This free, self-hosted Zapier alternative is fantastic and changed my approach to automation

I'm no stranger to automation as I have a variety of tasks I automate with Zapier and IFTTT. I've enjoyed using these platforms because I could easily configure tasks without needing coding knowledge. However, there are drawbacks due to the limitations of free plans.

Setting up automations in Automatisch was more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding. The platform truly impressed me and made me feel more invested in the project and its future potential than Zapier and IFTTT ever have.

What is Automatisch?

No-code automation that can be self-hosted

Automatisch is an open-source Zapier alternative that you can access using the company's cloud solution or through self-hosting. The platform supports integrations with a variety of apps, including Discord, YouTube, Google Calendar, Notion, Telegram, and more. Unlike Huginn, another open-source automation platform, Automatisch is a no-code platform that makes it easy for non-developers to use.

By setting up integrations, you can create automations or "Flows" that consist of a trigger and an action. If you've used a platform like Zapier or IFTTT, you'll be familiar with the common format for automation tasks. In order to set up an integration, you will usually need to create a way for Automatisch to poll the service's API.

For example, I was able to create an app on Reddit so that my self-hosted instance of Automatisch can communicate with the Reddit API. This allowed me to integrate Reddit as an app that I can use for Automatisch flows.

The benefits of self-hosting Automatisch include privacy and control over your data. Thanks to fantastic documentation, I was able to set up my container and connect to multiple services even though I don't have any coding experience. It's this no-code approach that makes Automatisch so appealing as a Zapier alternative.

What can you do with Automatisch?

Plenty for a platform in early development

Automatisch is still in its early stages of development, but there's still a lot you can do with the service. It's aimed at business users, so while I was able to set up a few personal automations, people can also use it for their workflow. It works with platforms like Airtable, ClickUp, Trello, Slack, and Typeform, as well as many others.

It also has a few built-in apps that essentially add certain features to your flow. If you've used Zapier, you'll be familiar with these types of built-in services. Currently, Automatisch includes Scheduler, Delay, HTTP Request, Filter, Formatter, RSS, and Webhooks tools. I particularly like these because tasks like filtering data are often locked behind paywalls on other services.

I set up various automations that sent me messages on Discord, but this was mostly to see how effective the platform is when self-hosted. While I had issues with Google services providing the right data for my automations, my Reddit and Todoist integrations worked perfectly.

That's not to say that Automatisch isn't without its limitations. Since it hasn't reached its first stable release, there are some features missing. Personally, I would like to see more triggers and actions available in connected apps. Currently, the polling rate for APIs is set to 15 minutes, with the ability to edit the frequency planned in future.

I also noticed that automations that previously worked would suddenly break, requiring me to set them up again.

How this self-hosted Zapier alternative changed my approach to automation

I'm actually excited for the platform's potential

Usually when I automate tasks, I look for quick solutions and feel limited by what a platform offers. I have to keep in mind what's available in the free plans I use and feel like I'm handing over my data in exchange for convenience.

Using Automatisch gave me a sense of control over my data and made me a lot more invested in my automations due to the fact that I was creating apps and bots that would interact with the API of the services I used. It allowed me to peek behind the curtain and get an idea of exactly how these automations work.

While connecting apps took longer than using a non-self-hosted alternative, the entire experience was rewarding. I wasn't frustrated by the process thanks to the excellent documentation created by the developers.

As a result, I find myself invested in the progress of this project. I want to try out the features and suggest improvements and inclusions. And I want to dive into my automations to make sure that they work or provide optimized flows.

Automatisch makes me excited for the future of self-hosted automation

While self-hosted automation is definitely possible with platforms like Huginn and n8n, Automatisch makes creating automations without handing over your data feel more accessible than ever. While I want to eventually learn how to code in a variety of languages, trying to fit in learning when you already have a job can be difficult. Automatisch gave me a peek behind the curtain, making me feel much more empowered when creating my flows. I'm excited to see what the platform has in store and what other no-code projects might be out there.