Zapier vs. Custom Code: When to Fire Your 'Glue' Tool

#automation #javascript #webhooks #saas

I run an automation agency. Half my job is ripping out tangled Zapier messes and replacing them with clean code.
The other half? Telling founders "No, you don't need a custom build yet, just use Zapier."

The "When to Switch" Rule

If your monthly Zapier bill > $200 OR your "glue" breaks > 1x/week, it's time to switch.

The Stack (2026)

We use n8n + TypeScript for most enterprise automation.
Why?

Debugging is easier.
Error handling is actual code, not drag-and-drop guesses.
No "Task" limits.

Code Snippet: Phone Normalization

Here is why code wins for data cleaning:

// Example: Why code is better for cleaning phone numbers
function normalizePhone(raw) {
    const cleaned = raw.replace(/\D/g, '');
    if (cleaned.length === 10) return `+1${cleaned}`;
    if (cleaned.length === 11 && cleaned.startsWith('1')) return `+${cleaned}`;
    return null; // Explicit failure
}