When to Move From Zapier and Make to Custom Python Automation

When to Move From Zapier and Make to Custom Python Automation Zapier and Make are genuinely good products. I have recommended them to clients, used them myself, and watched them save small teams hundreds of hours. If you are running a handful of automations that move data between two or three apps, those tools are the right choice. You should not be writing Python to send a Slack message when a form is submitted. But there is a ceiling. I have watched dozens of businesses hit it, and the pattern is always the same: what started as five clean Zaps turns into forty tangled workflows with retry logic duct-taped onto error handlers, and a monthly bill that rivals a junior developer's salary. This article is about recognizing that ceiling before you slam into it, and understanding what sits on the other side. Five Signals You Have Outgrown No-Code Automation 1. You Are Hitting Rate Limits and Task Caps Zapier's pricing is task-based. Every time a Zap fires, that counts. When you are process