Make.com (formerly Integromat) is a visual workflow automation platform that connects apps and services through "scenarios" — visual flowcharts where each node is a tool and each arrow is a data transfer. For agencies, Make.com replaces the manual coordination between tools: when a client signs up in Airtable, Make.com automatically creates their Softr portal account, Google Drive folder, Stripe customer record, and sends the welcome Gmail — all in one scenario that runs in under 60 seconds without any human involvement.
How Make.com Differs From Zapier
Zapier's architecture is one trigger, one action — linear chains. Multi-step agency automations (onboarding a client across 7 tools simultaneously) require a long chain of sequential Zaps, and each additional app requires an additional paid integration. Make.com's scenario architecture allows parallel execution — one trigger can fire multiple simultaneous actions in branches. The client onboarding scenario fans out to provision Softr, create Drive folder, and create Stripe customer at the same time rather than sequentially. This parallel execution is faster and more reliable for complex multi-tool automations.
The Two Scenarios in the Client Portal Stack
The agency client portal automation runs on two Make.com scenarios. The first handles client onboarding: triggered by a new intake form submission, it fires 7 parallel actions across Airtable, Softr, Google Drive, Stripe, Gmail, and Slack. The second handles monthly billing: triggered on the 1st of each month, it reads all active client records from Airtable, creates a Stripe invoice per client, updates the portal invoice status, and sends the billing email. Both scenarios are demonstrated step by step in the client portal demo.