Zapier offers several ways to make API requests. The right choice depends on which Zapier product you're using, whether the app you're calling has a Zapier integration, and how you need to handle authentication.
Any API (with or without a Zapier integration)
Webhooks by Zapier and API by Zapier let you call any API endpoint, even if the service does not have a dedicated Zapier app.
| Webhooks by Zapier | API by Zapier | |
|---|---|---|
| Available in |
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| Supported authentication |
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| Where credentials live | Stored within a Zap step or tool setup. | Stored within an app connection. |
| Best for | Receiving or sending payloads with simple or no authentication. |
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| Triggers |
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New Item from API (Polling). |
| Actions |
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API Request |
| Request/response behavior | Payload type choice (form, JSON, XML, raw); auto-flattening with double-underscore conventions; XPath for extraction. | What you send is what gets sent; no format guessing; JQ for extraction (not XPath); clear error messages. |
Apps with an existing Zapier integration only
API Request actions and Custom Actions let you make raw HTTP requests to apps that already have a Zapier integration. They use the app's existing connection for authentication, so you do not need to manage credentials separately.
| API Request actions | Custom Actions | |
|---|---|---|
| Available in |
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| Works with | Supported public apps with a Zapier integration. | Supported public apps with a Zapier integration. |
| Where credentials live | Stored within an app connection. | Stored within an app connection. |
| Best for | A one-off API call in a single Zap. | A reusable action you want to share across Zap workflows and teammates. |
| Reusable | No, it's only available in the Zap where you created it. | Yes, you can share and reuse it across Zap workflows and teammates. |
| Setup | Manual configuration in the Zap editor. In Agents and MCP, you can configure the fields yourself or let AI fill them in for you. | AI-assisted setup with Copilot; optional code editor for Typescript. |
When to use which
- API by Zapier: The app has no Zapier integration and requires OAuth2 or an API key. Credentials stay in your connection, not the Zap.
- Webhooks by Zapier: The app has no Zapier integration and needs only Basic Authentication or none, or you want to receive webhook-style payloads. Credentials are stored in plaintext step fields that anyone with access to the Zap can read, so API by Zapier is more secure for authenticated requests.
- API Request actions: The app already has a Zapier integration but lacks the action you need, and you only need it in one Zap.
- Custom Actions: The app already has a Zapier integration but lacks the action you need, and you want to reuse or share it across Zap workflows and teammates.