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IFTTT & Zapier: Underrated Automation Hacks to Connect Any App

📅 Updated: December 2025 ⏱️ 10 min read 🤖 All Platforms

Most people use IFTTT and Zapier for basic automations—"save Instagram photos to Dropbox" kind of stuff. But these tools can do far more powerful things, especially when you combine webhooks, filters, and multi-step workflows.

Here are the underrated automation strategies that power users rely on to save hours every week.

IFTTT vs Zapier: Quick Comparison

  • IFTTT: Free for basic use, simpler interface, great for smart home and consumer apps
  • Zapier: More powerful multi-step workflows, better business app integrations, free tier limited
  • Make (formerly Integromat): Visual workflow builder, complex logic, competitive pricing

Use IFTTT for simple personal automations, Zapier for business workflows, and Make for complex multi-branch logic.

Underrated Automation Ideas

1. Auto-Save Email Attachments to Cloud Folders

Trigger: New email with attachment matching criteria

Action: Save to specific Google Drive/Dropbox folder based on sender or subject

Use case: Invoices automatically sorted into accounting folders, receipts saved for expense reports.

2. Cross-Post Social Media Intelligently

Trigger: New Twitter/X post

Filter: Only if it doesn't contain "RT" or certain hashtags

Action: Post to LinkedIn, Discord, Slack

Use case: Share original thoughts across platforms without spamming retweets.

3. Meeting Notes to Task Manager

Trigger: New Google Doc in "Meeting Notes" folder

Action: Parse document, create tasks in Todoist/Asana for action items

Use case: Never forget meeting follow-ups again.

4. Weather-Based Smart Home

Trigger: Weather forecast shows rain tomorrow

Action: Turn on porch lights earlier, send reminder to bring umbrella

Use case: Proactive home automation based on conditions.

💡 Pro Tip: Chain Multiple Actions

Both IFTTT Pro and Zapier allow multi-step automations. A single trigger can update a spreadsheet, send a Slack message, AND create a calendar event. Think in workflows, not single actions.

The Webhook Secret Weapon

Webhooks let you connect apps that aren't officially supported, or trigger automations from any web event:

  1. Set Up a Webhook Trigger

    In Zapier, use "Webhooks by Zapier" as the trigger. You'll get a unique URL.

  2. Send Data to the Webhook

    Any app or script that can make HTTP requests can trigger your automation by sending data to this URL.

  3. Process and Act

    Zapier receives the data and runs your workflow—no official integration needed.

Webhook Examples:

  • Custom form submissions trigger team notifications
  • IoT sensor data triggers smart home actions
  • Payment processor events update your CRM
  • GitHub deployments notify Slack and update status page

Advanced Techniques

Filter Steps (Conditional Logic)

Add conditions to prevent automations from running when they shouldn't:

  • "Only continue if email subject contains 'Invoice'"
  • "Only continue if spreadsheet cell value > 100"
  • "Only continue if it's a weekday"

Formatter Steps

Transform data between apps:

  • Extract numbers from text
  • Convert date formats
  • Split text into arrays
  • Capitalize names properly

Delay Steps

Add timing to your workflows:

  • "Wait 24 hours, then send follow-up email"
  • "Wait until 9 AM Monday, then post to social media"
  • "Wait 1 hour, then check if task was completed"

Real-World Workflow Examples

Lead Management Workflow

  1. New form submission (Typeform/Google Forms)
  2. Add to CRM (HubSpot/Salesforce)
  3. Send welcome email (Gmail)
  4. Notify sales team (Slack)
  5. Add to email sequence (Mailchimp)
  6. Create follow-up task in 3 days (Asana)

Content Creation Workflow

  1. New row added to content calendar (Google Sheets)
  2. Create draft in CMS (WordPress)
  3. Assign to writer (Asana task)
  4. Schedule social posts (Buffer)
  5. Notify team when published (Slack)

⚠️ Watch Your Task Limits

Free tiers have task limits (Zapier: 100 tasks/month, IFTTT: 2 applets). High-volume automations can burn through limits quickly. Audit your Zaps and disable unused ones.

Optimization Tips

  • Name your Zaps clearly: "Lead Form → CRM + Slack" is better than "My Zap 3"
  • Test before enabling: Use test data to verify the workflow works correctly
  • Monitor task history: Check for failures and errors regularly
  • Document complex workflows: Future you will thank present you
  • Use folders: Organize automations by project or department

Conclusion

IFTTT and Zapier are only as powerful as your imagination. Start with simple automations—email to spreadsheet, social cross-posting—then gradually build more complex workflows as you identify repetitive tasks in your day.

The goal isn't to automate everything; it's to automate the things that waste your time without adding value. Every hour spent setting up a good automation can save dozens of hours over its lifetime.