Zapier Embedded

Integration is the 3rd most important factor for SaaS buyers globally because it automates data transfer between different applications, enhancing collaboration and reducing errors.

It also leads to a positive customer experience; by providing integrations to popular 3rd party apps, you can remove the need for complex manual coding and scripting, making it easier for customers to adopt your product.

However, you might struggle to figure out the best course of action for building these integrations. If you choose to build a Zapier connector, your users will be able to design and manage their own integration workflows independently.

To give your users a premium experience, you should provide fully embedded integrations within your app, where you define the integration experience and workflows for customers to easily activate. 

In this article, we will help you understand the trade-offs between Zapier embedded connectors and fully embedded native integrations, helping you make the best decision for your business.

What is Zapier?

Zapier is an Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) that will allow your end users to create custom low-code workflows known as Zaps between various applications that they are using. This is best suited for end users who have little technical expertise, letting them remove siloes between the applications they use without having to code. 

With the help of Zapier, your users will be able to have automatic one-way data transfers between platforms, like sending lead details from one app to another. However, if your users need two-way transfer of data or other more advanced integration workflows, using Zapier may become challenging. Thus, Zapier iPaaS limits what your end users can do with an integration. 

Benefits of Using Zapier Connectors

The primary benefits of using Zapier embedded connectors are:

1. Quick Implementation

Zapier iPaaS is preferred by many businesses because they are easy to implement without any hassle of coding and need for technical expertise.

If you want your end users to be able to automate rapidly, then Zapier is the right solution because it provides templates that they can use for automating their integrations quickly. 

These templates are designed to incorporate all the best practices of automating an integration through Tables, Interfaces, or Zaps in just a few minutes.

2. Minimal Maintenance

After Zapier is set up, it requires minimal maintenance because it has a user-friendly interface and pre-built workflows and templates that will ensure that your users can manage their integrations with ease and minimal upkeep.

In fact, in case the templates do not have what you want, then you can just type out what you want to automate in plain English and it will automatically create a Zap for your users.

3. Access to a Large Integration Library

Zapier iPaaS gives you access to more than 7,000 apps with the help of automation, removing the need for coding.

Additionally, it works with over 1,500 business tools, making it a versatile solution that can be used by your end users to integrate two or more applications, boost efficiency, and automate repetitive business operations.

4. User Empowerment

Considering that Zapier embedded connectors will allow even your non-technical users to automate workflows because there is no need for coding, they will be empowered to streamline and automate their tasks with ease.

Additionally, this will also leave them with enough time to focus on other, more strategic tasks that are more aligned with their expertise.

5. Enhanced Productivity

With Zapier embedded, users can automate repetitive tasks, such as data entry, report generation, and email notifications. This allows teams to focus on high-value tasks, improving productivity and reducing manual errors, which can lead to better overall performance and fewer operational bottlenecks.

6. Seamless Integration Across Teams

Zapier facilitates cross-functional collaboration by enabling various departments (e.g., marketing, sales, HR) to automate their workflows and share data seamlessly between the apps they use. This improves communication, transparency, and efficiency within the organization.

7. Real-Time Updates

By automating workflows, Zapier ensures that users receive real-time updates across systems. For instance, if a new lead is added to a CRM system, Zapier can trigger an immediate follow-up email. This helps ensure that important actions are taken promptly without manual intervention.

8. Customizable Workflows

Although Zapier embedded offers pre-built templates, it also allows users to customize their workflows to suit their unique business processes. Users can modify Zaps, add filters, set up conditional logic, and tailor automations to meet specific needs, offering a high level of flexibility.

9. Time-Saving

With the ability to create automation in minutes and with minimal setup, Zapier embedded dramatically reduces the time required to get integrations up and running. By eliminating manual intervention, businesses can also save time in their day-to-day operations, leading to faster execution of tasks and quicker results.

Drawbacks of Using Zapier Connectors

The main drawbacks of Zapier embedded connectors that you must consider are:

1. Subpar User Experience

To use Zapier iPaaS, your users will have to leave your app to make an account in Zapier. They will then have to learn how to build workflows in Zapier.

Your users might set up the workflows incorrectly, which can lead to them encountering problems during testing and discovering ongoing issues while maintaining the integrations in the long term. With them being unable to enjoy the benefits of integrations seamlessly, their frustrations will get shifted back to your product.

Also, the Zapier embedded connector will work going forward, which means that the past data of the apps cannot be integrated; only the new data entered after the integration will be linked automatically.

2. Limited Feature Flexibility

Zapier embedded has limited feature flexibility that depends on how each app's Zapier connector is built. This means that even if you add more endpoints or connection points to your app, your users will not be able to access every function of other apps through Zapier. 

Also, while Zapier is good for mapping fields between apps, it does not support more complex workflows that let your users maximize bigger benefits if implemented. 

3. Challenges in Selling to Larger Companies

You may face challenges in selling Zapier embedded connectors for integration to larger companies as they tend to require more complex, scalable, and deeply integrated solutions for enterprise-level workflows. Zapier embedded connectors or other standard integration connectors will not be able to support this need.

