I’m looking for advice on choosing the right automation platform for our Shopify integration. We run online workshops and need to automatically send calendar invitations to customers after they complete their purchase.
The challenge is that Shopify’s order confirmation emails don’t support file attachments, so we need an external automation tool to handle this process. We’re already using a calendar generation service, but need something to tie it all together.
I’ve been researching several options:
Zapier: Has ready-made templates which would save time, but the pricing might get expensive as our customer base grows
Make.com and Pipedream: Both seem reasonably priced and offer good functionality
n8n: The self-hosted option looks attractive from a cost perspective, but I’m concerned about the technical overhead
Has anyone implemented something similar? Which platform worked best for your use case and what were the main factors that influenced your decision?
zapier gets hate for being expensive, but it’s actually solid for workshops when ur starting out. we used it early on and their templates saved us weeks - the shopify + calendar stuff just works. sure, once you scale up you should move to make or pipedream to save $$. but getting booking confirmations out fast matters way more than saving $50/month when ur just getting going. optimize costs later when you’ve got steady money coming in.
I attempted to set up a similar system with n8n last year, and it turned out to be a poor choice. I should have opted for a hosted solution from the beginning. While self-hosting may seem less expensive at first, the ongoing maintenance was overwhelming. I faced constant server updates, broken workflows, and downtime precisely when orders were coming in, which was far more work than I anticipated. Eventually, I transitioned to Pipedream, and their pricing is much more straightforward compared to Zapier’s convoluted task counting. Their error handling has been a lifesaver during critical moments, helping me avoid serious customer service issues. A key piece of advice for businesses handling workshops: address timezone and calendar format issues early on, as they’ll cause significant headaches. If you lack technical personnel, it’s wiser to choose a managed platform. You can always scale later as your needs grow.
We went through this exact decision 8 months ago for our coaching business. Tested three platforms and picked Make.com - no regrets. Yeah, it’s harder to learn than Zapier at first, but we saved serious money once we hit 200 orders monthly. What sold us? Complex conditional logic without constantly hitting new pricing tiers. Our workflow triggers from Shopify webhooks, creates calendar invites through our booking system, and sends personalized follow-ups based on workshop type. It’s been reliable - only two minor issues this past year. Fair warning: Make.com’s documentation can be frustrating, but their community support is pretty active. If you don’t mind some technical setup, it’s a solid balance of features and cost for growing businesses.