Why I stopped using Zapier for client automations (and what I built instead)

Short summary

Solo AI consultant in Zürich shares why he abandoned Zapier for client automation workflows. By rebuilding on Python + Postgres + Hetzner VPS, he reduced per-client costs from $50 to $2/month and achieved sub-second latency instead of Zapier's 5-minute minimum. The tradeoff: ~3 days upfront rebuild effort per workflow, offset by improved auditability and cost.

• •Switched from Zapier ($50/mo/client) to custom Python + Postgres stack ($2/mo/client)
• •Achieved sub-second latency vs Zapier's 5-minute minimum, with full git audit trail
• •Tradeoff: ~3 days upfront rebuild time per workflow, viable for small agencies

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