Zapier is a hosted no-code automation service that connects thousands of web apps through workflows called Zaps, each made of a trigger and one or more actions.
How Zaps work
A Zap has:
- A trigger: an event in one app, such as a new row in a spreadsheet or a new form entry.
- One or more actions: steps in other apps, such as sending an email or creating a record.
- Optional filters, paths, and formatters to shape data between steps.
For apps without a built-in integration, Webhooks by Zapier can receive or send raw HTTP requests, and code steps can run small scripts. Zapier also offers AI features and an MCP offering for connecting assistants to its actions.
Zapier is fully hosted; there is no self-hosted edition. Pricing is based on tasks per month.
An example
When a new row is added to a "Blog posts" sheet, a Zap sends the title and URL to a publishing API, which creates a draft post for approval. When the post goes live, a second Zap receives the published event and logs the link back to the sheet.
Why it matters for AI-agent publishing
Zapier lets non-developers wire publishing into the tools they already use. Because Zaps run unattended, each one should use its own credential and should not be able to publish unreviewed.
SocialHandoff connects to Zapier over the REST API using Webhooks by Zapier. Give each Zap its own API key, scoped to draft. Outbound webhooks such as post.published can trigger Zaps. See Zapier setup, and compare with n8n if you want to self-host.