Blackbird.io vs. Zapier

If Zapier is an Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), Blackbird is a Content Integration Platform as a Service. At every product touchpoint, Blackbird is optimized for language and multi-lingual content workflows.

Consider CMS connectors. While Zapier offers integrations with apps like HubSpot, Salesforce or Marketo, these narrowly focus on CRM functionality and related API endpoints. However, they fall short when it comes to supporting content. This creates a substantial gap when it comes to transferring content like blog posts, landing pages, and emails across multiple systems. In contrast, Blackbird can support all API endpoints, both CRM and CMS related.

The Blackbird SDK enables something unique and powerful: the ability to pre-engineer certain actions and to build special endpoints.

Take our Zendesk connector - we offer a prebuilt action called "Get all articles not translated in a specific language".

Or take our fully-decked out OpenAI connector that offers a prebuilt ("pre-prompt engineered") action called "Review MT translated text and generate a post-edited version". No need to do all that fancy system prompt engineering manually!

Our HubSpot CMS connector offers a prebuilt action for "getting information of a specific landing page and return an HTML file of its content." No need to perform conversion actions manually.

Awesome, right? These are uniquely valuable actions for language operations (LangOps). We understand them, we build them, we enable them.

We have open-sourced our Public Apps - all of them are available on our GitHub repository. When you need to add extra or custom endpoints to an app, you can build your custom (private) versions based on our Public Apps. Simply clone the Github repository of our app, add what you need, deploy it, and bingo!

Blackbird is not just “iPaaS”, "lowcode/nocode" or "orchestration tool": it is also a code-deployment platform. With the Blackbird SDK, users can build private apps and deploy their code in seconds on Blackbird.

The Bird Editor, our workflow editor, isn’t just a visual canvas for orchestrating tasks. It shines when it comes to content and language-related workflows, offering language-specific operators and primitives like language code conversions or bucketing (batching) based on word counts. It's even possible to leverage analytics data for localization automation - our topic at LocWorld's 14th Process Innovation Challenge (winning the coveted 1st prize and making us "Innovator of the Year").

Zapier is the clear leader when it comes to quantity of apps supported. Blackbird supports less apps, but it's focused on what truly matters in content and language operations.

1️⃣ We support key platforms that don't use the REST API architecture - memoQ or Plunet for example, two leaders in their segments, both relying on SOAP API. Blackbird supports this architecture, and not just actions, but event triggers (webhooks) as well. We support GraphQL too, straight.

2️⃣ We focus on the unique ecosystem of the Nimdzi Technology Atlas - key categories like Translation Management Systems, Translation Business Management Systems, Audiovisual Translation Tools, Quality Management, Machine Translation or MTQE are all supported on Blackbird. Many of these key apps are not just available as "out-of-the-box" integrations but their vendors are close technology partners of Blackbird. This means better support and opportunities for deeper solution architecting.

3️⃣ We support mainstream software categories too - productivity apps, communication platforms, content management systems, analytics tools, large language models. But even non-language-specific apps like Contentful, Zendesk, Salesforce or OpenAI are customized for language operations. We offer custom actions that reflect the unique needs and requirements of language industry professionals.

See #2 above for more (Pre-engineered actions and "curated" API endpoints)!

Blackbird is positioned to support the supply chain of the language industry.

With Zapier, the aim is to connect and integrate various apps within a single organization. In the language industry, we have a unique value chain where we have the challenge to connect and integrate apps spanning multiple organizations (e.g. buyer-side, agencies a.k.a. LSPs, agency sub-vendors, etc.)

We have a growing set of features that supports the B2B2B nature of our industry:  

1️⃣ Add multiple connections to apps: agencies and tech vendors can support dozens or hundreds of end-clients as any app can have unlimited number of connections. Want to add 75 OAuth 2.0 authorizations to Salesforce on Blackbird? Need to add 54 secret keys to OpenAI? No sweat.

2️⃣ Nests: organize all assets like apps and workflows (Birds) belonging to a specific client into compartmentalized workspaces. Offer Blackbird as a fully-managed service to end-clients.

3️⃣ A two-tiered roles and permissions system. You can define granular access rights and permissions not just on a tenant but on a workspace (Nests) level too.

4️⃣ Blackbird OEM: white label Blackbird, add to your logo and blend Blackbird seamlessly into your tech stack!
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These features and our strategic focus on enabling "B2B2B" also means that Blackbird is particularly well positioned for value-added reseller partnerships. Tech-enabled language solutions providers (LSPs) and adjacent technology vendors can cross-sell or bundle Blackbird (workflow orchestration- and integration-as-a-service) into their core offerings.

Today, we can offer to deploy Blackbird in multiple Azure regions.

Coming soon: multi-cloud options (Azure or AWS); public or private cloud options.

Zapier's pricing has many moving parts. What apps will you be using? Some will be free (included) but many could be Premium (cost extra). How many steps will your workflows (zaps) have? What will be your HTTP response and webhook payloads? 

You are not sure? Then you'll not have a clear picture of your TCO - total cost of ownership. Budgeting and forecasting could be difficult.

Blackbird makes pricing simple. We charge per published workflow (Bird) - that's it! No hidden fees, surprises, bait-and-switch anxieties or unknowns. All Apps are included. We don't put a cap on number of steps in a workflow. You can have unlimited users and admins. And best of all, you can create and deploy unlimited Private Apps using our SDK!

Birds are automations for business processes. They are a set of workflow that help connect your business applications. Coupled with many other advanced features, Birds are able to handle all app integration and workflow orchestration scenarios ranging from simple to complex.  We do not charge separate fees for app connectors - they are all included in a Blackbird subscription.

Blackbird is a SaaS product but we know that providing support for our users is key. We are committed to set up everyone for success and that is why we provide professional services, from solution architecting to custom app development. Compared to a giant like Zapier, we're a boutique shop. We thrive on personal relationships.