4. Lost Revenue Opportunities

If your customers are willing and able to use Zapier, they will have to pay for it out of their own pockets. This means that some of your customers might decide to use Zapier because they are unable to cover the cost or because they simply do not want to. 

On the other hand, if your customers do pay for Zapier, then you are basically missing out on revenue-earning opportunities because they are spending on a third-party solution instead of on your services. 

Instead, if you offer a Zapier white-labeled solution, you will be providing a branded integration experience directly through your platform that will also let you capture this revenue opportunity.

5. Limited Control Over Security and Compliance

Since Zapier is a third-party solution, businesses have limited control over the security measures and compliance protocols governing the data being passed between applications. For industries that require strict data privacy and compliance regulations (such as healthcare or finance), this can be a significant drawback, as Zapier may not meet the necessary security standards or specific compliance requirements like HIPAA or GDPR.

6. Dependency on Zapier's Platform Availability

Your entire automation infrastructure depends on Zapier’s platform availability. If Zapier experiences downtime or performance issues, your integrations will be affected, potentially disrupting critical business operations. Relying on a third-party platform introduces risk that is beyond your control, which can lead to service interruptions or delays.

7. Limited Error Handling and Debugging

Zapier has relatively simple error-handling mechanisms, which might not be sufficient for more complex workflows. When a workflow fails, identifying and fixing the root cause can be difficult for non-technical users. This can lead to increased frustration, as they may not have the necessary tools to troubleshoot or resolve the issue quickly.

8. Lack of Advanced Customization Options

While Zapier offers basic automation capabilities, it lacks the advanced customization options available in more sophisticated integration platforms. Users are limited to predefined triggers and actions, which may not be enough for businesses requiring highly customized workflows or integrations. This lack of customization can restrict how deeply users can automate complex tasks.

9. Data Transfer Limits

Zapier places restrictions on the volume of data transfers per month, depending on the pricing plan. For businesses dealing with high volumes of data, especially in enterprise settings, these limits can become a bottleneck, leading to additional costs or reduced operational efficiency if automation is paused or restricted.

10. Inconsistent App Support

Not all apps offer the same level of integration within Zapier. Some apps may have more extensive functionality, while others might only support basic features, leading to inconsistent experiences. This can frustrate users who expect seamless functionality across all their tools, as they may find that some apps don't offer the depth of integration they need.

11. Complex Pricing Structure

Zapier’s pricing plans are based on usage (tasks and Zaps), which can become expensive as the number of automations and integrations increases. For businesses that rely heavily on automating processes, costs can quickly escalate, making Zapier less cost-effective in the long run compared to building custom or more scalable in-house solutions.

Advantages of Fully Embedded Integrations

The advantages of fully embedded native integrations that you must know to develop an integration strategy best suited to your organization are:

1. Seamless User Experience

With the help of native integration, the multiple apps used by your customers can communicate with each other on a single platform. This removes the need for manual data entry, minimizing compatibility issues and errors.

Additionally, by having everything on a single platform, your customers would not have to switch between multiple platforms but rather enjoy a seamless user experience from one platform.

2. Enhanced Product Adoption

By using native integrations, you will be able to reduce the time spent by your users outside of your app to get their expected results.

This is because, with the help of native integrations, they will be able to activate their integrations with just a single click through your app itself, leading to a seamless flow of data from one app to another. 

It will also make it easy for them to figure out how to use and integrate your product with their existing workflows.

3. Improved Customer Support

With the help of native integrations, you will be able to improve your customer support because the deployment of every integration workflow will have centralized management. 

This means that instead of your customer support team having to spend hours trying to find issues that will change with each customer in the case of Zapier iPaaS, you will be able to launch a single patch that will save all the issues for each of your users at a go. 

4. Revenue Expansion Opportunities

By having embedded native integrations, you will be able to monetize them to earn more revenue. For instance, you can include certain integrations only with high packages of your product, or you can allow your customers to buy them as add-ons.

Your customers would prefer this solution because the other alternative requires them to pay Zapier and build and manage their own integrations.

5. Greater Customization and Flexibility

Native integrations allow you to tailor workflows and features to meet the specific needs of your customers. Since you control the integration directly, you can customize how data is exchanged, what features are available, and how the integration interacts with your platform. This flexibility can result in more powerful and personalized workflows compared to third-party solutions.

6. Stronger Brand Identity and Control

With fully embedded integrations, your product remains at the center of the user experience. Customers don’t have to rely on third-party tools or platforms, helping you maintain a stronger brand presence. Additionally, you have full control over how the integrations are presented, ensuring a consistent user interface and branding across all connected tools.

7. Deeper Data Insights and Analytics

Since all integrations are handled natively within your platform, you gain access to richer data insights. You can track how users interact with various integrations, gather insights on usage patterns, and identify opportunities for further optimization or new feature development. This level of visibility is often unavailable with third-party integration tools.

