How is Stacksync different from Zapier?

TL;DR

• Zapier and Stacksync are two different tools that serve different purposes.
• Zapier is an automation tool for creating logic-based workflows between tools.
• Stacksync is a data syncing tool that keeps data in sync bi-directionally with little effort.
• Stacksync is better suited when data consistency and real-time updates are crucial requirements.
• Stacksync enables two-way data sync, which is not achievable with Zapier.
• Zapier and Stacksync can be complementary.
• Stacksync can trigger Zapier workflows when some data events happen.
• With Stacksync, you can set up your triggers with custom business logic, making it a powerful tool for data syncing and automation.

Summary of differences

To summarize the key differences between Zapier and Stacksync, Zapier is an automation tool that allows you to create "if-this-then-that" statements to connect your tools in a lightweight way.

However, it only supports a one-way data flow. In contrast, Stacksync is a data syncing tool that keeps data in sync bi-directionally with little effort. Although it does not allow you to architect logic like automation tools, it maintains "state" and constantly checks for differences to ensure data consistency and real-time updates. Additionally, Stacksync is robust even when some systems go down, catching up on all missing changes and consolidating data when services come back up.

Ultimately, Zapier is better for architecting logic and connecting long-tail apps, while Stacksync is ideal for maintaining data consistency and real-time syncing between two apps. However, the two tools can also be used together, with Stacksync triggering Zapier workflows when specific data events happen.

Intro

When it comes to moving data between CRMs and Databases, there are various ways to implement and tools available, and it can be challenging to decide which one to choose. Zapier and Stacksync are two popular options, but they differ significantly in their functionalities. While Zapier is an automation tool that connects apps by creating "if-this-then-that" statements, Stacksync is a data syncing tool that synchronizes data between two apps bi-directionally, keeping them in real-time sync. In this post, we'll explore the differences between the two tools to help you make an informed decision about which tool best suits your needs.

Automation tools

Automation tools like Zapier have revolutionized the way businesses operate by allowing them to automate repetitive tasks and streamline their workflows. With the ability to create "if-this-then-that" statements, users can easily connect their favourite tools and apps together in a lightweight way. Zapier is by far the most popular automation tool, but there are other options available such as Make, Alloy and N8N. These tools offer different features and integrations that may better suit specific business needs. It's important to choose the right automation tool that fits your business needs to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Data Syncing tools

Data syncing tools like Stacksync are designed to keep data in sync between two or more apps in real-time. They don't allow you to architect complex logic like automation tools, but they make it easy to keep data bi-directionally synced without much effort.

With Stacksync, you can ensure that the same data is available in all your connected apps without worrying about manually updating them one by one. Stacksync maintains the "state" of your data and constantly checks for differences to keep your data back in sync. This makes it a reliable option for ensuring that your data is always up-to-date and consistent across all your apps. It's particularly useful for specific use cases like CRM integration, data activation, data synchronization, internal tools, and no-code apps, where real-time data consistency is critical for your business operations.

With Stacksync, you can rest assured that your data is always accurate and reliable, and that you can focus on running your business without worrying about manually syncing data between your apps. Even when your systems go down, Stacksync will catchup and make sure your data is back to consistency once your systems are back up. Since this is all built-in and automatic, this reduces your maintenance time and costs to zero!

Which Tool to Use When

Choosing the right tool between Zapier and Stacksync largely depends on your specific needs and use case. If you need to architect complex logic and want to connect a long-tail app that Stacksync doesn't support, then Zapier is the way to go.

Zapier allows you to create "if-this-then-that" statements that connect your tools and it is very flexible in terms of its automation capabilities. For the use case of CRM integration, you should keep in mind that Zapier will not guarantee data consistency across your different tools. It is your job to define your Zapier task chains properly and make sure to manually execute the tasks if your systems incur downtime. Once the workflow is executed, it is not Zapier’s job to check the consistency state of your data.

Beware not falling into the trap of having massive chains of zaps that frequently fail and are hard to test since this will result in a maintenance mess.

On the other hand, if data consistency and real-time updates are crucial requirements for your workflow, then Stacksync is the better choice. Stacksync is a data syncing tool that maintains "state" and constantly checks for differences to keep your data back in sync. It is particularly great for specific use cases like CRM integration and data activation. Stacksync guarantees that your data stays consistent and up-to-date at any point in time. Since everything is managed, it drastically reduces your backend complexity and gets you started in minutes.

However, it's important to keep in mind that Zapier and Stacksync can be complementary tools, and you may even find that you need to use both in your workflow.

An impacting use case example

When it comes to syncing data between Salesforce and Postgres, there is a big difference between using Zapier and Stacksync. With Zapier, you would need to create multiple Zaps to handle data syncing between the two platforms. This can become tedious and time-consuming, especially when data errors arise, and you would need to resolve and consolidate them manually.

On the other hand, Stacksync simplifies this process by connecting Salesforce and Postgres and syncing data bi-directionally automatically. This means that data is kept in sync in real-time, without any manual intervention needed. Stacksync also maintains state and constantly checks for differences to keep your data back in sync. This is particularly useful for projects that require long-term data syncing between Salesforce and Postgres, as it is a cost-effective solution that requires little maintenance.

If you have a recurring revenue business model and long-term relationships with your customers matter, data syncing is the way to go. In fact, maintaining error-free data over time is hard and impacts your business operations. That’s why you would need a managed service focusing on data syncing.

To conclude on CRM integration, if you are looking for a hassle-free and automated way to sync data between Salesforce and Postgres, Stacksync is the way to go.