If you want to connect your product to another app, the first step is clear: you need a secure way for your users to log in and link both systems. Sounds straightforward, but in reality, it’s often the hardest part of the entire integration.
Most teams start by creating an OAuth (Open Authentication) app (or whatever a given third-party uses for end-user connections) to power the familiar “XYZ is requesting permission to access your ABC account” flow. From there, users accept the third party’s terms, which can include developer access, data-processing commitments, security reviews or audits, and commercial agreements for API access.
And that’s just the beginning. Every year, those apps need renewals, reviews, and vendor management. Our app partners tell us that auth maintenance comes with significant overhead and diminishing returns for each new integration they add.
Solutions for managing user auth
When it comes to handling end-user auth, most product teams take one of these approaches:
1. Outsource to partners: If you run a partner program, you can ask your partners to build the integrations for you. This can work if you’re a large enough platform to attract builders. But even then, the apps your customers want most aren’t always the ones willing (or able) to build.
2. Buy and maintain (aka OEM/white-label): Embedded iPaaS tools usually cover the basics, including token storage, API change management, and some infrastructure. But if you want your users to see “Your App is requesting access to XYZ App” during authentication, you’re still responsible for creating and maintaining your own OAuth apps and vendor relationships for every integration.
3. Embed at Scale with Zapier: Zapier removes the pain of authentication and maintenance. With 8,000 apps already connected, we handle OAuth apps, token refreshes, security reviews, and partner agreements. Your users authenticate through Zapier’s trusted infrastructure, giving you instant access to thousands of integrations without the ongoing overhead.
Whether you want to support 10 apps or 1,000, your team’s effort stays nearly flat, so you can spend less time managing integrations and more time building the product experiences your customers actually care about.
What your users see
For your customers, connecting apps through Zapier feels familiar and seamless.
Here’s what the high-level flow looks like inside your product:
Sign-in to or sign-up for Zapier: Users can log in to their existing account, or create a free one to get started. For first-time users, Zapier's Quick Account Creation feature allows them to bypass the standard sign-up process and onboarding steps, getting them connected faster. Once signed in, all of their app connections are centrally managed within their Zapier account.
Grant your app permission to create workflows (if you’re using Zapier’s Workflow API): This allows your product to successfully create and manage Zaps on a user’s behalf.
Connect to third-party apps: Users choose the apps they want to pair with your product. If they’ve already connected, Zapier reuses those authentications. If not, they can add new ones in just a few clicks.
Build the workflow: From there, users can choose any trigger or action in Zapier’s vast ecosystem to automate work between your app and thousands of others.
Instead of juggling multiple OAuth prompts, security checks, and vendor-specific quirks, users simply follow the same, reliable Zapier flow.
Why Zapier stays in the flow
Sometimes teams ask if Zapier branding can be hidden in the auth experience. The short answer: no, and that’s a good thing. Keeping Zapier visible isn’t just about authentication; it’s about giving your customers confidence and support.
Trust through familiarity: Millions of users already know Zapier and trust its connection flow. Seeing Zapier in the process reassures them that their data is handled securely.
Built-in support: Workflows can be complex, and troubleshooting integrations is time-consuming. With Zapier in the flow, your users get direct access to Zapier’s support team for anything related to app connections, taking a meaningful load off your team.
Shared credibility: Partnering openly with Zapier signals that your integrations are backed by a proven ecosystem, not a workaround.
What this means for your product and engineering teams
Say goodbye to OAuth setup, renewals, and vendor audits, as Zapier manages this entire process end-to-end. You'll accelerate your roadmap by allowing you to launch integrations quickly and predictably, without repeatedly solving for authentication or negotiating one-off agreements with each vendor. You will also reduce operational overhead, since Zapier covers support and vendor relationships, freeing your team to focus on building differentiated product features instead of managing integration infrastructure.
A simple way to compare options
When you’re weighing how to extend third-party connectivity, keep these key questions in mind:
How many support tickets (and people) will integration troubleshooting generate?
How many partner managers will you need to acquire and maintain OAuth apps across vendors?
What level of engineering effort will be required to bring the next integration online?
How long can you wait to offer integrations your users are already asking for?
Powered by Zapier is designed to be the fastest route to market with the lowest in-house lift, so your team can focus on building what makes your product unique, not reinventing authentication and integration infrastructure.
Want to go deeper?
If you’d like to learn more about our approach to authentication and embedded third-party connectivity, get in touch with the Powered by Zapier team. We'll show you how it works, end-to-end.
