Relay.app
Workflow automation platform with native human approval steps and AI actions (GPT, Claude). Visual builder simpler than Zapier, pre-built templates for common GTM workflows (lead routing, customer onboarding), and collaboration features (comments, @mentions in workflows). Free tier is generous (unlimited workflows, pay per run), pricing per execution not per task. Built for teams where workflows need human judgment or review before completing.
Official site ↗Why it ranks here
Best human-in-the-loop UX in the category. Approval steps are first-class (not hacks via Slack or email), AI steps are pre-configured, and the builder is simpler than Zapier. For workflows that need human review (approve discount, verify lead quality), Relay is faster to build and easier to hand off to non-engineers.
Where it sits
Ranked sixth because it trades integration breadth and power for simplicity and collaboration. Zapier has more integrations, n8n has more control, Make has more logic features. Relay wins when workflows cross human and automated steps, especially in smaller teams (5 to 50 people) where collaboration features matter. For pure automation without human steps, other tools rank higher.
How GTM Engineering teams use it
GTM engineers build approval workflows: new deal over threshold triggers workflow that pulls data from CRM, sends Slack message with approve/reject buttons, on approval updates CRM and notifies account executive. AI steps handle data enrichment (pass company name to Claude, extract industry and size, write to CRM). Teams use Relay for onboarding sequences (automated emails with manual check-ins), lead review (automation flags high-value leads, human reviews before routing), and exception handling (automation detects anomaly, human decides next step). Collaboration features mean non-engineers can see workflow runs and jump in when needed.
In-depth notes
Pricing is per workflow run (not per task like Zapier), so multi-step workflows cost less. Free tier includes unlimited workflows with limited runs per month; paid plans scale with run volume. Fewer pre-built integrations than Zapier but covers core GTM stack (CRMs, Slack, email, calendars). AI steps use your own API keys (OpenAI, Anthropic) or Relay credits. Human approval steps send email or Slack message with action buttons; recipient clicks approve or reject, workflow continues. No custom code steps like Pipedream; you use pre-built actions or HTTP requests. Debugging is visual: see workflow runs, who approved, what AI returned. For high-volume automations, cost scales with runs but still cheaper than Zapier per-task pricing. For pure automation (no human steps), Zapier or n8n is more capable.
Best for
Workflows that need human approval or review; teams that want simpler UX than Zapier
Avoid if
Need thousands of integrations; workflows are fully automated with no human steps
The rest of Workflow automation
n8n Leader Open-source workflow automation with AI nodes, self-hostable, developer-leaning. The builder favorite. #2 
Make Leader Visual automation with complex branching, routers, and error handling. Power user favorite. #3 
Zapier Leader Market-standard automation with 6,000+ app integrations. Easiest for non-technical users. #4 
Pipedream Strong Code-first automation with pre-built actions and generous free compute. Developer favorite for custom logic. #5 
Windmill Strong Open-source workflow engine with script-first design and visual UI. Self-hostable, Git-native. #7 
Bardeen Situational Browser-based automation with AI copilot. Desktop app, local execution, built for repetitive web tasks. #8 
Activepieces Situational Open-source n8n alternative with self-hosting and visual builder. Growing connector library. #9 
Trigger.dev Situational Code-first background jobs for TypeScript. Modern DX, built for developers writing long-running tasks. #10 
Gumloop Situational AI-first automation with visual builder. Drag-and-drop AI nodes, API calls, and browser actions. #11 
Latenode Situational Low-code automation with JavaScript code steps. Visual builder + custom logic, affordable pricing. #12 
Lindy Niche AI agent automation with conversational triggers. Emerging, built for personal productivity and GTM tasks. Learning guide
Setup
Sign up for Relay, connect Slack and your CRM, and build your first workflow using a template (approval workflow or AI enrichment) to see the human-in-the-loop pattern in action.
First thing to build
Build a deal approval workflow: CRM trigger on deal over threshold, pull deal data, send Slack message with approve or reject buttons to manager, on approval update CRM and notify account executive via email.
What actually matters
- Human approval step (Slack or email with action buttons)
- AI step (GPT or Claude with your API key or Relay credits)
- CRM trigger and action steps
- Collaboration features (@mentions, comments in workflow)
Watch out
Integration library is narrower than Zapier or Make.