier if

  • You need app integrations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want workflow automation.
Zapier review

Questions people ask

Is Orkes or Zapier better?
Neither clearly leads. Orkes starts at Free and Zapier at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Orkes or Zapier?
Orkes starts at Free and Zapier at Free.
Does Orkes or Zapier run on more platforms?
Orkes runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Zapier runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Orkes for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Orkes best used for?
Orkes is most often used for a microservices estate that needs orchestration across services written in different languages without a shared sdk, a team already running conductor oss that wants a supported distribution now that netflix has stopped maintaining it, an ai platform composing agent steps, model calls and vector lookups as versioned workflow definitions, a business process needing human approval steps interleaved with automated service calls. Of those, a microservices estate that needs orchestration across services written in different languages without a shared sdk and a team already running conductor oss that wants a supported distribution now that netflix has stopped maintaining it are not what Zapier is typically brought in for.
What can Orkes do that Zapier cannot?
Orkes covers JSON workflow definitions, Polyglot workers, Visual workflow builder, AI and LLM tasks. Zapier covers App integrations, Workflow automation, Trigger-based actions, Multi-step Zaps.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Orkes: Does Netflix still maintain Conductor?

No. Netflix archived its repository in December 2023. The open source project continues at conductor-oss under Apache 2.0, maintained by Orkes.

Zapier: What happens if I exceed my task limit in Zapier?

If you enable pay-per-task, monthly plans charge 2.5 times your base rate for overage tasks, while annual plans charge 1.25 times. Usage stops at 3 times your subscription amount as a hard ceiling.

Source
Orkes: Is there a free production tier?

No. The Developer Edition is a sandbox that the vendor states is unsuitable for production. Self-hosting Conductor OSS is the free production route.

Zapier: Can I cancel my Zapier subscription at any time?

Yes, you can cancel anytime. Your access continues through the end of your current billing cycle.

Source
Orkes: What does Enterprise cost?

Nothing is published; it is quoted by deployment and support requirements.

Zapier: How long does Zapier retain my audit logs and version history?

Professional plan users get 1-month version history, Team plan users get 6-month audit logs and version history, and Enterprise customers get 1-year audit logs with custom data retention available.

Source
Orkes: How does it compare with Temporal?

Conductor uses declarative JSON workflow definitions and external workers; Temporal defines workflows in code. Temporal has the larger community.

Zapier: What support do I get with my Zapier plan?

Professional and Team plans include email support available 24/7, with live chat available for higher-tier plans. Team plan includes priority support, and Enterprise customers receive a dedicated Technical Account Manager.

Source
Zapier: What discount does Zapier offer for annual plans?

Annual subscriptions receive 33% off the monthly rate. Non-profit organizations get an additional 15% reduction on top of the annual discount, though this excludes pay-per-task charges.

Source
Zapier: Does Zapier offer a free trial?

Yes, new accounts get a 14-day free trial of the Professional plan with no credit card required.

Source
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