8. Stronger Security and Compliance

When you develop native integrations, you have full control over the data flow and security protocols, ensuring they meet your organization’s specific security standards.You can also ensure compliance with industry-specific regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, giving your users peace of mind and further differentiating your product in industries with strict compliance requirements.

9. Lower Long-Term Costs

Although building and maintaining native integrations may require an upfront investment, they can lead to cost savings in the long term. Unlike third-party platforms that charge based on usage, you won’t incur recurring fees or limitations on the number of integrations. Native solutions also reduce dependencies on external vendors, lowering potential long-term operational costs.

10. Better Performance and Reliability

Native integrations often perform better and are more reliable than those managed through third-party platforms. Since the integrations are built specifically for your app’s architecture, you can optimize performance and minimize latency or downtime. This leads to faster and more efficient data transfer between apps, improving the overall user experience.

11. Competitive Differentiation

Offering a seamless native integration experience can set your product apart from competitors. Many users prefer products that offer out-of-the-box integrations without requiring extra tools or platforms. By embedding native integrations, you position your product as a comprehensive solution, improving your competitive advantage in the market.

12. Reduced Dependency on External Platforms

Relying on third-party platforms for integrations introduces a layer of dependency, as your product’s functionality is tied to their uptime, pricing, and future changes. Native integrations reduce this dependency, giving you more control over the user experience and ensuring you’re not affected by external platform changes, outages, or pricing updates.

These additional advantages demonstrate how fully embedded native integrations can enhance the overall customer experience, reduce costs, and create new opportunities for revenue growth and brand differentiation.

The Hybrid Approach: Embedded Integration Platforms (Embedded iPaaS)

Embedded iPaaS is also known as a white-label iPaaS because it will let you create, manage, and deploy integration services to your users from within your own platform.

This means that not only do you have access to the complete iPaaS system but also the flexibility of a white-labeled solution. 

Advantages of Embedded iPaaS

The advantages of Embedded iPaaS are:

1. Rapid Deployment

Embedded iPaaS comes with pre-built components that you can use to build whatever you need within the given boundary.

This means that by using it, you will be able to quickly provide new integrations on your platforms simply by activating them through your platform's integration environment.

Thus, you will not have to invest time in scheduling builds or maintenance of the integrations.

2. Scalability

Embedded iPaaS makes it possible for you to keep up with the growing needs of your users because they are easily scalable, making it easy to add new integrations and facilitate data flows between more apps.

You will need to build connectors for your internal APIs only once and then connect these with the other APIs. Additionally, with embedded iPaaS, you will have a central hub to monitor the performance and usage of all your integrations.

3. Customizable User Experience

You can tailor the embedded iPaaS under your branding and meet the integration functionalities that will be required by your users. 

Also, with the help of this, your users will get a customizable user experience because they will be able to easily create automation without having to code.

Considerations When Choosing an Embedded iPaaS

Some of the considerations that you must keep in mind when choosing an embedded iPaaS for your organization are:

• Check for integration capabilities and compatibility so that it can seamlessly connect with the applications that your customers are using or might use in the future.
• It must come with pre-built connectors as well as the flexibility to create custom integrations so that it can keep up with growing businesses.
• The embedded iPaaS you are considering must have a user-friendly interface that not only speeds up deployment times and removes the need for technical expertise but also makes it easy to manage. 
• It must be scalable so that it can easily handle a large number of integrations and data.

The embedded iPaaS platform must support real-time data synchronization with minimum latency so that business operations can be constantly carried out with efficiency.

• The embedded iPaaS platform that you choose must adhere to the highest standards of security and data protection so that your users' data is always protected. Also, they must have a proactive approach to handling security issues.
• Lastly, you must consider the expected costs and return on investments (ROI) to choose a platform that not only fits your budget but also gives adequate benefits in exchange for the investment undertaken by you.

By choosing embedded iPaaS platforms like Cobalt, you will be able to speed up your native integrations while removing the hassle of authentication. Also, Cobalt has a scalable and flexible infrastructure, perfect for handling and transforming a variety of data. 

In fact, its AI agent will help you build an API connector in just a few minutes while also letting you control what your customers can configure with their platform. It also comes with customizable, robust, and automated security features.

Side by side Comparison between Zapier, Fully Embedded Native Integration and Embedded iPaaS

Wrapping Up

While SaaS integration solutions are being increasingly adopted by businesses globally, the need for integrations is continuously on the rise too. One of the ways of integrating two or more apps for seamless exchange of data is through the use of Zapier embedded connectors.

While Zapier connectors are quick to implement and give access to a vast integration library, they have limited functionalities, leading to them being unsuitable for large enterprises and leading to a poor user experience.

On the other hand, by using native integrations, you will be able to ensure a seamless user experience, enhanced product adoption, and more opportunities for revenue expansion.

How Cobalt stand as Zapier's embedded best alternative

However, if you are looking for the best of both worlds and want a tailored solution, then you should go for embedded iPaaS platforms like Cobalt because they offer advantages like rapid deployment, scalability, and customizable user experiences. 

Learn more about Cobalt by scheduling a call with us.